Southern Private Colleges

There are 384 private colleges and universities in the South enrolling 1,036,953 students. Explore the list below to find the private college match for you. Private colleges are usually smaller in size, more expensive than public schools and often academically rigorous. If you feel you may have difficulty fitting into the large class sizes which are common on many public campuses, take a look at South private colleges. The  South is home to popular private schools like University of Miami, Duke University, Vanderbilt University and Johns Hopkins University.

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South Private 4 Year 2 Year

  • Private 4 Year
  • Coral Gables, FL
  • 4.0 | 14 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

University of Miami is a private university known for undergraduate marine science, business, and communications. The Coral Gables campus has Mediterranean-style buildings set among lakes and tropical landscaping.

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1320-1480
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 19%
  • Net Price $45,397
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Durham, NC
  • 5.0 | 6 reviews
  • Jan 3 application deadline

Duke is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate public policy, biomedical engineering, and economics. The residential campus in Durham centers on Collegiate Gothic quads and a separate East Campus for first-year housing.

#2 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1500-1570
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.94
  • Acceptance Rate 6%
  • Net Price $21,981
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Nashville, TN
  • 5.0 | 5 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Vanderbilt is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate education, music, and the sciences. The tree-lined urban campus is a designated arboretum in the heart of Nashville.

#16 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1500-1570
  • Avg GPA 3.89
  • Acceptance Rate 6%
  • Net Price $25,186
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Baltimore, MD
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 3 application deadline

Johns Hopkins is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate biomedical engineering, public health, and international studies. Most undergraduates study on the Homewood campus in north Baltimore.

#10 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1520-1570
  • Avg GPA 3.92
  • Acceptance Rate 6%
  • Net Price $26,017
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Waco, TX
  • 4.2 | 14 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Baylor is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and prehealth programs. The residential campus sits along the Brazos River in Waco.

#5 Best Private Colleges in Texas 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1200-1400
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.74
  • Acceptance Rate 51%
  • Net Price $47,001
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Tampa, FL
  • 2.5 | 13 reviews

University of Tampa is a private university known for undergraduate business, marine science, and nursing. The urban campus centers on historic Plant Hall along the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa.

#11 Best Private Colleges in Florida 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 40%
  • Net Price $35,679
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • 4.8 | 5 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Emory is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and the biological sciences. The wooded campus sits in Atlanta's Druid Hills neighborhood.

#1 Best Value in Georgia 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1470-1550
  • Avg GPA 3.8
  • Acceptance Rate 11%
  • Net Price $27,303
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Rice is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and the natural sciences. Most undergraduates live in residential colleges that organize dining and social life on the urban Houston campus.

#9 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1510-1570
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.96
  • Acceptance Rate 8%
  • Net Price $23,589
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Savannah, GA
  • 4.2 | 4 reviews

SCAD is a private art and design college known for undergraduate fashion, graphic design, and animation. The campus occupies renovated historic buildings in downtown Savannah.

#13 Best Private Colleges in Georgia 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $50,821
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Elon, NC
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 10 application deadline

Elon is a private university known for undergraduate communications and business. Most students live on the residential campus in the small college town of Elon.

#4 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1130-1280
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.65
  • Acceptance Rate 66%
  • Net Price $44,440
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Spelman is a highly selective historically Black women's college known for undergraduate sciences and the liberal arts. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Atlanta's West End, part of the Atlanta University Center.

#3 Best Private Colleges in Georgia 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1108-1320
  • Avg GPA 3.75
  • Acceptance Rate 25%
  • Net Price $40,354
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Atlanta, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Clark Atlanta is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate social work, business, and mass media arts. The urban Atlanta campus is part of the Atlanta University Center consortium with neighboring HBCUs.

#17 Best Private Colleges in Georgia 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.28
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $31,223
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Fort Worth, TX
  • 4.8 | 4 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

TCU is a private university known for undergraduate business and communications. The residential campus sits a few miles from downtown Fort Worth.

#4 Best Private Colleges in Texas 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1140-1350
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 44%
  • Net Price $41,848
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Dallas, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

SMU is a private university known for undergraduate business and the performing arts. The campus occupies University Park, a residential enclave within Dallas.

#3 Best Colleges in Texas 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1340-1490
  • Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $48,179
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • New Orleans, LA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Tulane is a private university known for undergraduate public health, business, and architecture. The uptown New Orleans campus sits beside Audubon Park.

9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1400-1520
  • Avg GPA 3.64
  • Acceptance Rate 14%
  • Net Price $47,427
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Macon, GA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Mercer is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and music. Most undergrads study on the historic main campus in Macon.

#3 Best Value Colleges in Georgia 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1350
  • Avg GPA 3.98
  • Acceptance Rate 69%
  • Net Price $24,364
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Davidson, NC
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 7 application deadline

Davidson is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, political science, and the sciences. An honor code shapes unproctored exams and student self-governance on the residential campus near Charlotte.

#2 Best Colleges in North Carolina 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1400-1530
  • Avg GPA 3.81
  • Acceptance Rate 13%
  • Net Price $27,720
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews

Nova Southeastern is a private university known for undergraduate marine science, health sciences, and psychology. The suburban campus sits in the Fort Lauderdale area of South Florida.

#9 Best Private Colleges in Florida 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1300
  • Avg GPA 3.99
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $31,858
Details