Lens covers 45 colleges with big-time sports in the Southeast, 40 public and 5 private. They range from United States Naval Academy (4,474 undergraduates) to University of Central Florida (59,146). Acceptance rates run from 6% to 99%, and 27 of the 45 admit at least half of applicants.
Colleges with big-time sports play NCAA Division I football in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), where game days are big campus events (Equity in Athletics, 2024–25). In Lens, the Southeast means Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia.
Open these 45 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 45 colleges with big-time sports in the Southeast
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | 19,444 | 90% | $7,579 in-state · $25,212 out-of-state |
| Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama | 26,816 | 46% | $12,890 in-state · $34,922 out-of-state |
| Clemson University | Clemson, South Carolina | 23,300 | 38% | $15,554 in-state · $40,866 out-of-state |
| Coastal Carolina University | Conway, South Carolina | 10,377 | 75% | $11,640 in-state · $29,628 out-of-state |
| Duke University | Durham, North Carolina | 6,442 | 6% | $68,758 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, North Carolina | 19,896 | 89% | $7,361 in-state · $23,638 out-of-state |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, Florida | 23,757 | 66% | $4,879 in-state · $17,324 out-of-state |
| Florida International University | Miami, Florida | 39,508 | 55% | $6,565 in-state · $18,964 out-of-state |
| Florida State University | Tallahassee, Florida | 32,212 | 24% | $5,656 in-state · $18,786 out-of-state |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, Georgia | 18,785 | 14% | $12,058 in-state · $34,484 out-of-state |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, Georgia | 21,790 | 88% | $6,022 in-state · $17,734 out-of-state |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia | 26,623 | 55% | $8,664 in-state · $24,840 out-of-state |
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, Alabama | 7,036 | 78% | $12,894 in-state · $23,334 out-of-state |
| Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia | 50,012 | 99% | $22,465 |
| Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | 7,266 | 96% | $9,162 in-state · $20,342 out-of-state |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 16,301 | 69% | $10,266 in-state · $31,574 out-of-state |
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, Mississippi | 18,397 | 78% | $10,202 in-state · $27,637 out-of-state |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh, North Carolina | 27,371 | 42% | $8,799 in-state · $32,847 out-of-state |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 17,514 | 90% | $12,750 in-state · $33,780 out-of-state |
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | 33,227 | 77% | $12,180 in-state · $34,172 out-of-state |
| The University of Tennessee–Knoxville | Knoxville, Tennessee | 30,418 | 42% | $13,812 in-state · $33,256 out-of-state |
| Troy University | Troy, Alabama | 9,805 | 96% | $10,176 in-state · $20,352 out-of-state |
| United States Naval Academy | Annapolis, Maryland | 4,474 | 9% | – |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, Alabama | 11,635 | 88% | $9,098 in-state · $22,562 out-of-state |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida | 59,146 | 40% | $6,368 in-state · $22,467 out-of-state |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | 35,629 | 24% | $6,381 in-state · $28,659 out-of-state |
| University of Georgia | Athens, Georgia | 32,137 | 38% | $11,450 in-state · $31,688 out-of-state |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | 24,763 | 93% | $13,502 in-state · $34,140 out-of-state |
| University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | 14,727 | 79% | $13,136 in-state · $29,482 out-of-state |
| University of Maryland–College Park | College Park, Maryland | 30,760 | 45% | $11,809 in-state · $41,186 out-of-state |
| University of Memphis | Memphis, Tennessee | 12,701 | 72% | $10,728 in-state · $15,384 out-of-state |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables, Florida | 12,913 | 19% | $62,616 |
| University of Mississippi | University, Mississippi | 21,473 | 97% | $9,772 in-state · $28,600 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | 20,752 | 15% | $8,994 in-state · $41,203 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | 24,453 | 80% | $7,239 in-state · $22,492 out-of-state |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, Alabama | 8,879 | 71% | $10,116 in-state · $19,092 out-of-state |
| University of South Carolina–Columbia | Columbia, South Carolina | 29,820 | 60% | $12,688 in-state · $35,972 out-of-state |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, Florida | 37,207 | 43% | $6,410 in-state · $17,324 out-of-state |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | 10,075 | 99% | $9,998 in-state · $11,998 out-of-state |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, Virginia | 17,597 | 17% | $21,803 in-state · $59,512 out-of-state |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee | 7,208 | 6% | $67,498 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, Virginia | 30,923 | 55% | $15,948 in-state · $37,764 out-of-state |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 5,485 | 22% | $67,642 |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 17,385 | 89% | $10,104 in-state · $28,608 out-of-state |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, Kentucky | 12,155 | 94% | $11,652 in-state · $27,000 out-of-state |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Northeast
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Midwest
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the South and Southwest
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Mountain West
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports on the West Coast
- Liberal Arts Colleges in the Southeast
- Large Public Universities in the Southeast
- Smaller Public Universities in the Southeast
- Smaller Private Universities in the Southeast
- HBCUs in the Southeast
- Catholic Colleges in the Southeast
- Christian Colleges in the Southeast
- Division I Colleges in the Southeast
FAQ
Which colleges with big-time sports in the Southeast admit at least half of applicants? 27 of the 45: Appalachian State University, Coastal Carolina University, East Carolina University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Georgia Southern University, Georgia State University, Jacksonville State University, Liberty University, Marshall University, Middle Tennessee State University, Mississippi State University and 15 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest colleges with big-time sports in the Southeast? University of Central Florida is the largest, with 59,146 undergraduates, and United States Naval Academy is the smallest, with 4,474 (fall 2024).
How many colleges with big-time sports in the Southeast are public? 40 of the 45 are public and 5 are private.
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.