Lens covers 49 small-town and rural colleges in the Southeast, 30 public and 19 private. They range from Rust College (467 undergraduates) to Georgia Southern University (21,790). Acceptance rates run from 14% to 97%, and 42 of the 49 admit at least half of applicants.
Small-town and rural colleges are outside cities and suburbs (NCES locale). 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 49 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 49 small-town and rural colleges in the Southeast
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State University | Alcorn State, Mississippi | 2,363 | 45% | $8,785 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | 19,444 | 90% | $7,579 in-state · $25,212 out-of-state |
| Berea College | Berea, Kentucky | 1,513 | 19% | $51,658 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek, North Carolina | 2,680 | 87% | $41,600 |
| Campbellsville University | Campbellsville, Kentucky | 2,840 | 80% | $27,998 |
| Centre College | Danville, Kentucky | 1,400 | 54% | $52,820 |
| Claflin University | Orangeburg, South Carolina | 1,706 | 65% | $18,282 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond, Kentucky | 12,318 | 78% | $10,320 in-state · $21,230 out-of-state |
| Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, North Carolina | 1,975 | 64% | $6,536 in-state · $10,536 out-of-state |
| Florida Polytechnic University | Lakeland, Florida | 1,689 | 58% | $4,940 in-state · $21,005 out-of-state |
| Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, Georgia | 2,684 | 66% | $5,526 in-state · $16,932 out-of-state |
| Francis Marion University | Florence, South Carolina | 2,628 | 86% | $11,160 in-state · $21,544 out-of-state |
| Frostburg State University | Frostburg, Maryland | 2,909 | 89% | $10,220 in-state · $25,814 out-of-state |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs, North Carolina | 1,856 | 77% | $34,760 |
| Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, Georgia | 5,947 | 78% | $9,186 in-state · $29,512 out-of-state |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, Georgia | 21,790 | 88% | $6,022 in-state · $17,734 out-of-state |
| Hampden-Sydney College | Hampden-Sydney, Virginia | 946 | 41% | $54,550 |
| Lander University | Greenwood, South Carolina | 3,397 | 81% | $11,700 in-state · $21,300 out-of-state |
| Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate, Tennessee | 1,572 | 63% | $26,938 |
| Longwood University | Farmville, Virginia | 3,015 | 90% | $15,744 in-state · $27,978 out-of-state |
| McDaniel College | Westminster, Maryland | 1,617 | 78% | $52,081 |
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, Mississippi | 18,397 | 78% | $10,202 in-state · $27,637 out-of-state |
| Morehead State University | Morehead, Kentucky | 4,578 | 77% | $10,024 in-state · $14,980 out-of-state |
| Mount St. Mary's University | Emmitsburg, Maryland | 1,768 | 74% | $48,630 |
| Murray State University | Murray, Kentucky | 6,688 | 86% | $9,900 in-state · $19,836 out-of-state |
| Newberry College | Newberry, South Carolina | 1,479 | 90% | $31,100 |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton, South Carolina | 852 | 68% | $44,910 |
| Radford University | Radford, Virginia | 6,038 | 90% | $12,548 in-state · $25,633 out-of-state |
| Rust College | Holly Springs, Mississippi | 467 | 49% | $13,265 |
| Saint Leo University | Saint Leo, Florida | 6,721 | 78% | $30,000 |
| South Carolina State University | Orangeburg, South Carolina | 2,934 | 83% | $11,060 in-state · $21,750 out-of-state |
| St. Mary's College of Maryland | St. Mary's City, Maryland | 1,603 | 69% | $15,298 in-state · $31,374 out-of-state |
| Talladega College | Talladega, Alabama | 701 | 85% | $15,650 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, Tennessee | 8,698 | 76% | $11,376 in-state · $15,576 out-of-state |
| The University of Tennessee–Martin | Martin, Tennessee | 4,866 | 88% | $10,560 in-state · $16,600 out-of-state |
| The University of the South | Sewanee, Tennessee | 1,607 | 57% | $56,120 |
| Troy University | Troy, Alabama | 9,805 | 96% | $10,176 in-state · $20,352 out-of-state |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, Alabama | 2,630 | 49% | $25,386 |
| University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Princess Anne, Maryland | 2,391 | 96% | $9,076 in-state · $20,122 out-of-state |
| University of Mississippi | University, Mississippi | 21,473 | 97% | $9,772 in-state · $28,600 out-of-state |
| University of Montevallo | Montevallo, Alabama | 2,151 | 54% | $13,948 in-state · $26,968 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke, North Carolina | 5,330 | 93% | $3,648 in-state · $7,648 out-of-state |
| University of North Georgia | Dahlonega, Georgia | 16,146 | 68% | $5,285 in-state · $16,503 out-of-state |
| University of Virginia's College at Wise | Wise, Virginia | 1,101 | 29% | $11,780 in-state · $28,010 out-of-state |
| University of West Florida | Pensacola, Florida | 9,330 | 58% | $6,360 in-state · $19,241 out-of-state |
| University of West Georgia | Carrollton, Georgia | 7,520 | 52% | $6,088 in-state · $17,800 out-of-state |
| Washington College | Chestertown, Maryland | 891 | 57% | $55,326 |
| Washington and Lee University | Lexington, Virginia | 1,881 | 14% | $68,045 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee, North Carolina | 10,024 | 82% | $4,630 in-state · $8,630 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
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges in the Northeast
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges in the Midwest
- Small-Town and Rural Colleges in the South and Southwest
- 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
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Southeast
FAQ
Which small-town and rural colleges in the Southeast admit at least half of applicants? 42 of the 49: Appalachian State University, Campbell University, Campbellsville University, Centre College, Claflin University, Eastern Kentucky University, Elizabeth City State University, Florida Polytechnic University, Fort Valley State University, Francis Marion University, Frostburg State University, Gardner-Webb University and 30 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest small-town and rural colleges in the Southeast? Georgia Southern University is the largest, with 21,790 undergraduates, and Rust College is the smallest, with 467 (fall 2024).
How many small-town and rural colleges in the Southeast are public? 30 of the 49 are public and 19 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.