Lens covers 61 smaller private universities in the Southeast, all private. They range from Rust College (467 undergraduates) to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach (7,860). Acceptance rates run from 6% to 98%, and 48 of the 61 admit at least half of applicants.
Smaller private universities here have fewer than 10,000 undergraduates and are not liberal arts colleges or specialized schools (IPEDS, Carnegie). 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 61 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 61 smaller private universities in the Southeast
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American University | Washington, District of Columbia | 7,266 | 62% | $58,771 |
| Anderson University | Anderson, South Carolina | 3,183 | 55% | $34,970 |
| Barry University | Miami, Florida | 2,212 | 77% | $34,350 |
| Bellarmine University | Louisville, Kentucky | 2,161 | 86% | $48,770 |
| Belmont Abbey College | Belmont, North Carolina | 1,276 | 75% | $19,500 |
| Belmont University | Nashville, Tennessee | 7,137 | 95% | $42,540 |
| Benedict College | Columbia, South Carolina | 1,536 | 96% | $17,440 |
| Brenau University | Gainesville, Georgia | 1,029 | 88% | $34,027 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek, North Carolina | 2,680 | 87% | $41,600 |
| Campbellsville University | Campbellsville, Kentucky | 2,840 | 80% | $27,998 |
| Catawba College | Salisbury, North Carolina | 1,235 | 75% | $34,300 |
| Charleston Southern University | Charleston, South Carolina | 2,893 | 96% | $32,520 |
| Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, Georgia | 3,603 | 64% | $28,310 |
| Duke University | Durham, North Carolina | 6,442 | 6% | $68,758 |
| Elon University | Elon, North Carolina | 6,452 | 66% | $46,958 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | Daytona Beach, Florida | 7,860 | 65% | $44,249 |
| Emory University | Atlanta, Georgia | 7,298 | 11% | $64,280 |
| Flagler College | Saint Augustine, Florida | 2,391 | 81% | $29,900 |
| Florida Memorial University | Miami Gardens, Florida | 1,183 | 85% | $20,174 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs, North Carolina | 1,856 | 77% | $34,760 |
| Georgetown University | Washington, District of Columbia | 7,569 | 13% | $68,017 |
| Goucher College | Baltimore, Maryland | 964 | 78% | $53,350 |
| Greensboro College | Greensboro, North Carolina | 708 | 70% | $21,000 |
| Hampton University | Hampton, Virginia | 3,727 | 62% | $30,592 |
| High Point University | High Point, North Carolina | 5,129 | 75% | $45,312 |
| Hood College | Frederick, Maryland | 1,194 | 78% | $47,700 |
| Jacksonville University | Jacksonville, Florida | 2,930 | 57% | $47,830 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, Maryland | 5,693 | 6% | $65,230 |
| Johnson & Wales University–Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1,184 | 80% | $42,419 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory, North Carolina | 1,359 | 85% | $31,900 |
| Lipscomb University | Nashville, Tennessee | 2,997 | 68% | $40,572 |
| Loyola University Maryland | Baltimore, Maryland | 3,869 | 75% | $57,150 |
| Lynn University | Boca Raton, Florida | 2,859 | 73% | $44,480 |
| Marymount University | Arlington, Virginia | 1,810 | 93% | $40,920 |
| McDaniel College | Westminster, Maryland | 1,617 | 78% | $52,081 |
| Mercer University | Macon, Georgia | 4,500 | 69% | $42,312 |
| Mount St. Mary's University | Emmitsburg, Maryland | 1,768 | 74% | $48,630 |
| Newberry College | Newberry, South Carolina | 1,479 | 90% | $31,100 |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 7,240 | 73% | $38,700 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach, Florida | 2,603 | 82% | $40,650 |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton, South Carolina | 852 | 68% | $44,910 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1,211 | 62% | $45,846 |
| Regent University | Virginia Beach, Virginia | 4,729 | 38% | $21,650 |
| Rollins College | Winter Park, Florida | 2,631 | 48% | $60,580 |
| Rust College | Holly Springs, Mississippi | 467 | 49% | $13,265 |
| Saint Leo University | Saint Leo, Florida | 6,721 | 78% | $30,000 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, Alabama | 4,206 | 82% | $40,150 |
| Shenandoah University | Winchester, Virginia | 2,116 | 77% | $36,950 |
| Southeastern University | Lakeland, Florida | 4,813 | 53% | $32,950 |
| St. Thomas University | Miami Gardens, Florida | 2,214 | 98% | $34,770 |
| Stetson University | DeLand, Florida | 2,297 | 72% | $57,410 |
| Stevenson University | Owings Mills, Maryland | 3,102 | 79% | $40,560 |
| The Catholic University of America | Washington, District of Columbia | 3,154 | 83% | $58,378 |
| Thomas More University | Crestview Hills, Kentucky | 1,293 | 90% | $39,800 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, Alabama | 2,630 | 49% | $25,386 |
| University of Lynchburg | Lynchburg, Virginia | 1,577 | 43% | $36,750 |
| University of Richmond | University of Richmond, Virginia | 2,980 | 22% | $65,230 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee | 7,208 | 6% | $67,498 |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 5,485 | 22% | $67,642 |
| Washington and Lee University | Lexington, Virginia | 1,881 | 14% | $68,045 |
| Wingate University | Wingate, North Carolina | 2,668 | 91% | $41,636 |
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
- Smaller Private Universities
- Smaller Private Universities in the Northeast
- Smaller Private Universities in the Midwest
- Smaller Private Universities in the South and Southwest
- Smaller Private Universities on the West Coast
- Liberal Arts Colleges in the Southeast
- Large Public Universities in the Southeast
- Smaller Public 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
- Division I Colleges in the Southeast
FAQ
Which smaller private universities in the Southeast admit at least half of applicants? 48 of the 61: American University, Anderson University, Barry University, Bellarmine University, Belmont Abbey College, Belmont University, Benedict College, Brenau University, Campbell University, Campbellsville University, Catawba College, Charleston Southern University and 36 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest smaller private universities in the Southeast? Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach is the largest, with 7,860 undergraduates, and Rust College is the smallest, with 467 (fall 2024).
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.