The South's Best Colleges in Each State

MONEY has determined which of the roughly 2,000 four-year U.S. colleges and universities deliver the most value—that is, a great education, at an affordable price, that prepares students for rewarding careers.How did MONEY decide the schools that made the cut? The colleges must have 500 or more full-time under- graduates and a six-year graduation rate of at least the median for their type (public or private). Schools were also screened out if they had low grades from bond-rating agencies and those identified by the U.S. Department of Education as being in financial trouble. That left 705 colleges, which have been ranked on 24 measures in three equally weighted categories.Here are the best buys for each state in the South.