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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Research and Development Management Schools in the Southeast Region

2 Colleges in the United States
44 Research and Development Management Degrees Awarded
$66,107 Avg Early-Career Salary

Research and Development Management is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for research and development management students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Research and Development Management in the Southeast Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall research and development management education in the Southeast Region.

Top Schools in Research and Development Management

1
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC

Our analysis ranked Wake Forest University the best school in the country for a degree in research and development management. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Winston-Salem. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. There were roughly 15 research and development management students who graduated with this degree at Wake Forest University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their research and development management degree from Wake Forest University earn around $104,615 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,577. Get the full research and development management details for Wake Forest University

2

A rank of #2 makes University Of Southern Mississippi one of the top schools for research and development management. This large public university is located in the city of Hattiesburg. Roughly 49% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 17 research and development management degrees were awarded at University Of Southern Mississippi in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, research and development management degree recipients from University Of Southern Mississippi generally make around $54,955. Typical student debt for the program is $24,508. Get the full research and development management details for University Of Southern Mississippi

3

Austin Peay State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best research and development management schools. Located in the city of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University is a large public university. About 39% of students finish within six years. Austin Peay State University awarded about 12 research and development management degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the research and development management program make about $38,750 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $22,605 to complete this degree. See the full research and development management program report for Austin Peay State University

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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