Historically women's colleges are generally very empowering environments. I live in the southeast, and the ones nearby that come to mind are Salem College, Meredith College, and Hollins University. I think all of these are liberal arts, but Salem has a health leadership focus and is developing a strong STEM program to complement that. From personal experience, Salem provided an excellent experience for me and the other people I know who went there.

I know the SE probably isn't the location you're thinking of, but North Carolina has had democratic governors for years and years who are supportive of women's and lgbtq rights. Larger cities are generally more pleasant than the rural areas. Also the tech, science, and health fields in NC are vibrant and still growing.

Private colleges do come with a higher tuition, but scholarships are available if the students excel in academics and extra-curriculars. If they end up going out of state, the private school tuition wouldn't be that different than a state school charging out of state tuition. And to note, the private schools I mentioned are nonprofits, so they're not taking that money and pocketing it. They are held to a specific standard set by the IRS for nonprofits in general, as well as by the accreditation bodies for higher education.