US CollegesColleges in Arkansas: cost, admission and results
29 degree-granting colleges and universities in Arkansas, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of Arkansas (28,677 undergraduates), Arkansas State University (9,110 undergraduates), University of Central Arkansas (7,762 undergraduates).
Arkansas at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 29
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 10 / 18 / 1
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $12,382
- Median net price a year
- $17,192
- Median admission rate
- 72%
- Median graduation rate
- 45%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $47,131
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Baptist CollegeLittle Rock, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | $12,951 | 7% | $35,793 |
| Arkansas Colleges of Health EducationFort Smith, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Arkansas State UniversityJonesboro, AR · Public | 82% | $15,441 | 58% | $47,220 |
| Central Baptist CollegeConway, AR · Private nonprofit | 63% | $20,276 | 41% | $49,734 |
| Champion Christian CollegeHot Springs, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | $16,109 | 23% | not reported |
| Crowley's Ridge CollegeParagould, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | $18,918 | 48% | $44,146 |
| Ecclesia CollegeSpringdale, AR · Private nonprofit | 74% | $20,458 | 32% | $43,102 |
| Harding UniversitySearcy, AR · Private nonprofit | 71% | $19,786 | 71% | $56,146 |
| Henderson State UniversityArkadelphia, AR · Public | not reported | $21,843 | 36% | $46,244 |
| Hendrix CollegeConway, AR · Private nonprofit | 56% | $23,177 | 72% | $59,310 |
| Jackson Theological SeminaryNorth Little Rock, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Jefferson Regional School of NursingPine Bluff, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $68,467 |
| John Brown UniversitySiloam Springs, AR · Private nonprofit | 76% | $22,476 | 77% | $58,769 |
| Lyon CollegeBatesville, AR · Private nonprofit | 63% | $14,400 | 45% | $49,833 |
| Lyon College-School of Dental MedicineLittle Rock, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $49,833 |
| Ouachita Baptist UniversityArkadelphia, AR · Private nonprofit | 68% | $25,343 | 66% | $52,333 |
| Philander Smith UniversityLittle Rock, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | $22,153 | 36% | $40,195 |
| Shorter CollegeN Little Rock, AR · Private nonprofit | not reported | $16,608 | 21% | $24,894 |
| Southern Arkansas University Main CampusMagnolia, AR · Public | 75% | $16,015 | 46% | $46,635 |
| Strayer University-ArkansasLittle Rock, AR · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $44,016 |
| University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · Public | 74% | $17,571 | 71% | $63,588 |
| University of Arkansas GranthamLIttle Rock, AR · Public | not reported | $9,940 | 50% | $40,581 |
| University of Arkansas at Little RockLittle Rock, AR · Public | 59% | $16,882 | 41% | $50,640 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine BluffPine Bluff, AR · Public | 41% | $11,528 | 39% | $40,307 |
| University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle Rock, AR · Public | not reported | not reported | not reported | $78,041 |
| University of Arkansas-Fort SmithFort Smith, AR · Public | 80% | $9,653 | 42% | $44,252 |
| University of Central ArkansasConway, AR · Public | 89% | $16,423 | 54% | $49,756 |
| University of the OzarksClarksville, AR · Private nonprofit | 60% | $17,192 | 48% | $44,113 |
| Williams Baptist UniversityWalnut Ridge, AR · Private nonprofit | 83% | $17,814 | 36% | $47,042 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Arkansas in brief
Of the 29 colleges listed for Arkansas, 10 are public, 18 are private nonprofit and 1 is private for-profit. By level, 23 mainly award bachelor's degrees, 3 mainly award two-year associate degrees and 3 mainly award graduate degrees. Together they teach about 77,481 undergraduates, 84% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University and University of Central Arkansas, hold 59% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 1,100 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Little Rock (6), Conway (3) and Fort Smith (2).
What college costs in Arkansas
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $9,703 a year for students from Arkansas and $16,080 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $22,795. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith ($9,653) and University of Arkansas Grantham ($9,940) and the highest at Ouachita Baptist University ($25,343) and Hendrix College ($23,177). The median net price across the state, $17,192, is about the same as the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
16 of the 29 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (41% admitted), Hendrix College (56% admitted) and University of Arkansas at Little Rock (59% admitted). 9 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 8 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at John Brown University (77%), Hendrix College (72%) and Harding University (71%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 45%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences ($78,041), University of Arkansas ($63,588) and Hendrix College ($59,310). The state median for that measure is $47,131, 11% below the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $20,500 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Arkansas
How many colleges are there in Arkansas?
This site lists 29 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Arkansas, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Arkansas?
University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, with about 28,677 undergraduate students.
Which college in Arkansas has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith: students with federal aid paid an average of $9,653 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.