This page compares the best colleges in Arkansas with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, Harding University rank first in the best Arkansas college ranking and University of Arkansas is placed in second.
Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in Arkansas
5 public and 5 private schools rank in the best Arkansas colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 66.80% where Lyon College has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 50% and University of Central Arkansas has the highest rate of 94%. Total 73,654 students are attending one of the best Arkansas schools where University of Arkansas has the largest population with 27,562 students and Williams Baptist University has the smallest number of students (618 students). The average graduation rate is 53.40% and the average students to faculty ratio is 14.40:1 at those colleges.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harding University Searcy, AR | 55% | 1,175 | 72% | 4,617 | 16:1 (6.25 %) |
| 2 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR | 78% | 1,185 | 68% | 27,562 | 18:1 (5.56 %) |
| 3 | Hendrix College Conway, AR | 71% | 1,255 | 65% | 1,077 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 4 | John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR | 59% | 1,200 | 64% | 2,343 | 14:1 (7.14 %) |
| 5 | Lyon College Batesville, AR | 50% | 1,090 | 43% | 665 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 6 | Williams Baptist University Walnut Ridge, AR | 69% | 1,145 | 38% | 618 | 14:1 (7.14 %) |
| 7 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia, AR | 69% | 1,067 | 43% | 4,432 | 17:1 (5.88 %) |
| 8 | Arkansas State University-Main Campus Jonesboro, AR | 67% | 1,110 | 53% | 13,106 | 18:1 (5.56 %) |
| 9 | University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR | 94% | 1,050 | 46% | 10,335 | 15:1 (6.67 %) |
| 10 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR | 56% | 1,080 | 42% | 8,899 | 12:1 (8.33 %) |
| Average | 66.80% | 1,136 | 53.40% | 73,654 (Total) | 14.40:1 (6.94 %) |
Best Arkansas Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs
The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best Arkansas colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best Arkansas colleges is $22,260 where Hendrix College has the most expensive costs at $33,350 and Arkansas State University-Main Campus has the lowest amount of tuition at $12,698. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best Arkansas colleges is $16,115 where Hendrix College has the highest tuition with $33,350 and Southern Arkansas University Main Campus has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $9,882.
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Harding University | $22,230 | $22,942 | ||
| 2 | University of Arkansas | $9,574 | $26,390 | $9,768 | $26,918 |
| 3 | Hendrix College | $33,350 | $22,474 | ||
| 4 | John Brown University | $28,924 | $29,574 | ||
| 5 | Lyon College | $30,414 | $31,447 | ||
| 6 | Williams Baptist University | $18,570 | $18,640 | ||
| 7 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | $9,410 | $14,630 | $9,752 | $15,158 |
| 8 | Arkansas State University-Main Campus | $7,130 | $12,698 | $6,950 | $12,516 |
| 9 | University of Central Arkansas | $9,563 | $16,433 | $9,793 | $16,723 |
| 10 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $8,366 | $18,957 | $8,366 | $18,957 |
| Average | $8,809 | $22,260 | $8,926 | $21,535 | |
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Harding University | $11,080 | $10,292 | ||
| 2 | University of Arkansas | $9,018 | $22,563 | $9,018 | $9,199 |
| 3 | Hendrix College | $33,350 | $22,469 | ||
| 4 | John Brown University | $13,920 | $13,920 | ||
| 5 | Lyon College | - | - | ||
| 6 | Williams Baptist University | - | - | ||
| 7 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | $6,894 | $9,882 | $6,894 | $6,894 |
| 8 | Arkansas State University-Main Campus | $6,422 | $11,408 | $6,422 | $6,249 |
| 9 | University of Central Arkansas | $6,773 | $11,835 | $6,773 | $6,920 |
| 10 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $7,594 | $14,884 | $7,594 | $7,594 |
| Average | $7,340 | $16,115 | $7,371 | $14,724 | |