College Trends

Public universities in Arkansas

The College Scorecard lists 9 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Arkansas, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 60,873 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $16,219 a year, higher than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $47,220 at the median institution, lower than the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 47.9%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
9
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
60,873
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$16,219
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$47,220
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$19,588
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
47.9%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Arkansas on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Arkansas. Showing 8 of 9 public universities in Arkansas; schools missing either value are left out.

All 9 public universities in Arkansas

University of Arkansas
Fayetteville
28,677$17,571$10,496$31,550$63,588$20,50070.9%86.4%74.3%
Arkansas State University
Jonesboro
9,110$15,441$8,354$15,002$47,220$19,49857.7%78.1%82.3%
University of Central Arkansas
Conway
7,762$16,423$10,940$18,746$49,756$19,50053.9%73.3%89.5%
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Little Rock
4,949$16,882$9,808$22,218$50,640$21,60441.4%76.5%58.8%
University of Arkansas Grantham
LIttle Rock
2,833$9,940$8,520$8,520$40,581$19,58849.9%30.3%n/a
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Magnolia
2,708$16,015$10,200$16,080$46,635$18,75045.9%66.2%75.3%
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff
1,807$11,528$9,703$18,765$40,307$24,65639.4%64.2%41.2%
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock
1,571n/an/an/a$78,041$14,500n/an/an/a
Henderson State University
Arkadelphia
1,456$21,843$8,664$11,112$46,244$20,50036.1%61.7%n/a
Showing 9 of 9. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Arkansas

How many public universities are in Arkansas?
The College Scorecard lists 9 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Arkansas.
What do public universities in Arkansas cost?
Across the 8 schools that report it, the median average net price is $16,219 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $9,940 at University of Arkansas Grantham to $21,843 at Henderson State University.
Which public universities in Arkansas have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: University of Arkansas Grantham ($9,940), University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff ($11,528), Arkansas State University ($15,441), Southern Arkansas University Main Campus ($16,015), and University of Central Arkansas ($16,423).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Arkansas?
The median published in-state tuition is $9,756 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $17,413. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Arkansas earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $47,220 10 years after starting college (9 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences ($78,041), University of Arkansas ($63,588), and University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($50,640).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Arkansas?
The median graduation rate is 47.9%, across 8 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Arkansas have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $19,588 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Arkansas

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How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.