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    Colleges Top Colleges in Arkansas
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    Top Colleges in Arkansas

    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman Written by Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman
    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman

    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.

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    Updated: May 7th, 2024

    With a wealth of great colleges and the financial support of the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, Arkansas colleges have something to offer anyone. Explore the colleges in Arkansas below and compare them by graduation rate, admissions rate, affordability, and size:

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    Arkansas state flag

    Top college scholarships for
    Arkansas Students

    $287,500 in scholarships available
    Scholarships360 is recommended by
    17 colleges
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    H

    Hendrix College

    Conway, AR • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Top College Top Affordability
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Hendrix College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Conway, Arkansas. There are currently 1,127 undergraduates at Hendrix and the school’s acceptance rate is 60%. The tuition at Hendrix…Read More

    Hendrix College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    60% acceptance
    69% graduation rate
    1,127 undergrads
    $22,780 net price
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    A

    University of Arkansas

    Fayetteville, AR • Public, City

    Top College Top College, Top Affordability
    Top College Top College
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Nestled in the Ozark Mountains and home to the world-famous Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, University of Arkansas in Fayetteville offers a unique educational experience for art students and…Read More

    Nestled in the Ozark Mountains and home to the world-famous…Read More

    79% acceptance
    69% graduation rate
    26,002 undergrads
    $16,050 net price
    J

    John Brown University

    Siloam Springs, AR • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    John Brown University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. There are currently 1,354 undergraduates at John Brown and the school’s acceptance rate is 57%. The…Read More

    John Brown University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    57% acceptance
    71% graduation rate
    1,354 undergrads
    $20,404 net price
    H

    Harding University

    Searcy, AR • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Harding University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Searcy, Arkansas. There are currently 3,198 undergraduates at Harding and the school’s acceptance rate is 45%. The tuition at Harding…Read More

    Harding University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    45% acceptance
    69% graduation rate
    3,198 undergrads
    $19,505 net price
    O

    Ouachita Baptist University

    Arkadelphia, AR • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Ouachita Baptist University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. There are currently 1,587 undergraduates at Ouachita Baptist and the school’s acceptance rate is 72%. The tuition…Read More

    Ouachita Baptist University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    72% acceptance
    65% graduation rate
    1,587 undergrads
    $23,086 net price
    A

    Arkansas State University

    Jonesboro, AR • Public, City

    Arkansas State University is a public 4-year college located in Jonesboro, Arkansas. There are currently 7,463 undergraduates at Arkansas State and the school’s acceptance rate is 70%. The tuition at…Read More

    Arkansas State University is a public 4-year college located in…Read More

    70% acceptance
    53% graduation rate
    7,463 undergrads
    $11,857 net price
    L

    Lyon College

    Batesville, AR • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Lyon College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Batesville, Arkansas. There are currently 489 undergraduates at Lyon and the school’s acceptance rate is 60%. The tuition at Lyon…Read More

    Lyon College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    60% acceptance
    38% graduation rate
    489 undergrads
    $25,183 net price
    C

    University of Central Arkansas

    Conway, AR • Public, City

    University of Central Arkansas is a public 4-year college located in Conway, Arkansas. There are currently 7,563 undergraduates at UCA and the school’s acceptance rate is 91%. The tuition at…Read More

    University of Central Arkansas is a public 4-year college located…Read More

    91% acceptance
    50% graduation rate
    7,563 undergrads
    $15,889 net price
    O

    University of the Ozarks

    Clarksville, AR • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    University of the Ozarks is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Clarksville, Arkansas. There are currently 767 undergraduates at Ozarks and the school’s acceptance rate is 60%. The tuition…Read More

    University of the Ozarks is a private, non-profit 4-year college…Read More

    60% acceptance
    41% graduation rate
    767 undergrads
    $14,973 net price
    A

    University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

    Pine Bluff, AR • Public, City

    University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is a public 4-year college located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. There are currently 2,155 undergraduates at UAPB and the school’s acceptance rate is 69%.…Read More

    University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is a public 4-year…Read More

    69% acceptance
    41% graduation rate
    2,155 undergrads
    $9,607 net price
    L

    University of Arkansas at Little Rock

    Little Rock, AR • Public, City

    University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a public 4-year college located in Little Rock, Arkansas. There are currently 4,802 undergraduates at UALR and the school’s acceptance rate is 61%.…Read More

    University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a public 4-year…Read More

    61% acceptance
    42% graduation rate
    4,802 undergrads
    $16,711 net price
    S

    Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

    Magnolia, AR • Public, Town

    Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a public 4-year college located in Magnolia, Arkansas. There are currently 2,787 undergraduates at Southern Arkansas and the school’s acceptance rate is 64%. The…Read More

    Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a public 4-year college…Read More

    64% acceptance
    45% graduation rate
    2,787 undergrads
    $16,307 net price
    H

    Henderson State University

    Arkadelphia, AR • Public, Town

    Henderson State University is a public 4-year college located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. There are currently 1,800 undergraduates at Henderson State and the school’s acceptance rate is 71%. The tuition at…Read More

    Henderson State University is a public 4-year college located in…Read More

    71% acceptance
    39% graduation rate
    1,800 undergrads
    $18,465 net price
    F

    University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

    Fort Smith, AR • Public, City

    University of Arkansas-Fort Smith is a public 4-year college located in Fort Smith, Arkansas. There are currently 4,143 undergraduates at UAFS. The tuition at UAFS is $6,168 for in-state students…

    University of Arkansas-Fort Smith is a public 4-year college located…Read More

    --% acceptance
    42% graduation rate
    4,143 undergrads
    $10,737 net price
    C

    Central Baptist College

    Conway, AR • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Central Baptist College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Conway, Arkansas. There are currently 489 undergraduates at Central Baptist and the school’s acceptance rate is 64%. The tuition…Read More

    Central Baptist College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    64% acceptance
    39% graduation rate
    489 undergrads
    $18,852 net price
    P

    Philander Smith College

    Little Rock, AR • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Philander Smith College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Little Rock, Arkansas. There are currently 766 undergraduates at Philander Smith. The tuition at Philander Smith is $13,014.

    Philander Smith College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    --% acceptance
    30% graduation rate
    766 undergrads
    $17,637 net price
    C

    Crowley's Ridge College

    Paragould, AR • Private, Non-Profit, Rural

    Crowley's Ridge College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Paragould, Arkansas. There are currently 171 undergraduates at Crowley's Ridge. The tuition at Crowley's Ridge is $15,000.

    Crowley's Ridge College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    --% acceptance
    31% graduation rate
    171 undergrads
    $15,321 net price
    About the Data

    We sort colleges on our lists according to their Scholarships360 Top Colleges Index Score. This score is calculated using up-to-date information taken directly from the College Scorecard. Additional information is sourced from the colleges themselves, as well as other publicly available information. If you see an error, feel free to contact us.

    State grants in Arkansas

    Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship (ACST): 

    The Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship (ACST) is a performance based scholarship based on their ACT composite score and their GPA after their first semester at an approved institution. This scholarship is renewed each year, with the amount awarded increasing from $1000 for freshman year to $4000 for sophomore and junior year to $5000 for senior year. This scholarship is also available to part time students, at a prorated rate. 

    Arkansas Future Grant (ARFUTURE):

    The Arkansas Future Grant (ARFUTURE) is a first come, first serve grant for Arkansas students participating in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs or regional high demand areas of study. This grant will fund the full amount of an associate’s degree or five semesters of higher education. 

    Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship (GS):

    The Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship is the most academically rigorous award offered in Arkansas, and it can be awarded in conjunction with the Academic Challenge scholarship. Full time students at four year institutions are able to earn up to $10,000 per academic year. 

    Alabama tuition reciprocity agreements

    Arkansas is a part of the Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market. This means that students going to public institutions out-of-state can pay in-state tuition, if their degree is not offered in their home state. These tuition discounts allow students in Arkansas to attend institutions in the following states, and vice versa:

    Other college lists to explore

    Frequently asked questions about colleges in Arkansas

    What is the hardest college in Arkansas to get into?

    The college with the lowest acceptance rate in Arkansas is the University of the Ozarks, with 55% of students being admitted in the 2022-2023 school year. Even though lower acceptance rates can, of course, be discouraging, it’s important to remember that many aspects go into college admission, beyond just scores and numbers. So, if a reach school seems like a good fit for you, it never hurts to apply!

    Does Arkansas have tuition reciprocity?

    Yes! Arkansas is one of the 15 states in the Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market. When going to school in an SREB state, make sure to look into whether you can receive discounted tuition, even when going out of state.

    Why study in Arkansas?

     Arkansas, also known as the natural state, has some great national parks and outdoor activities like hiking trails, fishing and camping. You will also have the opportunity to experience some famous southern hospitality, including the delicious southern cuisine. Another big draw is that Arkansas is considered to be a very affordable state to reside in, which is an aspect that is very important to many students.

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