Total Colleges
23 universities + 22 community colleges
Combined Students
At public universities
Average In-State Tuition
Public universities
Online Programs
At U of A alone
Arkansas has several comprehensive public university systems offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees across hundreds of programs.
Enrollment: 34,175 students (fall 2025) Record Enrollment
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Founded: 1871 (Arkansas's flagship university)
National Ranking: #183 in National Universities, #100 in Top Public Schools (U.S. News 2026)
Classification: R1 Doctoral University - Very High Research Activity
Website: uark.edu
Admissions: admissions.uark.edu
Phone: Admissions Office
Address: Fayetteville, AR 72701
In-State: $10,104/year
Out-of-State: $29,966/year
Per Credit Hour:
In-state: $269.75
Out-of-state: $971.53
Total COA (on-campus):
In-state: $31,430
Out-of-state: $51,292
Enrollment: 17,926 students (fall 2025) Record Enrollment
Location: Jonesboro, Arkansas
Classification: R2 Doctoral University - High Research Activity
Freshman Class: 2,222 first-year students (12% increase, largest ever)
In-State: ~$6,348/year
Out-of-State: ~$11,338/year
Enrollment: 10,123 students (fall 2024) - 3.4% growth
Location: Conway, Arkansas
Freshman Class: 2,183 students (26% increase from fall 2023)
Spring 2025: 9,152 students (4% increase)
Opt-in financial tool providing a debt-free pathway for incoming Arkansas freshmen from households earning up to $100,000. Current cohort: 765 students (approximately 1/3 of incoming class).
Fully online undergraduate programs: $319/credit hour flat rate (regardless of residency)
Four-year degrees in Fort Smith
Comprehensive metropolitan university in state capital
Health sciences university with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions, and Public Health
HBCU Public University
Enrollment: 2,049 students (fall 2024)
Location: Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Founded: 1873
Distinction: Oldest and largest HBCU in Arkansas, second oldest public college in the state
Arkansas has 22 community colleges serving over 41,640 students statewide with affordable two-year associate degrees, technical certificates, and workforce training programs.
Enrollment: 7,839 students (2023) Largest 2-Year College in Arkansas
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (serving Benton and Washington counties)
Founded: 1990 (started with 1,200 students)
Website: nwacc.edu
Enrollment: 4,825 students (fall 2025) - 7.7% increase 22.6% Growth Since 2023
Location: North Little Rock, with campuses in Little Rock-South and Aerospace Technology Center
Website: uaptc.edu
Arkansas Independent Colleges and Universities (AICU) represents 11 accredited private institutions offering diverse educational experiences from small liberal arts colleges to larger comprehensive universities.
Private Christian University
Enrollment: 4,805 total (3,198 undergraduates)
Location: Searcy, Arkansas
Affiliation: Churches of Christ
Largest private university in Arkansas with comprehensive programs and strong Christian emphasis.
Private Baptist University Record Enrollment 2025
Enrollment: 1,729 undergraduates (fall 2024)
Location: Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Affiliation: Arkansas Baptist State Convention
Liberal arts university with strong academic programs and Baptist tradition.
Liberal Arts College Colleges That Change Lives
Enrollment: ~1,000 students (mostly undergraduates)
Location: Conway, Arkansas
Affiliation: United Methodist Church (secular curriculum)
Nationally recognized liberal arts institution consistently ranked among the country's leading colleges.
Private Christian University Record Enrollment 2025
Enrollment: 1,330 full-time + 84 part-time undergraduates
Location: Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Affiliation: Interdenominational Christian
Comprehensive Christian university offering programs in business, engineering, and liberal arts.
Liberal Arts College 13% Enrollment Growth
Enrollment: 648 full-time + 18 part-time undergraduates
Location: Batesville (Independence County), Arkansas
Affiliation: Presbyterian Church
Classification: Baccalaureate (liberal arts) college by Carnegie Foundation
Small, intimate liberal arts college with personalized education.
Arkansas colleges offer extensive online learning options with over 100 degree programs available entirely online, making higher education accessible to working adults and distance learners.
Programs: 100+ flexible online degree programs
Levels: Undergraduate, graduate, and certificate options
Tuition Benefit: Access to in-state tuition rates for online students
#1 Best Online Colleges in Arkansas (BestColleges 2022)
Graduates: 10,000+ online graduates to date
Experience: Most experienced online provider in the state
Flat-Rate Tuition: $319.00 per credit hour
Benefit: Same rate regardless of residency or location
Programs: 39 online programs (certificates, bachelor's, master's)
Benefit: Accelerated paths for transfer students
Tuition Frozen 2024-2025
Distinction: Only college in Arkansas that did not raise student costs for 2024-2025 academic year.
Arkansas offers some of the most affordable college tuition rates in the nation, particularly for in-state students at public universities and community colleges.
| Institution | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) | $10,104/year $269.75/credit hour | $29,966/year $971.53/credit hour | Total COA: $31,430 in-state, $51,292 out-of-state (on-campus) |
| Arkansas State University | ~$6,348/year | ~$11,338/year | Most affordable major university |
| University of Central Arkansas | Contact for current rates | Contact for current rates | Online: $319/credit hour flat rate |
| Arkansas Tech University | $257.27/credit hour | $514.54/credit hour | Tuition Frozen 2024-25 |
| Community Colleges | Significantly lower (typically $100-150/credit hour) | Most affordable option for first 2 years | |
| Arkansas Average: $871-$10,450 cheaper than national average (2022-2023) | |||
Admission requirements vary by institution, with most Arkansas colleges offering moderately selective admissions and some providing test-optional pathways.
Acceptance Rate: 71.7%
Average GPA: 3.74-3.82
Test Scores (Middle 50%):
Test-Optional: Available for students with 3.2+ GPA
Note: Test scores required for most scholarship opportunities even if test-optional for admission.
Automatic Admission (meet ONE of these):
Flexible admission criteria allowing multiple pathways to acceptance.
Minimum Requirements:
Regular Admission:
Conditional Admission:
Open Enrollment Policy: Most Arkansas community colleges have open admissions with no minimum GPA or test score requirements.
Arkansas colleges offer strong programs across multiple fields, with particular strength in business, nursing, engineering, and agricultural sciences.
Most Popular Major in Arkansas
Top Programs: U of A Nursing (291 grads/year), UCA Nursing (106 degrees), UAMS health sciences
Top Programs: U of A Walton College of Business (nationally recognized), A-State business programs
Top Programs: U of A College of Engineering (nationally ranked), A-State engineering programs
Top Programs: U of A Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences
Benefit: Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship up to $6,000/semester
Arkansas offers extensive state scholarships and grant programs in addition to federal aid, making college more affordable for state residents.
The Arkansas YOUniversal scholarship application allows you to apply to over 25 state scholarships with just one application. Managed by Arkansas Department of Higher Education at sams.adhe.edu
Merit-Based
Award Amount: Increases each year
Eligibility:
Need-Based
Award Amount:
Eligibility:
For Aspiring Teachers
Award Amount: Up to $6,000 per semester
Coverage: Tuition and program fees for undergraduate studies
Designed to encourage students to pursue teaching careers in Arkansas schools.
For Current Teachers
Award Amount: Up to $3,000 per academic year
Coverage: Tuition reimbursement for up to 6 college credit hours completed
For Arkansas teachers and administrators pursuing continued education.
For Single Parents
Coverage: Flexible financial aid for single parent students
Service Area: Most counties of Arkansas and Bowie County, Texas
Helps single parents afford education while supporting their families.
HBCU Students
Award Amount: $1,000-$5,000 (depending on funding)
Eligibility: Minority students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Supports diversity and HBCU enrollment.
Eligibility: Incoming Arkansas freshmen from households earning up to $100,000
Benefit: Debt-free pathway (opt-in financial tool)
Current Cohort: 765 students (~33% of incoming class)
Eligibility: Arkansas families with household income under $70,000
Benefit: Last-dollar scholarship covering remaining tuition costs + $2,500 housing scholarship for first-year on-campus students
Find colleges and universities across Arkansas, organized by major cities and regions.
Arkansas has approximately 27 degree-granting institutions, including 23 accredited universities and 22 community colleges. This includes public universities like the University of Arkansas system and Arkansas State University system, 11 private colleges and universities, and extensive community college networks serving students statewide.
The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is the largest university in the state with 34,175 students enrolled as of fall 2025. This is a record enrollment representing the fourth consecutive year of growth. The flagship university is also Arkansas's highest-ranked institution at #183 in National Universities and #100 in Top Public Schools according to U.S. News 2026 rankings.
Arkansas offers some of the most affordable college tuition in the nation:
Arkansas tuition rates were $871-$10,450 cheaper than the national average during 2022-2023. Total cost of attendance including room, board, and fees ranges from $31,430 (in-state at U of A) to over $50,000 (out-of-state).
Arkansas offers extensive state scholarship programs:
University-specific programs include UCA Commitment (debt-free pathway for families earning up to $100k) and A-State Promise Plus (last-dollar scholarship for families under $70k income). Apply through the Arkansas YOUniversal application at sams.adhe.edu to access over 25 state scholarships with one application.
Admission requirements vary by institution but generally include:
Most Arkansas universities offer moderately selective admissions with flexible pathways for students. Apply early (September-November) for best scholarship consideration.
Yes, Arkansas colleges offer extensive online degree options:
Online students earn the same degrees as on-campus students and have access to support services, financial aid, and scholarships. Arkansas online programs are significantly more affordable than the national average.
The most popular majors at Arkansas colleges include:
The University of Arkansas Walton College of Business and College of Engineering are particularly well-regarded nationally. Arkansas also has strong programs in agriculture, data science, and health sciences, with A-State opening a new College of Veterinary Medicine in fall 2026.
Yes, Arkansas has two HBCUs:
Arkansas offers the Ellen Carpenter HBCU Scholarship ($1,000-$5,000) for minority students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Community Colleges (22 in Arkansas):
Universities (23 in Arkansas):
Cost-Saving Strategy: Many students start at community college for the first 2 years (saving $8,000-16,000) then transfer to a university to complete their bachelor's degree. Arkansas community colleges have established transfer agreements with state universities.
Arkansas is expanding its higher education offerings with several exciting new programs:
Arkansas colleges are experiencing significant enrollment growth (U of A up 4.6%, A-State up 28% since 2022, UCA up 26% for incoming class), leading to expanded facilities and programs to meet student demand.
Last updated on November 24, 2025