Best Colleges in Arkansas (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in Arkansas ranks 16 four-year institutions in Arkansas. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Arkansas, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. University of Arkansas ranks 1st on this list and reports $68,890 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing. The list is evenly split between 8 public and 8 private nonprofit institutions.
Central Baptist College posts the lowest average net price at $12,287, while Hendrix College holds the highest six-year completion rate at 72%. University of Arkansas ranks 218th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas · Fayetteville, AR | $68,890 | $18,209 | $14,319 | 74.3% |
| University of Arkansas reports median earnings of $68,890 for its graduates four years after completing, and ranks 218th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 2 | Arkansas State University · Jonesboro, AR | $56,631 | $12,366 | $10,098 | 82.3% |
| With an average net price of $12,366, Arkansas State University admits 82% of applicants and graduates 55% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 3 | University of Central Arkansas · Conway, AR | $52,203 | $16,511 | $14,656 | 89.5% |
| University of Central Arkansas ranks 3rd on this list and shows a six-year completion rate of 54% alongside median earnings of $52,203 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock · Little Rock, AR | $58,470 | $17,248 | $15,195 | 58.8% |
| A public university in Little Rock, University of Arkansas at Little Rock has an admission rate of 59% and an average net price of $17,248. | |||||
| 5 | University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences · Little Rock, AR | $77,262 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences posts median earnings of $77,262 for its graduates four years after completing, and ranks 512th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 6 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff · Pine Bluff, AR | $46,380 | $12,653 | $12,302 | 41.2% |
| Admitting 41% of applicants, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff carries an average net price of $12,302 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 7 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus · Magnolia, AR | $49,008 | $14,027 | $13,187 | 75.3% |
| Graduates of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus earn a median of $49,008 four years after completing, and the school's six-year completion rate stands at 49%. | |||||
| 8 | Henderson State University · Arkadelphia, AR | $47,583 | $23,405 | $23,386 | Not reported |
| Henderson State University reports an average net price of $23,405 and a six-year completion rate of 37%. | |||||
| 9 | Philander Smith University · Little Rock, AR | $42,151 | $14,224 | $13,393 | Not reported |
| A private nonprofit institution in Little Rock, Philander Smith University shows median earnings of $42,151 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Central Baptist College · Conway, AR | $46,683 | $12,287 | $11,750 | 63.5% |
| Central Baptist College holds the lowest average net price on the page at $12,287 and graduates 34% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 11 | John Brown University · Siloam Springs, AR | $55,210 | $20,397 | $17,484 | 76.1% |
| John Brown University reports a six-year completion rate of 72% and median earnings of $55,210 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | University of the Ozarks · Clarksville, AR | $46,099 | $17,360 | $14,664 | 59.5% |
| With an admission rate of 60%, University of the Ozarks carries an average net price of $14,664 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 13 | Harding University · Searcy, AR | $53,024 | $22,130 | $15,418 | 70.5% |
| Harding University reports median earnings of $53,024 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 69%. | |||||
| 14 | Williams Baptist University · Walnut Ridge, AR | $41,389 | $15,745 | $10,733 | 83.4% |
| Williams Baptist University admits 83% of applicants and carries an average net price of $15,745. | |||||
| 15 | Ouachita Baptist University · Arkadelphia, AR | $49,862 | $22,409 | $15,207 | 67.5% |
| Ouachita Baptist University ranks 1298th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $49,862 four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Hendrix College · Conway, AR | $50,422 | $24,149 | $15,951 | 55.7% |
| Hendrix College, a private nonprofit institution in Conway, graduates 72% within six years and lists an average net price of $24,149. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Arkansas, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The score draws on institution-level earnings for federally aided completers across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those working and not enrolled. The list does not measure fit or teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 16 schools with a reported earnings figure. The list is evenly split between public and private institutions, with 8 public and 8 private schools among the 16 ranked.