Best Colleges in Arkansas 2026

Arkansas has 55 colleges and universities in our database; 47 report the graduation-rate data our ranking requires. The top 25 are ranked below by a fixed four-factor formula: 6-year graduation rate (30%), median earnings 10 years after entry (30%), admission selectivity (20%), and in-state tuition affordability (20%).

Schools Ranked

$41,921

Avg. Earnings

51.8%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	Harding University Searcy, Arkansas	70.9%	$52,876	45.1%	$24,888
2	University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas	70.0%	$58,191	78.9%	$9,748
3	Southern Arkansas University Tech Camden, Arkansas	61.2%	$36,376		$4,685
4	Baptist Health College Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas	66.7%	$62,244	85.7%	$13,593
5	University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain Mena, Arkansas	60.3%	$30,037		$3,528
6	University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville Batesville, Arkansas	56.1%	$33,706		$3,558
7	John Brown University Siloam Springs, Arkansas	66.8%	$53,907	56.6%	$30,832
8	Hendrix College Conway, Arkansas	69.2%	$60,376	60.3%	$36,650
9	Arkansas State University-Newport Newport, Arkansas	42.4%	$41,524		$2,856
10	Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Mountain Home, Arkansas	50.0%	$34,238		$3,168
11	University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Hope, Arkansas	49.3%	$34,162		$3,400
12	University of Arkansas Grantham LIttle Rock, Arkansas	24.3%	$63,496		$8,280
13	Arkansas State University Mid-South West Memphis, Arkansas	50.0%	$31,857		$3,048
14	Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Helena, Arkansas	51.6%	$29,552		$3,230
15	Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas De Queen, Arkansas	48.0%	$33,775		$3,906
16	Arkansas State University Jonesboro, Arkansas	55.1%	$42,617	69.5%	$7,754
17	Arkansas State University-Beebe Beebe, Arkansas	38.2%	$36,603		$3,216
18	East Arkansas Community College Forrest City, Arkansas	47.1%	$28,471		$3,960
19	Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, Arkansas	70.3%	$51,673	72.3%	$32,480
20	University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith, Arkansas	37.0%	$41,102		$6,906
21	University of Arkansas at Monticello Monticello, Arkansas	43.3%	$36,902		$8,868
22	University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas	41.4%	$45,265	61.5%	$8,455
23	Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia, Arkansas	46.5%	$42,386	63.6%	$9,820
24	Ozarka College Melbourne, Arkansas	43.6%	$29,314		$3,820
25	Arkansas State University Three Rivers Malvern, Arkansas	34.6%	$37,374		$3,568