With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a college degree. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Arkansas Colleges for a Bachelor's ranking - to help you make that decision.
We analyzed 15 colleges and universities across Arkansas to determine which ones have the best bachelor's degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
Higher Than Average Earnings
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving a bachelor's degree from the school. A bachelor's degree holder from a school in Arkansas makes an average starting salary of $37,130, but the students who attended schools in the top 15 of our list make an average of $37,524.
Starting Salary ( 27194 to 43186 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their bachelor's degree.
When attending a school in Arkansas, bachelor's degree students accumulate an average of $24,615 in student debt before graduation.
We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty bachelor's recipients will have paying back their loans.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best bachelor's degree schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Our analysis found University of Arkansas to be the best school for bachelor’s degrees in Arkansas in this year’s ranking. UARK is a large public school situated in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It awarded 5,593 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UARK is $41,771 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $23,708 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $332 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Out of the 15 bachelor’s degree schools in Arkansas that were part of this year’s ranking, Harding University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Searcy, Arkansas, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 902 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Harding make an average of $40,811 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $25,829 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $401 for a 10-year repayment plan.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend John Brown University. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and it awarded 383 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,892 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $25,923 after getting their degree.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arkansas State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Jonesboro, Arkansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,815 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from A-State go into careers with an average salary of $36,507 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $23,711 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $141 for a 10-year repayment plan.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Central Arkansas. The school came in at #5 in Arkansas on this year’s best bachelor’s degree schools ranking. Located in Conway, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,933 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $32,157 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $23,743 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $168.
Hendrix College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. Hendrix is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Conway, Arkansas. It awarded 258 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Hendrix is $25,668 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $25,650.
Ouachita Baptist University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 446 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Ouachita Baptist make an average of $35,027 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $24,099 in student loans.
University of Arkansas at Little Rock came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. Little Rock, Arkansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,365 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UA Little Rock go into careers with an average salary of $36,159 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $28,554 in student loans.
With a ranking of #9, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Magnolia, Arkansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 559 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Southern Arkansas University Main Campus go into careers with an average salary of $35,160 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $20,927 after getting their degree.
With a ranking of #10, University of Arkansas - Fort Smith did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 740 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UAFS is $35,237 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $18,308 after getting their degree.
Henderson State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #11. Henderson State University is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 514 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $33,381 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $22,516.
Arkansas Tech University landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. Located in Russellville, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,276 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from ATU make an average of $34,441 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $23,256.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. Located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the small public school awarded 364 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $32,743 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $26,674 after getting their degree.
University of Arkansas at Monticello ranked #14 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas list. This small public school is located in Monticello, Arkansas, and it awarded 353 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UAM is $35,190 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $22,002.
With a ranking of #15, Grantham University did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Grantham University is a medium-sized public school located in LIttle Rock, Arkansas that handed out 662 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $59,722 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $36,742 after getting their degree.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
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