2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas
34
Colleges
$36,806
Avg Salary*
39%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Top Arkansas Colleges ranking is part of that endeavor.
Our analysis looked at 34 schools in Arkansas to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include freshman retention, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and post graduate earnings, among other things.
Find out more about our ranking methodology.
Customizing Your List
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Top Colleges in Arkansas
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named University of Arkansas the best school in Arkansas in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the large public school handed out 7,525 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UARK make an average of $51,702 per year during the early years of their career.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arkansas State University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas list. Arkansas State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school located in Jonesboro, Arkansas that handed out 5,209 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from A-State make an average of $37,755 a year.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harding University. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Searcy, Arkansas, and it awarded 1,292 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Harding is $47,520 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Harding University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend John Brown University. The school came in at #4 in Arkansas on this year’s overall quality ranking. JBU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 549 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from JBU is $51,785 during the early years of their career.
Full John Brown University Report
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges in Arkansas list means NorthWest Arkansas Community College is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,919 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from NWACC make an average of $37,899 per year during the early years of their career.
Full NorthWest Arkansas Community College Report
University of Central Arkansas came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking.Conway, Arkansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,711 students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from UCA make an average of $42,472 a year.
Full University of Central Arkansas Report
University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #7.North Little Rock, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,800 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UA Pulaski Tech make an average of $30,867 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College
Hendrix College landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking. Hendrix College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Conway, Arkansas that handed out 269 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,626 during the early years of their career..
Full Hendrix College Report
With a ranking of #9, University of Arkansas at Little Rock did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas list. This medium-sized public school is located in Little Rock, Arkansas, and it awarded 2,391 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UA Little Rock is $40,077 during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #10, Southern Arkansas University Tech did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas list. SAU Tech is located in Camden, Arkansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 650 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SAU Tech go into careers with an average salary of $30,240 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Southern Arkansas University Tech
Southeast Arkansas College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the small public school handed out 575 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from SEARK College make an average of $28,312 per year during the early years of their career.
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Ouachita Baptist University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges in Arkansas list. Ouachita Baptist is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 454 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Ouachita Baptist is $44,927 during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #13, University of Arkansas - Fort Smith did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas list. University of Arkansas - Fort Smith is a medium-sized public school located in Fort Smith, Arkansas that handed out 1,394 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $37,613 during the early years of their career..
Full University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Report
With a ranking of #14, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas list. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is located in Magnolia, Arkansas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,280 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Southern Arkansas University Main Campus make an average of $39,191 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Arkansas Tech University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Russellville, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school handed out 3,675 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,580 during the early years of their career..
Full Arkansas Tech University Report
University of Arkansas Community College - Morrilton ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in Arkansas list.Morrilton, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,063 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UACCM make an average of $30,637 per year during the early years of their career.
Full University of Arkansas Community College - Morrilton Report
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking. Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas is a small public school located in De Queen, Arkansas that handed out 724 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UA Cossatot is $30,580 during the early years of their career.
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Black River Technical College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges in Arkansas list. Black River Technical College is a small public school located in Pocahontas, Arkansas that handed out 995 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Black River Technical College make an average of $30,617 a year.
Full Black River Technical College Report
Henderson State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking. Henderson State University is a small public school situated in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. It awarded 808 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Henderson State University go into careers with an average salary of $39,020 during the early years of their career.
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East Arkansas Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #20.Forrest City, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 440 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from East Arkansas Community College make an average of $28,549 per year during the early years of their career.
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Arkansas State University - Newport landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking. ASUN is a small public school situated in Newport, Arkansas. It awarded 1,122 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $35,286 during the early years of their career..
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University of Arkansas Community College - Batesville did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #22. University of Arkansas Community College - Batesville is a small public school located in Batesville, Arkansas that handed out 627 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $29,978 during the early years of their career..
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Arkansas State University - Beebe ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in Arkansas list. ASU-Beebe is a small public school situated in Beebe, Arkansas. It awarded 1,343 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from ASU-Beebe is $33,070 during the early years of their career.
Full Arkansas State University - Beebe Report
Arkansas Northeastern College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking. Located in Blytheville, Arkansas, the small public school handed out 440 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $29,391 during the early years of their career..
Full Arkansas Northeastern College Report
National Park College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Arkansas ranking. This small public school is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and it awarded 781 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from National Park College go into careers with an average salary of $28,453 during the early years of their career.
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