by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in Arkansas, narrowing things down is no easy task. We have ranked **4** graduate schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual reviewed 4 graduate schools using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
This is how starting salaries are distributed among the top-ranked graduate schools:
Explore the leading graduate schools below:
University Of Arkansas For Medical Sciences tops our 2026 ranking of the best graduate schools in Arkansas. Based in Little Rock, AR, University Of Arkansas For Medical Sciences is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,086, with out-of-state students paying around $14,714. University Of Arkansas For Medical Sciences graduates report median early-career earnings of $72,098. The median student debt is $23,106.
Out of the 4 graduate schools in Arkansas in this year's ranking, University Of Arkansas landed the #2 spot. This public school is set in Fayetteville, AR. University Of Arkansas posts a six-year graduation rate of 70%. Students from in state pay about $10,104 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,966. University Of Arkansas graduates report median early-career earnings of $52,555. The median student debt is $24,019.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Central Arkansas one of the top graduate schools in Arkansas. Located in Conway, AR, University Of Central Arkansas is a public institution. About 53% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,523, with out-of-state students paying around $18,023. Median early-career earnings reach $43,187. Graduates carry a median of $22,920 in student loans.
Out of the 4 graduate schools in Arkansas in this year's ranking, Arkansas State University Main Campus landed the #4 spot. Based in Jonesboro, AR, Arkansas State University Main Campus is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 53%. In-state tuition and fees average $8,090, with out-of-state students paying around $14,522. Arkansas State University Main Campus graduates report median early-career earnings of $48,847. The median student debt is $23,399.
The strong outcomes at University Of Arkansas At Little Rock earned it the #5 place in Arkansas. Based in Little Rock, AR, University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a public institution. Roughly 37% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,911, while out-of-state students pay about $22,721. University Of Arkansas At Little Rock graduates report median early-career earnings of $47,170. The median student debt is $27,093.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
See our data sources and methodologies.