ATU vs. Henderson State University

Should I go to Arkansas Tech University or Henderson State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ATU or Henderson State University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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OBU UAFS University of Central Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Arkansas Arkansas State University Central UALR UNO EIU Ozarks
Arkansas Tech University vs. Henderson State University comparison
Arkansas Tech University Henderson State University College 3 College 4
Arkansas Tech University Henderson State University
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Overview

ATU Henderson State University
Location Russellville, AR Arkadelphia, AR
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 9,445 2,519
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #927 #976
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu hsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ATU Henderson State University
Tuition (In State) $5,820 $5,880
Tuition (Out of State) $11,640 $8,088
Room & Board $9,157 $9,558
Avg Net Price $12,016 $17,656
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $9,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 90%

Admission

ATU Henderson State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,762 2,345
Admitted 5,439 1,657
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 70.7%
Enrolled % 26.7% 24.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.23
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 16/21
SAT Range 990/1180 903/1073
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

ATU Henderson State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

ATU Henderson State University
Graduation Rate 43% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $183 $201

Diversity

ATU Henderson State University
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 66%
% Black 10% 24%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

ATU Henderson State University
% In-State 94% 81%
% Out-of-State 5% 19%

Campus

ATU Henderson State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arkansas Tech University is larger than than Henderson State University based on total student enrollment (9,445 students vs. 2,519 students)

ATU vs. Henderson State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU or Henderson State University?

  • Henderson State University is 1% more expensive to attend than ATU for in-state tuition ($5,880.00 vs. $5,820.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.9% higher at ATU than Henderson State University ($11,640.00 vs. $8,088.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arkansas Tech University than Henderson State University ($12,016 vs. $17,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 4.4% lower than costs at Henderson State University ($9,157 vs. $9,558)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arkansas Tech University than Henderson State University (93% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Henderson State University students is 13.5% larger than aid received Arkansas Tech University ($9,580 vs. $8,440)

ATU vs. Henderson State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ATU or Henderson State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Henderson State University or ATU .

  • Accepted freshman ATU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Henderson State University (3.23)
  • ATU has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than Henderson State University (70.7%)

ATU vs. Henderson State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU or Henderson State University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Henderson State University and ATU.

  • The graduation rate at ATU is higher than Henderson State University (43% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Henderson State University earn on average $1,300 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $37,100)
  • Arkansas Tech University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Henderson State University graduates. ($17,750 vs. $19,500)
  • ATU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Henderson State University graduates. ($183 vs. $201)
  • More ATU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Henderson State University students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 48%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/