National Park College vs. SouthArk

Comparable Facts

Compare National Park College in Hot Springs, AR with South Arkansas College in El Dorado, AR on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

National Park College is larger than SouthArk based on total student enrollment (1,805 students vs. 1,207 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• National Park College is located in Hot Springs, AR (Rural Fringe setting); South Arkansas College is in El Dorado, AR (Remote Town setting).
• National Park College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. South Arkansas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: National Park College 16:1; South Arkansas College 12:1.

National Park College vs. SouthArk Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, National Park College or SouthArk? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at South Arkansas College than National Park College ($7,674 vs. $13,429).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at National Park College are 29.4% lower than at South Arkansas College ($6,750 vs. $9,555).
• National Park College is 64.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than SouthArk (about $2,366 more per year; $6,050.00 vs. $3,684.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.6% higher at National Park College than at South Arkansas College (about $1,748 more per year; $7,280.00 vs. $5,532.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at National Park College than at South Arkansas College (88% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by National Park College students is 15.5% larger than aid received by South Arkansas College students ($6,344 vs. $5,493).

National Park College vs. SouthArk Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, National Park College or SouthArk? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SouthArk and National Park College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: National Park College - Open admission; SouthArk - Open admission.

National Park College vs. SouthArk Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for National Park College and SouthArk? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from South Arkansas College earn a median of about $3,800 more per year than National Park College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,900 vs. $28,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, South Arkansas College graduates have a $2,033 lower median loan debt than National Park College graduates ($9,500 vs. $11,533).
• Among borrowers, SouthArk graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than National Park College graduates ($98 vs. $119).
• More SouthArk graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former National Park College students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.