Northark vs. SouthArk

Comparable Facts

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

North Arkansas College is larger than SouthArk based on total student enrollment (2,089 students vs. 1,207 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• North Arkansas College is located in Harrison, AR (Remote Town setting); South Arkansas College is in El Dorado, AR (Remote Town setting).
• North Arkansas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. South Arkansas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: North Arkansas College 14:1; South Arkansas College 12:1.

Northark vs. SouthArk Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northark 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 Northark ($7,674 vs. $10,234).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Arkansas College are 26.6% lower than at South Arkansas College ($7,012 vs. $9,555).
• North Arkansas College is 4.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SouthArk (about $180 more per year; $3,864.00 vs. $3,684.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.1% higher at Northark than at South Arkansas College (about $60 more per year; $5,592.00 vs. $5,532.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at North Arkansas College than at South Arkansas College (86% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by South Arkansas College students is 9.6% larger than aid received by North Arkansas College students ($5,493 vs. $5,014).

Northark vs. SouthArk Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northark or SouthArk? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SouthArk and Northark.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Northark - Open admission; SouthArk - Open admission.
• Enrolled freshman Northark students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (2.93) than students at SouthArk (2.83).

Northark vs. SouthArk Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northark and SouthArk? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from South Arkansas College earn a median of about $3,500 more per year than Northark graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,900 vs. $28,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, North Arkansas College graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than SouthArk graduates ($8,000 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers, Northark graduates have an estimated $16 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SouthArk graduates ($82 vs. $98).
• More SouthArk graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northark students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 34%)

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.