UALR vs. Friends University

Should I go to University of Arkansas at Little Rock or Friends University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UALR or Friends 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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University of Arkansas at Little Rock vs. Friends University comparison
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Friends University College 3 College 4
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
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Overview

 UALR Friends University
Location Little Rock, AR Wichita, KS
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 8,197 1,724
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #723
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu friends.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UALR Friends University
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $31,172
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $31,172
Room & Board $9,162 $8,326
Avg Net Price $11,173 $23,720
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $19,570
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

 UALR Friends University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 1,620
Admitted 2,193 1,025
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 63.3%
Enrolled % 25% 25.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/26
SAT Range 970/1220 950/1181
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2025

Academics

 UALR Friends University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Business (62%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)

Outcomes

 UALR Friends University
Graduation Rate 21% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $24,512
Median Loan Payment $211 $253

Diversity

 UALR Friends University
% Men 39% 42%
% Women 61% 58%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 68%
% Black 27% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 8%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 UALR Friends University
% In-State 90% 46%
% Out-of-State 10% 50%

Campus

 UALR Friends University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock is larger than than Friends University based on total student enrollment (8,197 students vs. 1,724 students)

UALR vs. Friends University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or Friends University?

  • Friends University is 444.1% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($31,172.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 91% higher at Friends University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($31,172.00 vs. $16,320.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than Friends University ($11,173 vs. $23,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Friends University are 10% lower than costs at University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($8,326 vs. $9,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Friends University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Friends University students is 86.5% larger than aid received University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($19,570 vs. $10,494)

UALR vs. Friends University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Friends University (1014) is 24 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming Friends University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman UALR students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Friends University (3.4)
  • Friends University has a higher acceptance rate (63.3%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. Friends University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UALR or Friends 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 Friends University and UALR.

  • The graduation rate at Friends University is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (27% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Friends University earn on average $8,500 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($46,500 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $4,012 lower median federal student loan debt than Friends University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,512)
  • UALR graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Friends University graduates. ($211 vs. $253)
  • More Friends University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 51%)

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