UALR vs. Harding University

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

UALR Harding University
Location Little Rock, AR Searcy, AR
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,197 4,805
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #477
Religious Affiliation - Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu harding.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UALR Harding University
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $22,500
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $22,500
Room & Board $9,162 $7,984
Avg Net Price $11,173 $19,558
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $14,682
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 97%

Admission

UALR Harding University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 2,254
Admitted 2,193 1,017
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 45.1%
Enrolled % 25% 78.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 20/28
SAT Range 970/1220 1040/1300
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2025

Academics

UALR Harding University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UALR Harding University
Graduation Rate 21% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $279

Diversity

UALR Harding University
% Men 39% 42%
% Women 61% 58%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 83%
% Black 27% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 2%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

UALR Harding University
% In-State 90% 28%
% Out-of-State 10% 68%

Campus

UALR Harding 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 Harding University based on total student enrollment (8,197 students vs. 4,805 students)

UALR vs. Harding University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or Harding University?

  • Harding University is 292.7% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($22,500.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.9% higher at Harding University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($22,500.00 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 Harding University ($11,173 vs. $19,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harding University are 14.8% lower than costs at University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($7,984 vs. $9,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harding University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (97% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harding University students is 39.9% larger than aid received University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($14,682 vs. $10,494)

UALR vs. Harding University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harding University (1135) is 145 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming Harding University students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman Harding University students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at UALR (3.42)
  • UALR has a higher acceptance rate (61.5%) than Harding University (45.1%)

UALR vs. Harding University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harding University is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (63% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Harding University earn on average $6,800 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Harding University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • UALR graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than Harding University graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More Harding University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 51%)

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