UALR vs. McKendree University

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

UALR McKendree University
Location Little Rock, AR Lebanon, IL
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,197 1,960
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #607
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu mckendree.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UALR McKendree University
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $32,020
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $32,020
Room & Board $9,162 $11,590
Avg Net Price $11,173 $22,431
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $24,145
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

UALR McKendree University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 2,332
Admitted 2,193 1,594
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 68.4%
Enrolled % 25% 26.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.38
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/28
SAT Range 970/1220 871/1277
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2025

Academics

UALR McKendree University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Business (37%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (4%)

Outcomes

UALR McKendree University
Graduation Rate 21% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $240

Diversity

UALR McKendree University
% Men 39% 46%
% Women 61% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 68%
% Black 27% 14%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

UALR McKendree University
% In-State 90% 48%
% Out-of-State 10% 27%

Campus

UALR McKendree 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 McKendree University based on total student enrollment (8,197 students vs. 1,960 students)

UALR vs. McKendree University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or McKendree University?

  • McKendree University is 458.9% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($32,020.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96.2% higher at McKendree University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($32,020.00 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 McKendree University ($11,173 vs. $22,431)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are 26.5% lower than costs at McKendree University ($9,162 vs. $11,590)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McKendree University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McKendree University students is 130.1% larger than aid received University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($24,145 vs. $10,494)

UALR vs. McKendree University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McKendree University (1006) is 16 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming McKendree University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman UALR students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at McKendree University (3.38)
  • McKendree University has a higher acceptance rate (68.4%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. McKendree University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at McKendree University is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (54% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from McKendree University earn on average $10,300 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than McKendree University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,250)
  • UALR graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than McKendree University graduates. ($211 vs. $240)
  • More McKendree University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 51%)

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