UALR vs. Missouri Southern

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

UALR Missouri Southern
Location Little Rock, AR Joplin, MO
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 8,197 4,144
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #911
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu mssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UALR Missouri Southern
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $8,026
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $16,052
Room & Board $9,162 $7,624
Avg Net Price $11,173 $10,061
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $8,016
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

UALR Missouri Southern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 1,937
Admitted 2,193 1,927
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 99.5%
Enrolled % 25% 31.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 970/1220 960/1220
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 Missouri Southern
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 (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

UALR Missouri Southern
Graduation Rate 21% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $36,600
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,831
Median Loan Payment $211 $215

Diversity

UALR Missouri Southern
% Men 39% 38%
% Women 61% 62%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 77%
% Black 27% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 1%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

UALR Missouri Southern
% In-State 90% 70%
% Out-of-State 10% 28%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock is larger than than Missouri Southern based on total student enrollment (8,197 students vs. 4,144 students)

UALR vs. Missouri Southern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or Missouri Southern?

  • Missouri Southern State University is 40.1% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($8,026.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at UALR than Missouri Southern State University ($16,320.00 vs. $16,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Missouri Southern State University than UALR ($10,061 vs. $11,173)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Southern State University are 20.2% lower than costs at University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($7,624 vs. $9,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Missouri Southern State University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas at Little Rock students is 30.9% larger than aid received Missouri Southern State University ($10,494 vs. $8,016)

UALR vs. Missouri Southern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Missouri Southern State University (1030) is 40 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming Missouri Southern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman Missouri Southern students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at UALR (3.42)
  • Missouri Southern has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. Missouri Southern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UALR or Missouri Southern? 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 Missouri Southern and UALR.

  • The graduation rate at Missouri Southern is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (33% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas at Little Rock earn on average $1,400 more per year than Missouri Southern graduates after ten years. ($38,000 vs. $36,600)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $331 lower median federal student loan debt than Missouri Southern graduates. ($20,500 vs. $20,831)
  • UALR graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Missouri Southern graduates. ($211 vs. $215)
  • More Missouri Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 51%)

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