UALR vs. OU

Should I go to University of Arkansas at Little Rock or Ottawa University Ottawa? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UALR or OU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

KU ISU University of Central Arkansas Fayetteville State University Arizona Christian University Arkansas Concordia University-Seward Northwest A&M Commerce UIU Arkansas State University WKU
University of Arkansas at Little Rock vs. Ottawa University Ottawa comparison
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Ottawa University Ottawa College 3 College 4
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UALR OU
Location Little Rock, AR Ottawa, KS
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,158 1,055
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #782 #822
Religious Affiliation - American Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu ottawa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UALR OU
Tuition (In State) $5,818 $31,900
Tuition (Out of State) $16,573 $31,900
Room & Board $9,352 $12,160
Avg Net Price $11,225 $28,126
Avg Grant Aid $9,968 $23,215
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 100%

Admission

 UALR OU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,661 3,600
Admitted 2,114 2,881
Acceptance Rate 57.7% 80%
Enrolled % 22.6% 10.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.12
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/23 16/21
SAT Range 890/1170 880/1140
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 17, 2026

Academics

 UALR OU
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 (33%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (18%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

 UALR OU
Graduation Rate 21% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,875
Median Loan Payment $211 $226

Diversity

 UALR OU
% Men 12% 6%
% Women 17% 5%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 61%
% Black 27% 13%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 5%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 14%

Students

 UALR OU
% In-State 91% 29%
% Out-of-State 9% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock is larger than than OU based on total student enrollment (8,158 students vs. 1,055 students)

UALR vs. OU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or OU?

  • Ottawa University Ottawa is 448.3% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($31,900.00 vs. $5,818.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92.5% higher at OU than University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($31,900.00 vs. $16,573.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than OU ($11,225 vs. $28,126)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are 30% lower than costs at Ottawa University Ottawa ($9,352 vs. $12,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ottawa University Ottawa than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ottawa University Ottawa students is 132.9% larger than aid received University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($23,215 vs. $9,968)

UALR vs. OU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UALR students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at OU (3.12)
  • OU has a higher acceptance rate (80%) than UALR (57.7%)

UALR vs. OU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UALR or OU? 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 OU and UALR.

  • The graduation rate at OU is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (47% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Ottawa University Ottawa earn on average $8,400 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $1,375 lower median federal student loan debt than OU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,875)
  • UALR graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than OU graduates. ($211 vs. $226)
  • More UALR graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OU students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 46%)

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