UALR vs. OBU

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

 UALR OBU
Location Little Rock, AR Arkadelphia, AR
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,197 1,784
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #474
Religious Affiliation - Southern Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu obu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UALR OBU
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $30,500
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $30,500
Room & Board $9,162 $8,800
Avg Net Price $11,173 $21,677
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $22,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 100%

Admission

 UALR OBU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 2,063
Admitted 2,193 1,492
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 72.3%
Enrolled % 25% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 21/28
SAT Range 970/1220 1020/1200
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 OBU
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%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 UALR OBU
Graduation Rate 21% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $232

Diversity

 UALR OBU
% Men 39% 41%
% Women 61% 59%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 85%
% Black 27% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 0%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 UALR OBU
% In-State 90% 63%
% Out-of-State 10% 35%

Campus

 UALR OBU
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 OBU based on total student enrollment (8,197 students vs. 1,784 students)

UALR vs. OBU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or OBU?

  • Ouachita Baptist University is 432.4% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($30,500.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.9% higher at OBU than University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($30,500.00 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 OBU ($11,173 vs. $21,677)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ouachita Baptist University are 4.1% lower than costs at University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($8,800 vs. $9,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ouachita Baptist University than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ouachita Baptist University students is 111.4% larger than aid received University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($22,181 vs. $10,494)

UALR vs. OBU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ouachita Baptist University (1120) is 130 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming OBU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman OBU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at UALR (3.42)
  • OBU has a higher acceptance rate (72.3%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. OBU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at OBU is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (63% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Ouachita Baptist University earn on average $5,400 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than OBU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,500)
  • UALR graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than OBU graduates. ($211 vs. $232)
  • More OBU 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/