UALR vs. UAFS

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas at Little Rock in Little Rock, AR with University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock is larger than UAFS based on total student enrollment (8,216 students vs. 5,496 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock is located in Little Rock, AR (Midsize City setting); University of Arkansas Fort Smith is in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting).
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas at Little Rock 13:1; University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1.

UALR vs. UAFS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or UAFS? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than UALR ($11,159 vs. $12,033).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 6.3% lower than at University of Arkansas at Little Rock ($10,082 vs. $10,760).
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock is 32.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than UAFS (about $2,414 more per year; $9,748.00 vs. $7,334.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 81.9% higher at UALR than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $9,976 more per year; $22,158.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than at University of Arkansas at Little Rock (95% vs. 92%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas at Little Rock students is 42.7% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($11,013 vs. $7,715).

UALR vs. UAFS Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UALR or UAFS? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UAFS and UALR.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Arkansas at Little Rock 960/1210.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Arkansas at Little Rock 17/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UALR - Required; UAFS - Required.
• Typical fall application deadline: UALR Aug 17, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UALR students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at UAFS (3.39).
• UAFS has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than UALR (58.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.8% at UALR vs. 40.2% at UAFS.

UALR vs. UAFS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UALR and UAFS? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith's six-year graduation rate (23%) is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock's (21%).
• Graduates from University of Arkansas at Little Rock earn a median of about $3,000 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,000 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates have a $6,368 lower median loan debt than UALR graduates ($14,132 vs. $20,500).
• Among borrowers, UAFS graduates have an estimated $65 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UALR graduates ($146 vs. $211).
• More UALR graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.