UALR vs. Central

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

 UALR Central
Location Little Rock, AR Warrensburg, MO
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,197 11,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #708
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu ucmo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UALR Central
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $8,040
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $16,080
Room & Board $9,162 $9,699
Avg Net Price $11,173 $15,117
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $6,517
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 98%

Admission

 UALR Central
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 4,993
Admitted 2,193 3,562
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 71.3%
Enrolled % 25% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/25
SAT Range 970/1220
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 Central
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 UALR Central
Graduation Rate 21% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,441
Median Loan Payment $211 $232

Diversity

 UALR Central
% Men 39% 46%
% Women 61% 54%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 77%
% Black 27% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 UALR Central
% In-State 90% 88%
% Out-of-State 10% 11%

Campus

 UALR Central
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 Central Missouri is larger than than UALR based on total student enrollment (11,637 students vs. 8,197 students)

UALR vs. Central Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or Central?

  • University of Central Missouri is 40.3% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($8,040.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.5% higher at UALR than University of Central Missouri ($16,320.00 vs. $16,080.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than Central ($11,173 vs. $15,117)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are 5.9% lower than costs at University of Central Missouri ($9,162 vs. $9,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Missouri than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (98% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas at Little Rock students is 61% larger than aid received University of Central Missouri ($10,494 vs. $6,517)

UALR vs. Central Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Missouri (1010) is 20 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming Central students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman Central students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UALR (3.42)
  • Central has a higher acceptance rate (71.3%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. Central Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Central is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (50% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of Central Missouri earn on average $3,500 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $38,000)
  • University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with a $1,941 lower median federal student loan debt than Central graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,441)
  • UALR graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Central graduates. ($211 vs. $232)
  • More Central graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 51%)

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