UALR vs. WSU

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

UALR WSU
Location Little Rock, AR Wichita, KS
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 8,197 16,216
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #686 #700
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ualr.edu wichita.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UALR WSU
Tuition (In State) $5,729 $6,848
Tuition (Out of State) $16,320 $16,208
Room & Board $9,162 $12,610
Avg Net Price $11,173 $13,553
Avg Grant Aid $10,494 $7,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 79%

Admission

UALR WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,568 8,899
Admitted 2,193 8,441
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 94.9%
Enrolled % 25% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/26
SAT Range 970/1220 953/1260
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 WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

UALR WSU
Graduation Rate 21% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $211

Diversity

UALR WSU
% Men 39% 45%
% Women 61% 55%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 63%
% Black 27% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 4%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

UALR WSU
% In-State 90% 76%
% Out-of-State 10% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wichita State University is larger than than UALR based on total student enrollment (16,216 students vs. 8,197 students)

UALR vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UALR or WSU?

  • Wichita State University is 19.5% more expensive to attend than UALR for in-state tuition ($6,848.00 vs. $5,729.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.7% higher at UALR than Wichita State University ($16,320.00 vs. $16,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than WSU ($11,173 vs. $13,553)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas at Little Rock are 37.6% lower than costs at Wichita State University ($9,162 vs. $12,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arkansas at Little Rock than Wichita State University (92% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas at Little Rock students is 47.6% larger than aid received Wichita State University ($10,494 vs. $7,110)

UALR vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wichita State University (1089) is 99 points higher than at UALR (990)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UALR (21)
  • Accepted freshman WSU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at UALR (3.42)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than UALR (61.5%)

UALR vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WSU is higher than University of Arkansas at Little Rock (43% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Wichita State University earn on average $5,800 more per year than UALR graduates after ten years. ($43,800 vs. $38,000)
  • Wichita State University and UALR graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($20,500 vs. $20,500)
  • Wichita State University and UALR graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($211 vs. $211)
  • More WSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UALR students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 51%)

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