UAFS vs. USAO

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha, OK on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Arkansas Fort Smith is larger than USAO based on total student enrollment (5,496 students vs. 1,027 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is in Chickasha, OK (Distant Town setting).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma 13:1.

UAFS vs. USAO Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or USAO? 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 Science and Arts of Oklahoma than UAFS ($8,070 vs. $11,159).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 7.8% lower than at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma ($10,082 vs. $10,940).
• University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is 22.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than UAFS (about $1,666 more per year; $9,000.00 vs. $7,334.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 65.7% higher at USAO than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $8,008 more per year; $20,190.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (98% vs. 95%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma students is 69.4% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($13,068 vs. $7,715).

UAFS vs. USAO Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or USAO? 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 USAO and UAFS.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Science and Arts of Oklahoma 1090/1280.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Science and Arts of Oklahoma 21/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; USAO - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: USAO Sep 2, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USAO students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at UAFS (3.39).
• UAFS has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than USAO (65.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 35.7% at USAO.

UAFS vs. USAO Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and USAO? 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 Science and Arts of Oklahoma's six-year graduation rate (39%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
• Graduates from University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,100 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More USAO graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (54% 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.