Arkansas vs. Henderson State University

Should I go to University of Arkansas or Henderson State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Arkansas or Henderson State University 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 vs. Henderson State University comparison
University of Arkansas Henderson State University College 3 College 4
University of Arkansas Henderson State University
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Overview

Arkansas Henderson State University
Location Fayetteville, AR Arkadelphia, AR
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 32,140 2,136
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #444 #988
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uark.edu hsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arkansas Henderson State University
Tuition (In State) $7,666 $6,163
Tuition (Out of State) $26,690 $8,160
Room & Board $13,290 $10,680
Avg Net Price $17,475 $16,929
Avg Grant Aid $8,109 $9,017
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 99%

Admission

Arkansas Henderson State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 28,186 1,814
Admitted 20,202 1,486
Acceptance Rate 71.7% 81.9%
Enrolled % 31.4% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.23
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Average Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 16/21
SAT Range 1050/1220 903/1073
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026 Jul 15, 2026

Academics

Arkansas Henderson State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Arkansas Henderson State University
Graduation Rate 59% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $201

Diversity

Arkansas Henderson State University
% Men 7% 8%
% Women 8% 23%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 66%
% Black 5% 24%
% Hispanic 8% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Arkansas Henderson State University
% In-State 47% 77%
% Out-of-State 52% 21%

Campus

Arkansas Henderson State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas is larger than than Henderson State University based on total student enrollment (32,140 students vs. 2,136 students)

Arkansas vs. Henderson State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arkansas or Henderson State University?

  • University of Arkansas is 24.4% more expensive to attend than Henderson State University for in-state tuition ($7,666.00 vs. $6,163.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227.1% higher at Arkansas than Henderson State University ($26,690.00 vs. $8,160.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Henderson State University than Arkansas ($16,929 vs. $17,475)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Henderson State University are 24.4% lower than costs at University of Arkansas ($10,680 vs. $13,290)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Henderson State University than University of Arkansas (99% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Henderson State University students is 11.2% larger than aid received University of Arkansas ($9,017 vs. $8,109)

Arkansas vs. Henderson State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Arkansas (1154) is 166 points higher than at Henderson State University (988)
  • Incoming Arkansas students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Henderson State University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Arkansas students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Henderson State University (3.23)
  • Henderson State University has a higher acceptance rate (81.9%) than Arkansas (71.7%)

Arkansas vs. Henderson State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arkansas or Henderson State University? 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 Henderson State University and Arkansas.

  • The graduation rate at Arkansas is higher than Henderson State University (59% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas earn on average $12,000 more per year than Henderson State University graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $38,400)
  • Henderson State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Arkansas graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Henderson State University graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Arkansas graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More Arkansas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Henderson State University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 48%)

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