Arkansas vs. Missouri Southern

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

Arkansas Missouri Southern
Location Fayetteville, AR Joplin, MO
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 30,936 4,144
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #458 #911
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uark.edu mssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arkansas Missouri Southern
Tuition (In State) $7,666 $8,026
Tuition (Out of State) $25,420 $16,052
Room & Board $12,368 $7,624
Avg Net Price $16,208 $10,061
Avg Grant Aid $8,474 $8,016
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 100%

Admission

Arkansas Missouri Southern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,219 1,937
Admitted 20,695 1,927
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 99.5%
Enrolled % 34.3% 31.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 18/24
SAT Range 1030/1220 960/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Arkansas Missouri Southern
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Arkansas Missouri Southern
Graduation Rate 59% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $36,600
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $20,831
Median Loan Payment $222 $215

Diversity

Arkansas Missouri Southern
% Men 44% 38%
% Women 56% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 77%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 1% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Arkansas Missouri Southern
% In-State 39% 70%
% Out-of-State 60% 28%

Campus

Arkansas Missouri Southern
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas is larger than than Missouri Southern based on total student enrollment (30,936 students vs. 4,144 students)

Arkansas vs. Missouri Southern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arkansas or Missouri Southern?

  • Missouri Southern State University is 4.7% more expensive to attend than Arkansas for in-state tuition ($8,026.00 vs. $7,666.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.4% higher at Arkansas than Missouri Southern State University ($25,420.00 vs. $16,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Missouri Southern State University than Arkansas ($10,061 vs. $16,208)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Southern State University are 62.2% lower than costs at University of Arkansas ($7,624 vs. $12,368)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Missouri Southern State University than University of Arkansas (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas students is 5.7% larger than aid received Missouri Southern State University ($8,474 vs. $8,016)

Arkansas vs. Missouri Southern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Arkansas (1154) is 124 points higher than at Missouri Southern (1030)
  • Incoming Arkansas students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Missouri Southern (22)
  • Accepted freshman Arkansas students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Missouri Southern (3.5)
  • Missouri Southern has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Arkansas (78.9%)

Arkansas vs. Missouri Southern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arkansas or Missouri Southern? 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 Missouri Southern and Arkansas.

  • The graduation rate at Arkansas is higher than Missouri Southern State University (59% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas earn on average $13,800 more per year than Missouri Southern graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $36,600)
  • Missouri Southern State University students graduate with a $669 lower median federal student loan debt than Arkansas graduates. ($20,831 vs. $21,500)
  • Missouri Southern graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Arkansas graduates. ($215 vs. $222)
  • More Arkansas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Missouri Southern students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 53%)

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