Arkansas vs. PSC

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

Arkansas PSC
Location Fayetteville, AR Little Rock, AR
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,936 769
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #458
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uark.edu philander.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arkansas PSC
Tuition (In State) $7,666 $11,804
Tuition (Out of State) $25,420 $11,804
Room & Board $12,368 $8,250
Avg Net Price $16,208 $15,634
Avg Grant Aid $8,474 $10,317
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 86%

Admission

Arkansas PSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,219 -
Admitted 20,695 -
Acceptance Rate 78.9%
Enrolled % 34.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.04
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Average Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1030/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Arkansas PSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

Arkansas PSC
Graduation Rate 59% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $26,800
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 35%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $320

Diversity

Arkansas PSC
% Men 44% 41%
% Women 56% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 77% 0%
% Black 5% 91%
% Hispanic 8% 1%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Arkansas PSC
% In-State 39% 58%
% Out-of-State 60% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas is larger than than PSC based on total student enrollment (30,936 students vs. 769 students)

Arkansas vs. PSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arkansas or PSC?

  • Philander Smith College is 54% more expensive to attend than Arkansas for in-state tuition ($11,804.00 vs. $7,666.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 115.4% higher at Arkansas than Philander Smith College ($25,420.00 vs. $11,804.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Philander Smith College than Arkansas ($15,634 vs. $16,208)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Philander Smith College are 49.9% lower than costs at University of Arkansas ($8,250 vs. $12,368)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Philander Smith College than University of Arkansas (86% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Philander Smith College students is 21.7% larger than aid received University of Arkansas ($10,317 vs. $8,474)

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

  • Accepted freshman Arkansas students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at PSC (3.04)

Arkansas vs. PSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arkansas or PSC? 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 PSC and Arkansas.

  • The graduation rate at Arkansas is higher than Philander Smith College (59% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas earn on average $23,600 more per year than PSC graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $26,800)
  • University of Arkansas students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than PSC graduates. ($21,500 vs. $31,000)
  • Arkansas graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than PSC graduates. ($222 vs. $320)
  • More Arkansas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PSC students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 35%)

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