Arkansas vs. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

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

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Location Fayetteville, AR Magnolia, AR
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 30,936 5,094
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #458 #868
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uark.edu saumag.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Tuition (In State) $7,666 $7,020
Tuition (Out of State) $25,420 $12,450
Room & Board $12,368 $7,809
Avg Net Price $16,208 $14,056
Avg Grant Aid $8,474 $9,316
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 99%

Admission

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,219 2,916
Admitted 20,695 1,855
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 63.6%
Enrolled % 34.3% 38.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.46
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 17/24
SAT Range 1030/1220 905/1190
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Aug 27, 2025

Academics

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
Graduation Rate 59% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $17,020
Median Loan Payment $222 $175

Diversity

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
% Men 44% 45%
% Women 56% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 63%
% Black 5% 28%
% Hispanic 8% 3%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
% In-State 39% 70%
% Out-of-State 60% 29%

Campus

Arkansas Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus based on total student enrollment (30,936 students vs. 5,094 students)

Arkansas vs. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arkansas or Southern Arkansas University Main Campus?

  • University of Arkansas is 9.2% more expensive to attend than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus for in-state tuition ($7,666.00 vs. $7,020.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.2% higher at Arkansas than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus ($25,420.00 vs. $12,450.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus than Arkansas ($14,056 vs. $16,208)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are 58.4% lower than costs at University of Arkansas ($7,809 vs. $12,368)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus than University of Arkansas (99% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Arkansas University Main Campus students is 9.9% larger than aid received University of Arkansas ($9,316 vs. $8,474)

Arkansas vs. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Arkansas (1154) is 166 points higher than at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (988)
  • Incoming Arkansas students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (21)
  • Accepted freshman Arkansas students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (3.46)
  • Arkansas has a higher acceptance rate (78.9%) than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (63.6%)

Arkansas vs. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arkansas or Southern Arkansas University Main Campus? 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus and Arkansas.

  • The graduation rate at Arkansas is higher than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (59% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas earn on average $12,500 more per year than Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $37,900)
  • Southern Arkansas University Main Campus students graduate with a $4,480 lower median federal student loan debt than Arkansas graduates. ($17,020 vs. $21,500)
  • Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Arkansas graduates. ($175 vs. $222)
  • More Arkansas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southern Arkansas University Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 44%)

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