Arkansas vs. WSU

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

Arkansas WSU
Location Fayetteville, AR Wichita, KS
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 30,936 16,216
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #458 #700
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uark.edu wichita.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arkansas WSU
Tuition (In State) $7,666 $6,848
Tuition (Out of State) $25,420 $16,208
Room & Board $12,368 $12,610
Avg Net Price $16,208 $13,553
Avg Grant Aid $8,474 $7,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 79%

Admission

Arkansas WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,219 8,899
Admitted 20,695 8,441
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 94.9%
Enrolled % 34.3% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/26
SAT Range 1030/1220 953/1260
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 WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

Arkansas WSU
Graduation Rate 59% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $43,800
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $211

Diversity

Arkansas WSU
% Men 44% 45%
% Women 56% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 63%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Arkansas WSU
% In-State 39% 76%
% Out-of-State 60% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas is larger than than WSU based on total student enrollment (30,936 students vs. 16,216 students)

Arkansas vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arkansas or WSU?

  • University of Arkansas is 11.9% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($7,666.00 vs. $6,848.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.8% higher at Arkansas than Wichita State University ($25,420.00 vs. $16,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wichita State University than Arkansas ($13,553 vs. $16,208)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas are 2% lower than costs at Wichita State University ($12,368 vs. $12,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wichita State University than University of Arkansas (79% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas students is 19.2% larger than aid received Wichita State University ($8,474 vs. $7,110)

Arkansas vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Arkansas (1154) is 65 points higher than at WSU (1089)
  • Incoming Arkansas students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WSU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Arkansas students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at WSU (3.48)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Arkansas (78.9%)

Arkansas vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Arkansas is higher than Wichita State University (59% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas earn on average $6,600 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $43,800)
  • Wichita State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Arkansas graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,500)
  • WSU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Arkansas graduates. ($211 vs. $222)
  • More Arkansas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 55%)

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