University of Central Arkansas vs. University of Houston-Downtown

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

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
Location Conway, AR Houston, TX
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 9,790 14,105
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #842 #923
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uca.edu uhd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
Tuition (In State) $7,140 $6,252
Tuition (Out of State) $14,280 $16,332
Room & Board $8,662 $9,882
Avg Net Price $16,362 $14,269
Avg Grant Aid $8,280 $8,246
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 81%

Admission

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,589 6,953
Admitted 5,961 6,302
Acceptance Rate 90.5% 90.6%Open
Enrolled % 29.1% 23.7%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 17/23
SAT Range 940/1120 960/1110
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 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (55%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Education (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (3%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
Graduation Rate 40% 15%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 41%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,415 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $221 $193

Diversity

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
% Men 5% 3%
% Women 14% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 17%
% Black 18% 23%
% Hispanic 5% 43%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 1%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
% In-State 90% 99%
% Out-of-State 8% 1%

Campus

University of Central Arkansas University of Houston-Downtown
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston Downtown is larger than than University of Central Arkansas based on total student enrollment (14,105 students vs. 9,790 students)

University of Central Arkansas vs. University of Houston-Downtown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Central Arkansas or University of Houston-Downtown?

  • University of Central Arkansas is 14.2% more expensive to attend than University of Houston-Downtown for in-state tuition ($7,140.00 vs. $6,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.4% higher at University of Houston-Downtown than University of Central Arkansas ($16,332.00 vs. $14,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston Downtown than University of Central Arkansas ($14,269 vs. $16,362)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Arkansas are 14.1% lower than costs at University of Houston Downtown ($8,662 vs. $9,882)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Arkansas than University of Houston Downtown (93% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Central Arkansas students is 0.4% larger than aid received University of Houston Downtown ($8,280 vs. $8,246)

University of Central Arkansas vs. University of Houston-Downtown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Arkansas (1068) is 174 points higher than at University of Houston-Downtown (894)
  • Incoming University of Central Arkansas students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at University of Houston-Downtown (18)
  • Accepted freshman University of Central Arkansas students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at University of Houston-Downtown (3.29)
  • University of Houston-Downtown has a higher acceptance rate (90.6%) than University of Central Arkansas (90.5%)

University of Central Arkansas vs. University of Houston-Downtown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Central Arkansas or University of Houston-Downtown? 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 University of Houston-Downtown and University of Central Arkansas.

  • The graduation rate at University of Central Arkansas is higher than University of Houston Downtown (40% vs. 15%)
  • Graduates from University of Houston Downtown earn on average $6,600 more per year than University of Central Arkansas graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $40,800)
  • University of Houston Downtown students graduate with a $2,665 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Central Arkansas graduates. ($18,750 vs. $21,415)
  • University of Houston-Downtown graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than University of Central Arkansas graduates. ($193 vs. $221)
  • More University of Central Arkansas graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Houston-Downtown students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 41%)

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