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State Rankings

Best Colleges in Arkansas

Top colleges in Arkansas ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50
Avg grad earnings: $41,510
Public / Private: 36 / 14

Top Colleges in Arkansas

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #SchoolGrad Earnings
1University of Arkansas

Fayetteville#264 national

$58,191
2Hendrix College

Conway#426 national

$60,376
3John Brown University

Siloam Springs#473 national

$53,907
4Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia#525 national

$51,673
5Harding University

Searcy#634 national

$52,876
6NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Bentonville#1079 national

$43,505
7Arkansas State University

Jonesboro#1159 national

$42,617
8Baptist Health College Little Rock

Little Rock#1160 national

$62,244
9University of the Ozarks

Clarksville#1274 national

$44,384
10University of Arkansas Grantham

LIttle Rock#1362 national

$63,496
11Arkansas State University-Newport

Newport#1508 national

$41,524
12University of Central Arkansas

Conway#1653 national

$45,938
13University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Little Rock#1694 national

$45,265
14Lyon College

Batesville#1716 national

$44,232
15Arkansas State University Three Rivers

Malvern#1846 national

$37,374
16Southern Arkansas University Tech

Camden#1848 national

$36,376
17Black River Technical College

Pocahontas#1959 national

$34,818
18Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

De Queen#1963 national

$33,775
19Arkansas State University-Beebe

Beebe#1982 national

$36,603
20South Arkansas College

El Dorado#1994 national

$34,521
21Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Magnolia#1995 national

$42,386
22Arkansas Northeastern College

Blytheville#1999 national

$33,169
23Ozarka College

Melbourne#2090 national

$29,314
24University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana

Hope#2110 national

$34,162
25Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas

Helena#2119 national

$29,552
26Arkansas State University-Mountain Home

Mountain Home#2151 national

$34,238
27North Arkansas College

Harrison#2152 national

$34,653
28University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville

Batesville#2169 national

$33,706
29Arkansas Tech University

Russellville#2211 national

$41,766
30University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Fort Smith#2239 national

$41,102
31Southeast Arkansas College

Pine Bluff#2248 national

$33,603
32National Park College

Hot Springs#2280 national

$32,444
33University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College

North Little Rock#2299 national

$34,722
34Henderson State University

Arkadelphia#2391 national

$43,459
35University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton

Morrilton#2397 national

$34,924
36University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Pine Bluff#2421 national

$35,550
37University of Arkansas at Monticello

Monticello#2445 national

$36,902
38Philander Smith University

Little Rock#2511 national

$38,427
39Jefferson Regional School of Nursing

Pine Bluff

$73,975
40University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Little Rock

$73,827
41Central Baptist College

Conway

$46,789
42Northwest Technical Institute

Springdale

$41,513
43Ecclesia College

Springdale

$40,650
44Crowley's Ridge College

Paragould

$39,533
45Williams Baptist University

Walnut Ridge

$38,484
46University of Arkansas Community College at Hope - Texarkana

Texarkana

$34,162
47Arkansas State University Mid-South

West Memphis

$31,857
48University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain

Mena

$30,037
49East Arkansas Community College

Forrest City

$28,471
50Arkansas Baptist College

Little Rock

$28,418

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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