18 colleges in Arkansas with an average net price under $30,000 a year, ranked by what families actually pay after aid. Cheapest: University of Arkansas-Fort Smith at $9,653.
Net price is the average a family pays after grant aid — not the published sticker price. Figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Schools granting only associate degrees are excluded, so a community college appears here only if it also awards bachelor's degrees.
Compare these on the map| # | College | Net price / yr | Graduates | Accepted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith, AR |
$9,653$20,164 | 42% | 80% |
| 2 | University of Arkansas Grantham LIttle Rock, AR |
$9,940$17,558 | 50% | — |
| 3 | Arkansas Tech University Russellville, AR |
$11,332$22,295 | 45% | 96% |
| 4 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, AR |
$11,528$22,388 | 39% | 41% |
| 5 | Lyon College Batesville, AR |
$14,400$43,986 | 45% | 63% |
| 6 | Arkansas State University Jonesboro, AR |
$15,441$26,511 | 58% | 82% |
| 7 | University of Arkansas at Monticello Monticello, AR |
$15,990$25,335 | 52% | — |
| 8 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia, AR |
$16,015$25,195 | 46% | 75% |
| 9 | University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR |
$16,423$27,784 | 54% | 89% |
| 10 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR |
$16,882$22,590 | 41% | 59% |
| 11 | University of the Ozarks Clarksville, AR |
$17,192$38,466 | 48% | 60% |
| 12 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR |
$17,571$28,924 | 71% | 74% |
| 13 | Harding University Searcy, AR |
$19,786$39,651 | 71% | 71% |
| 14 | Henderson State University Arkadelphia, AR |
$21,843$25,573 | 36% | — |
| 15 | Philander Smith University Little Rock, AR |
$22,153$28,340 | 36% | — |
| 16 | John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR |
$22,476$45,418 | 77% | 76% |
| 17 | Hendrix College Conway, AR |
$23,177$57,101 | 72% | 56% |
| 18 | Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR |
$25,343$50,212 | 66% | 68% |