University of Central Arkansas

www.uca.edu

Add Comparison
    2024 Undergraduate Tuition
    $7,500
    5.04% growth from 2023
    2024 Average Net Price
    $16,546
    After Financial Aid
    2024 Acceptance Rate
    89.5%
    7,039 Applicants
    2024 Enrolled Students
    10,112
    75.9% Full-Time
    2024 Graduation Rate
    53.2%
    1,077 Graduates

    About

    University of Central Arkansas is a higher education institution located in Faulkner County, AR. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of Central Arkansas were General Psychology (124 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (121 degrees), and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (103 degrees).

    In 2024, 2,390 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Central Arkansas. 65.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 34.2% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,689 degrees), 6.52 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (259 degrees).

    The median undergraduate tuition at University of Central Arkansas is $7,500, which is $−24,420 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

    Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research ActivityDoctoral Universities

    Costs

    In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at University of Central Arkansas is $7,500, which is $24,420 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

    After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $16,546.

    In 2024, 84% of undergraduate students attending University of Central Arkansas received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 40% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

    Tuition Costs

    $7,500
    2024 Undergraduate Tuition

    In 2024, the cost of tuition at University of Central Arkansas was $7,500. The cost of tuition at University of Central Arkansas is $−24,420 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

    This chart compares the tuition costs of University of Central Arkansas (in red) with those of other similar universities.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Average Net Price

    $16,546
    2024 Value
    1.12%
    1 Year Growth

    In 2024 University of Central Arkansas had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $16,546. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of University of Central Arkansas grew by 1.12%.

    This chart compares the average net price of University of Central Arkansas (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Other Student Expenses

    $9,006
    Room and Board
    $1,230
    Books and Supplies

    The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Central Arkansas was of $9,006 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 9.87% between 2023 and 2024.

    During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,230. The cost of books and supplies increased by 2.5% during the same period.

    This chart compares the average student costs at University of Central Arkansas (in red) with that of similar universities.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Financial Aid by Income Level

    84%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
    40%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

    84% of undergraduate students at University of Central Arkansas received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 1.2% with respect to 2023, when 83% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

    This chart compares the average award discount at University of Central Arkansas (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Admissions

    University of Central Arkansas received 7,039 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 6.83% annual growth. Out of those 7,039 applicants, 6,299 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 89.5% acceptance rate.

    There were 10,112 students enrolled at University of Central Arkansas in 2024. 2% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

    University of Central Arkansas has an overall enrollment yield of 34.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

    Acceptance Rate

    89.5%
    Acceptance Rate in 2024
    6,299
    Accepted Out of 7,039

    In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Central Arkansas was 89.5% (6,299 admissions from 7,039 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 90.5%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 6.83%, while admissions grew by 5.67%.

    This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of Central Arkansas (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

    View Data
    Save Image
    View Data
    Save Image

    SAT Scores

    2%
    Submission Percentage (2024)
    52
    Scores Submitted (2024)

    2% of enrolled first-time students at University of Central Arkansas in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

    The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Enrollment

    University of Central Arkansas had a total enrollment of 10,112 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at University of Central Arkansas is 7,675 students and the part-time enrollment is 2,437. This means that 75.9% of students enrolled at University of Central Arkansas are enrolled full-time.

    The enrolled student population at University of Central Arkansas, both undergraduate and graduate, is 66.2% White, 15.1% Black or African American, 7.77% Hispanic or Latino, 4.81% Two or More Races, 1.99% Asian, 0.415% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0593% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

    Students enrolled at University of Central Arkansas in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (39.5%), followed by White Male (24.5%) and Black or African American Female (10.6%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (54.7%), followed by White Male (18.7%) and Black or African American Female (5.78%).

    Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

    75.9%
    Full-Time Enrollment

    The total enrollment at University of Central Arkansas in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 10,112 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Central Arkansas is 7,675 and the part-time enrollment is 2,437. This means that 75.9% of students enrolled at University of Central Arkansas are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% at similar Doctoral Universities.

    This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of Central Arkansas (in red) compares to similar universities.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Retention Rate over Time

    73%
    2024 Retention Rate

    Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of Central Arkansas was 73%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), University of Central Arkansas had a retention rate lower than its peers.

    This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of Central Arkansas (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

    Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      6,692 enrolled students
    2. Black or African American
      1,528 enrolled students
    3. Hispanic or Latino
      786 enrolled students

    The enrolled student population at University of Central Arkansas is 66.2% White, 15.1% Black or African American, 7.77% Hispanic or Latino, 4.81% Two or More Races, 1.99% Asian, 0.415% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0593% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% Black or African American.

    Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 25 students (0.247%) did not report their race.

    View Data
    Save Image
    View Data
    Save Image

    Graduates

    In 2024, 756 more women than men received degrees from University of Central Arkansas. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of Central Arkansas is white (1,689 degrees awarded). There were 6.52 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (259 degrees).

    The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of Central Arkansas is General Psychology (124 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (121 degrees) and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (103 degrees).

    In 2024,  the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of Central Arkansas, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (38 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (128 degrees), and Human Sciences (83 degrees).

    Common Jobs by Major

    Elementary & middle school teachers
    Most Common Job

    The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Central Arkansas are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,587,112 people), Secondary school teachers (542,659 people), Education administrators (296,048 people), Special education teachers (210,329 people), and Preschool & kindergarten teachers (202,537 people).

    The most specialized majors at University of Central Arkansas in 2024 are Library Science (38 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (128 degrees), Human Sciences (83 degrees), Education (383 degrees), and English (57 degrees) (as of 2024).

    View Data
    Save Image

    Highest Paying Jobs by Major

    Surgeons
    Highest Paying Job

    The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Central Arkansas are Surgeons, Chief executives & legislators, Physicians, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Nurse anesthetists

    The most specialized majors at University of Central Arkansas are Library Science (38 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (128 degrees), Human Sciences (83 degrees), Education (383 degrees), and English (57 degrees) (as of 2024).

    View Data
    Save Image

    Common Industries by Major

    Elementary & secondary schools
    Most Common Industry

    The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Central Arkansas are Elementary & secondary schools (2,961,876 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (377,341 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (220,115 people), Computer Systems Design (122,259 people), and Child day care services (122,116 people).

    The most specialized majors at University of Central Arkansas are Library Science (38 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (128 degrees), Human Sciences (83 degrees), Education (383 degrees), and English (57 degrees) (as of 2024).

    View Data
    Save Image

    Majors Awarded

    IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of Central Arkansas.
    General Studies
    Most Common (2024)
    28 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common associates degree concentration at University of Central Arkansas was General Studies with 28 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at University of Central Arkansas according to their major.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

    817
    Degrees Awarded to Men
    in 2024
    1,573
    Degrees Awarded to Women
    in 2024

    In 2024, 817 degrees were awarded to men at University of Central Arkansas, which is 0.519 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,573).

    This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of Central Arkansas by degrees awarded.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Most Common Male Majors

    In 2024, 52 degrees were awarded to men at University of Central Arkansas in General Business, which is 1.08 times more than the 48 female recipients with that same degree.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Most Common Female Majors

    In 2024, 107 degrees were awarded to men at University of Central Arkansas in General Psychology, which is 6.29 times more than the 17 male recipients with that same degree.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Time to Complete

    36%
    100% Completion Time
    50%
    150% Completion Time

    In 2024, 36% of students graduating from University of Central Arkansas completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 50% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 51% within 200%.

    The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

    Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Race & Ethnicity by Share

    Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      1,689 degrees awarded
    2. Black or African American
      259 degrees awarded
    3. Hispanic or Latino
      155 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity at University of Central Arkansas is white (1,689 degrees awarded). There were 6.52 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (259 degrees).

    0.502% of degree recipients (12 students) did not report their race.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Race & Ethnicity by Sex

    Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)
    1. White Female
      1,294 degrees awarded
    2. White Female
      1,276 degrees awarded
    3. White Female
      1,232 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Central Arkansas is white female (1,294 degrees awarded). There were 1.01 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,276 degrees).

    View Data
    Save Image

    Operations

    University of Central Arkansas has an endowment valued at nearly $76.4M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 6.4M (8.37%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

    In 2024, University of Central Arkansas had a total salary expenditure of 228M. University of Central Arkansas employs 137 Associate professors, 103 Professors and 91 Assistant professors. Most academics at University of Central Arkansas are Female Associate professor (69), Male Associate professor (68), and Male Professor (66).

    The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Central Arkansas are: Management, with 140 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 134 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 111 employees.

    Endowment

    $76.4M
    2024 Endowment
    20.6%
    growth from 2023

    University of Central Arkansas has an endowment valued at about $76.4M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of University of Central Arkansas grew 20.6% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $176M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

    This line chart shows how the endowment at University of Central Arkansas (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

    The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Moderate Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

    View Data
    Save Image
    View Data
    Save Image

    Salary Expenditure

    $83.1M
    2024 Salaries
    0.876%
    growth from 2023

    In 2024, University of Central Arkansas paid a median of $83.1M in salaries, which represents 36.5% of their overall expenditure ($228M) and a 0.876% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.14% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 3.59% growth between 2021 and 2022.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Instructional Salaries

    $36.2M
    Instructional Salaries
    518
    Number of Employees

    In 2024, University of Central Arkansas paid a total of $36.2M to 518 employees working as instructors, which represents 43.5% of all salaries paid.

    This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

    View Data
    Save Image

    Occupations by Share

    In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Central Arkansas were Management with 140 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 134 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 111 employees.

    View Data
    Save Image