Tuition Trends for Arkansas colleges Over Past 10 Years

There are 80 colleges in Arkansas - 35 public and 45 private schools. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the 4-year colleges in Arkansas is $8,757 for Arkansas residents and $15,992 for out-of-state students. In private colleges, the average tuition & fees is $20,635. For Arkansas community colleges, the average tuition & fees is $4,059 for state residents and $5,489 for out-of-state students.

Arkansas public 4-year colleges' in-state tuition & fees increased by 45.09% from $7,072 (2015) to $10,261 (2024) and out-of-state tuition & fees grew by 32.14% over the past decade from $13,103 (2015) to $17,314 (2024). In private Arkansas colleges, the tuition & fees increased by 11.31%, from $18,561 (2015) to $20,661 (2024).

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Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased by 29.80% when living on campus and by 25.77% when living off campus at public Arkansas colleges. For private Arkansas colleges, the COA has increased by 17.59% (on-campus) and 14.71% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes of Arkansas colleges
Year	Living On Campus			Living Off Campus
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$19,121	$25,152	$30,610	$20,308	$26,339	$31,797
2015-16	$19,602 2.52%	$26,731 6.28%	$31,086 1.56%	$20,415 0.53%	$27,544 4.57%	$31,899 0.32%
2016-17	$20,202 3.06%	$27,583 3.19%	$32,444 4.37%	$20,972 2.73%	$28,353 2.94%	$33,214 4.12%
2017-18	$20,712 2.52%	$27,818 0.85%	$33,148 2.17%	$21,282 1.48%	$28,388 0.12%	$33,718 1.52%
2018-19	$20,924 1.02%	$28,164 1.24%	$32,567 -1.75%	$21,549 1.25%	$28,789 1.41%	$33,192 -1.56%
2019-20	$21,660 3.52%	$29,094 3.30%	$33,815 3.83%	$22,292 3.45%	$29,726 3.25%	$34,447 3.78%
2020-21	$21,762 0.47%	$28,514 -1.99%	$34,824 2.98%	$22,205 -0.39%	$28,957 -2.59%	$35,267 2.38%
2021-22	$22,184 1.94%	$29,021 1.78%	$34,289 -1.54%	$22,600 1.78%	$29,437 1.66%	$34,705 -1.59%
2022-23	$24,266 9.39%	$31,758 9.43%	$35,056 2.24%	$24,710 9.34%	$32,202 9.39%	$35,500 2.29%
2023-24	$25,594 5.47%	$32,647 2.80%	$35,994 2.68%	$26,073 5.52%	$33,126 2.87%	$36,473 2.74%

Tuition & Fees Changes

For the current year (2024), the average tuition & fees for Arkansas colleges is $11,953 for Arkansas residents and $19,006 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $20,811.

For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees is $10,244 for Arkansas residents and $15,478 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $15,998.

The tuition & fees has increased 32.14% for undergraduate programs and 25.75% for graduate programs at Arkansas colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.

Tuition & Fees Changes for Arkansas colleges
Year	Undergraduate			Graduate
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$7,072	$13,103	$18,561	$6,290	$11,080	$19,701
2015-16	$7,339 3.78%	$14,468 10.42%	$18,823 1.41%	$6,697 6.47%	$12,431 12.19%	$18,434 -6.43%
2016-17	$7,633 4.01%	$15,014 3.77%	$19,875 5.59%	$7,191 7.38%	$13,222 6.36%	$19,219 4.26%
2017-18	$7,903 3.54%	$15,009 -0.03%	$20,339 2.33%	$7,192 0.01%	$12,965 -1.94%	$20,078 4.47%
2018-19	$8,121 2.76%	$15,361 2.35%	$19,764 -2.83%	$7,434 3.36%	$13,309 2.65%	$20,456 1.88%
2019-20	$8,406 3.51%	$15,840 3.12%	$20,561 4.03%	$7,606 2.31%	$13,507 1.49%	$22,597 10.47%
2020-21	$7,967 -5.22%	$14,719 -7.08%	$21,029 2.28%	$7,702 1.26%	$13,662 1.15%	$21,248 -5.97%
2021-22	$8,050 1.04%	$14,887 1.14%	$20,155 -4.16%	$7,759 0.74%	$13,797 0.99%	$19,222 -9.54%
2022-23	$9,792 21.64%	$17,284 16.10%	$20,582 2.12%	$7,829 0.90%	$13,597 -1.45%	$19,756 2.78%
2023-24	$10,261 4.79%	$17,314 0.17%	$20,661 0.38%	$8,638 10.33%	$13,933 2.47%	$15,699 -20.54%

Arkansas 4-Year Colleges Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Arkansas Graduate Schools Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Arkansas colleges
Year	Books & Supplies
2014-15	$1,165
2015-16	$1,204 3.35%
2016-17	$1,203 -0.08%
2017-18	$1,194 -0.75%
2018-19	$1,226 2.68%
2019-20	$1,236 0.82%
2020-21	$1,420 14.89%
2021-22	$1,455 2.46%
2022-23	$1,230 -15.46%
2023-24	$1,226 -0.33%

Living Costs Changes

For Arkansas colleges, the living have increased 18.19% when a student lives on campus facilities and 11.68% when living off campus from year 2015 to 2024. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.

Living Costs Changes for Arkansas colleges
Year	Living On Campus	Living Off Campus
2014-15	$10,884	$11,575
2015-16	$11,059 2.04%	$11,758 -2.96%
2016-17	$11,366 4.14%	$12,114 2.87%
2017-18	$11,615 2.33%	$12,281 0.82%
2018-19	$11,577 0.48%	$12,161 2.22%
2019-20	$12,018 3.13%	$12,482 4.69%
2020-21	$12,375 2.86%	$12,790 1.15%
2021-22	$12,679 1.96%	$13,065 1.98%
2022-23	$13,244 2.64%	$13,742 1.66%
2023-24	$14,107 6.81%	$14,735 5.78%

Most Searched Arkansas Colleges (last 30 days)

4-Year Colleges

University of Central Arkansas Public, four-years | Conway
Arkansas State University Public, four-years | Jonesboro
University of Arkansas Public, four-years | Fayetteville
National Park College Public, 2-4 years | Hot Springs
Harding University Private, four-years | Searcy
Arkansas Tech University Public, four-years | Russellville
Henderson State University Public, four-years | Arkadelphia
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Public, four-years | Little Rock
NorthWest Arkansas Community College Public, 2-4 years | Bentonville
Arkansas Northeastern College Public, 2-4 years | Blytheville

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Graduate

Harding University Private, four-years | Searcy
University of Arkansas Public, four-years | Fayetteville
Ecclesia College Private, four-years | Springdale
Henderson State University Public, four-years | Arkadelphia
University of Central Arkansas Public, four-years | Conway
John Brown University Private, four-years | Siloam Springs
Arkansas Tech University Public, four-years | Russellville
University of Arkansas Grantham Public, four-years | LIttle Rock
University of Arkansas at Monticello Public, four-years | Monticello
Philander Smith University Private, four-years | Little Rock

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Online Schools

South Arkansas College Public, 2-4 years | El Dorado
Southeast Arkansas College Public, 2-4 years | Pine Bluff
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Public, four-years | Fort Smith
University of Arkansas Public, four-years | Fayetteville
Ozarka College Public, 2-4 years | Melbourne
Williams Baptist University Private, four-years | Walnut Ridge
Arkansas Baptist College Private, four-years | Little Rock
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Public, 2-4 years | Helena
University of the Ozarks Private, four-years | Clarksville
University of Arkansas Grantham Public, four-years | LIttle Rock

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Trade Schools

Eastern College of Health Vocations-Little Rock Private, Less than 2-years | Little Rock
Academy of Salon and Spa Private, Less than 2-years | Fort Smith
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Public, 2-4 years | Helena
Career Academy of Hair Design Private, Less than 2-years | Springdale
Arkansas Beauty School-Little Rock Private, Less than 2-years | Little Rock
University of Arkansas System eVersity Public, four-years | Little Rock
Strayer University-Arkansas Private, four-years | Little Rock
University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain Public, 2-4 years | Mena
Academy of Professional Cosmetology Private, Less than 2-years | Rogers
Arkansas Welding Academy Private, Less than 2-years | Jacksonville

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Tuition Trends for Arkansas colleges Over Past 10 Years

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Tuition & Fees Changes

Books & Supplies Costs Changes

Living Costs Changes