More selective than 41% of Arkansas colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,951. College Scorecard.
Higher than 65% of Arkansas colleges we cover and 40% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 39% of Arkansas colleges we cover and 18% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,936 applicants, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus admitted 1,955 and 797 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 875–1105 on the SAT or 17–24 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Arkansas residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Southern Arkansas University Main Campus costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Arkansas. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,187 | $56,704 | 5.7 years |
| $30–48k | $12,827 | $55,156 | 5.5 years |
| $48–75k | $13,790 | $59,297 | 5.9 years |
| $75–110k | $15,654 | $67,312 | 6.7 years |
| $110k+ | $19,244 | $82,749 | 8.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (30% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($42,386) minus $32,399 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $9,987 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus majors, earnings & careers
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus offers 35 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Business & Finance · 4
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Education · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Engineering · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | $89,685 | $23,625 |
| Nursing | $70,185 | $24,750 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $60,952 | — |
| Agricultural Business | $55,787 | $13,875 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $48,923 | $12,000 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | $48,773 | — |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $48,662 | $20,169 |
| Business | $47,979 | $22,500 |
Quick list of all 35 majors
- Accounting$46,771
- Agricultural Business$55,787
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Biology$44,873
- Business$47,979
- Business Administration—
- Chemistry—
- Community Organization and Advocacy$48,773
- Computer and Information Sciences$60,952
- Criminal Justice$44,523
- Criminology—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$40,843
- Education (Subject Teaching)$48,923
- Engineering—
- English—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$33,649
- History—
- History and Political Science—
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$48,662
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$38,931
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing$70,185
- Physics$89,685
- Political Science—
- Psychology$42,925
- Public Health—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art$28,938
- Theatre—
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Magnolia
2 bedrooms $947.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 56 inches of rain a year, 2 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Columbia County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Columbia County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Southern Arkansas University Main Campus with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Arkansas by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | 75% | $14,027 | 49% | $42,386 | This school |
| University of Arkansas at Monticello | — | $14,287 | 49% | $36,902 | |
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | 80% | $10,574 | 38% | $41,102 | |
| Henderson State University | 82% | $23,405 | 37% | $43,459 | |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | — | — | — | $73,827 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus would cost you $260 less per year than University of Arkansas at Monticello, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$1,609).
- Southern Arkansas University Main Campus gives aided families $2,692 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Arkansas resident | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | UAM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $9,960 | $9,292 | +$668 |
| Books & supplies | $1,600 | $1,400 | +$200 |
| Housing & meals | $7,601 | $7,820 | −$219 |
| Personal & travel | $6,619 | $5,010 | +$1,609 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$829 | −$1,003 | +$174 |
| Sticker price | $24,951 | $22,519 | +$2,432 |
| Average grants | −$10,924 | −$8,232 | −$2,692 |
| You pay | $14,027 | $14,287 | −$260 |
“+” means Southern Arkansas University Main Campus costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
What is the Southern Arkansas University Main Campus acceptance rate?
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus accepts 75% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,955 of 2,936 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 875–1105 on the SAT or 17–24 on the ACT.
How much does Southern Arkansas University Main Campus cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $24,951 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,027 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $13,187 and families earning $110k+ pay $19,244.
How much do Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduates earn?
Former Southern Arkansas University Main Campus students earn a median $42,386 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduation rate?
49% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 66% return for their second year.
How long does a Southern Arkansas University Main Campus degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus costs about $59,297 after grants ($13,790 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $42,386 ten years after starting, $9,987 more than high school graduates in Arkansas ($32,399), so the cost is repaid in 5.9 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Southern Arkansas University Main Campus: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-arkansas-university-main-campus (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).