More selective than 29% 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 $19,048. College Scorecard.
Higher than 30% of Arkansas colleges we cover and 22% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 30% of Arkansas colleges we cover and 15% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith acceptance rate & admissions
Of 2,677 applicants, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith admitted 2,181 and 886 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith took 5.2 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 | $8,890 | $46,495 | 5.3 years |
| $30–48k | $9,391 | $49,115 | 5.6 years |
| $48–75k | $11,392 | $59,580 | 6.8 years |
| $75–110k | $13,804 | $72,195 | 8.3 years |
| $110k+ | $14,297 | $74,773 | 8.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 5.2 years, the average time graduates took (3% 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 ($41,102) minus $32,399 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $8,703 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.
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith majors, earnings & careers
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith offers 29 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Science & Math · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Education · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
- Engineering · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $82,688 | $21,823 |
| Nursing | $73,708 | $24,250 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $72,074 | — |
| Chemistry | $66,817 | — |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $65,470 | $24,625 |
| Business Administration | $50,020 | $19,148 |
| Biology | $48,712 | $17,081 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $45,378 | $16,500 |
Quick list of all 29 majors
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$72,074
- Biology$48,712
- Business Administration$50,020
- Chemistry$66,817
- Communications$35,760
- Computer and Information Sciences$82,688
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice$43,509
- Dental Support Services and Allied Professions$65,470
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$44,197
- Education (Subject Teaching)$45,378
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- English—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Graphic Communications—
- History$45,097
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$37,641
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Nursing$73,708
- Political Science—
- Psychology$40,519
- Social Work$45,275
- Software and Media Applications—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
- Writing—
— 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 Administration → 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 Fort Smith
Overall prices in the Fort Smith, AR-OK area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $979. Housing costs 47% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 47 inches of rain a year, 3 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Sebastian County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Sebastian County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | 80% | $10,574 | 38% | $41,102 | This school |
| Henderson State University | 82% | $23,405 | 37% | $43,459 | |
| Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | 75% | $14,027 | 49% | $42,386 | |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 59% | $17,248 | 42% | $45,265 | |
| Arkansas Tech University | 96% | $12,970 | 49% | $41,766 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith would cost you $12,831 less per year than Henderson State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, mostly from more University of Arkansas-Fort Smith students living at home, which lowers its average (−$2,702).
- University of Arkansas-Fort Smith gives aided families $4,494 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Arkansas resident | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Henderson State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $7,334 | $8,244 | −$910 |
| Books & supplies | $1,368 | $2,676 | −$1,308 |
| Housing & meals | $9,799 | $10,680 | −$881 |
| Personal & travel | $5,064 | $7,600 | −$2,536 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,517 | −$1,815 | −$2,702 |
| Sticker price | $19,048 | $27,385 | −$8,337 |
| Average grants | −$8,474 | −$3,980 | −$4,494 |
| You pay | $10,574 | $23,405 | −$12,831 |
“+” means University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
What is the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith acceptance rate?
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith accepts 80% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,181 of 2,677 applicants were admitted.
How much does University of Arkansas-Fort Smith cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $19,048 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $10,574 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $8,890 and families earning $110k+ pay $14,297.
How much do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith graduates earn?
Former University of Arkansas-Fort Smith students earn a median $41,102 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith graduation rate?
38% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 70% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Arkansas-Fort Smith degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith costs about $59,580 after grants ($11,392 a year for 5.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $41,102 ten years after starting, $8,703 more than high school graduates in Arkansas ($32,399), so the cost is repaid in 6.8 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: “University of Arkansas-Fort Smith: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-arkansas-fort-smith (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).