University of Arkansas at Little Rock Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

Let’s take it step by step.

What type of university it is

University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a public university of four or more years, located in the city of Little Rock, in Pulaski County, in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metropolitan area. IPEDS—the federal system that reports these data—classifies it among doctoral institutions with high research activity and reports that the doctorate is the highest level it offers. That is an institutional fact, not a guarantee that there is a doctorate in the exact field your child is interested in. If their plan includes undergraduate study and then graduate study in the same area, ask directly whether that path exists.

An important fact for families considering living nearby: the Carnegie classification describes it as primarily nonresidential. That means that, according to data from 2019-20, fewer than one in four degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institutionally controlled housing, or fewer than half attended full time—the data do not say which of the two conditions was met, and it also does not mean there are no dormitories. If your child plans to live at home and commute, what matters is the drive, gas, and actual travel time, not what the map says. Drive the route on a weekday, at the time of their classes, before deciding.

Another fact worth noting: because of its Carnegie profile, this is a school that receives many transfer students. If your child plans to enroll here after studying somewhere else, ask in writing, before enrolling, which courses will count and which will not. The label does not say how many credits people arrive with or how many are lost along the way.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock does not have any of these three federal designations: it is not a historically Black college or university (HBCU), it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. That says nothing about which communities it serves today or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers and student organizations currently exist.

The size of the community and who makes it up

In the most recent official fall count, University of Arkansas at Little Rock had 8,158 enrolled students. It is neither a small nor a huge school: it falls in the 5,000 to 9,999 range, and its size is among the most common among similar schools. But that number combines two worlds: 5,789 undergraduate students and 2,369 graduate students. If your child is starting college, the number that matters to them is 5,789, not the total.

Here is a fact every Latino family should know before reading further: among undergraduates, 3 out of every 100 students reported being Hispanic or Latino. It is among the lowest proportions among the 519 similar public four-year schools included in this census—nine out of ten in that group report a higher proportion. This does not take the school out of the conversation, nor does it put it in. It is simply a fact about who is enrolled today. If your child will be among the few, it is worth asking during the visit which student group, cultural center, or person in the office speaks their language and understands their experience, and speaking with a Latino student who is already there before deciding.

Other features of this community: 33 out of every 100 undergraduate students are between 25 and 64 years old—that is, one-third are not “just out of high school.” There are more women than men: 62 out of every 100. And 91 out of every 100 new students reported an Arkansas address when applying. This is, above all, a school for the state that hosts it.

How it works academically

The year is organized in semesters: two long terms, about 15 weeks each. The school reported that it accepts credit from AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—independent study, work, portfolios, licenses, and military training. Reporting that does not mean your child will automatically receive it. Request the evaluation of course equivalencies in writing before enrolling, and do not count those savings in your budget until you have it in hand.

It also enrolls high school students in courses carrying college credit, both within and outside formal dual-enrollment programs.

As for majors: between July 2022 and June 2023, it awarded 1,014 bachelor’s degrees, distributed across 22 program families. No single one accounts for most of the total—the largest, health professions, represented only 18 out of every 100 degrees that year. It is a broad and distributed offering, not a school known for just one thing. Verify the exact program your child is interested in; a program family groups together several different degrees.

The official student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 11 to 1, low compared with similar schools—it is in the lowest quarter among 519 peers. That is an aggregate ratio, not the actual size of a classroom. It does not tell you how many students are in your child’s first-year class.

The institution also reports structured pathways: study abroad, a complete program that can be completed only in the evening or on weekends, developmental education with and without credit, and teacher-certification pathways, including state approval for initial certification.

Getting in: what it requires, what it does not require, and who actually gets in

University of Arkansas at Little Rock does not have open admission. Review specific pieces before saying yes. Of the considerations it evaluates, it marked three as required: the high school transcript, high school grade-point average, and the English-proficiency exam for applicants who need it. The list of what it does not consider is longer: class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio, work experience, and whether a family member attended there. IPEDS does not report the exact weight of each element, so this does not prove that the transcript is the only thing that matters—but it is the clear requirement.

If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether they must take the English-proficiency exam and what exempts them. These are the kinds of things discovered late that complicate schedules.

The application fee is $40.

Now for the numbers showing how selective it is in practice. In the most recent cycle, 3,661 first-time students applied for admission, and 2,114 received an offer of admission—58 out of every 100. It is not an automatic process, but it is not a lottery either. Compared with similar schools, it is on the more selective side: seven out of ten peers admit a greater percentage of applicants.

But here is the part almost no family knows, and it changes the whole reading: out of every 100 admitted students, only 23 ultimately enrolled. The other 77 had a place here and did not take it. That is not a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person chose what they chose. But it does mean something for you: what others decided does not predict what they will offer your child. Wait for their letter with the actual net price before drawing conclusions.

The SAT or ACT is required to complete the application. But pay attention to this fact: only 6 out of every 100 enrolled students submitted an SAT score, and the reported percentiles come from only 28 students—a small sample. The middle half scored between 450 and 570 in reading/writing, and between 440 and 600 in mathematics. With such a small sample, do not treat those numbers as a cutoff or a guarantee for your child. Verify the institution’s current policy directly.

About transfers: of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 27 out of every 100 transferred to another school without finishing here—a considerable proportion. At the same time, in the most recent count, 853 students arrived at this school for the first time from another institution—a high number of arrivals. Keep this fact in mind for later: a student who transfers does not count as a graduate here, even if they finish their degree somewhere else. That matters when you read the graduation rates below.

The published price and what each family actually pays

At University of Arkansas at Little Rock, among 154 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or district rate, and whose records reported EFC family income of less than $30,000, the average net price was $14,143. Among 59 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $18,216; among 26 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $21,013. For dependent students, the range adds their parents’ income and their own.

The difference between the average for the lowest-income range (154 students) and the highest-income range (26 students) is $6,870. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $11,225.

Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this fact with the same time coverage, this one falls in the most expensive quarter for lower-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled out. It means you need to request the aid letter before deciding.

The income ranges in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or district rate. The overall average with grants, when it appears, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.

Aid that does arrive, and loans to watch carefully

88 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some grant or aid that does not have to be repaid—a high proportion compared with peers. Among those who received it, the average for the year was $7,590.

The federal Pell Grant, aimed at lower-income families, went to 50 out of every 100 students—half or more. Applying for this aid here is not unusual or limited to a few people.

On the loan side: 38 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the most recently reported year, with an average of $7,586 among those who borrowed. This figure describes other families, not yours—what your child would have to borrow depends on their own aid letter. And that average is for one year only, only for federal loans in the student’s name; it does not include parent PLUS loans or debt accumulated throughout college.

The institution also reports a tuition installment-payment plan and participation in a Promise program as additional ways to manage cost.

Campus life, format, and support

There is institutionally controlled housing, with capacity for 1,395 students, and no student is required to live there. There are also meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by plan. Request in writing the year’s rate, the deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a place or put on a waiting list.

Regarding ROTC: the institution did not mark any opportunity in its most recent report, while 926 out of 1,786 four-year schools in this guide did. That does not prove there is no nearby option—only that none was reported in this field. If it matters to your family, ask admissions directly.

It does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to play, write directly to the coach for that sport and ask about a place on the team, division, and whether athletic aid is available.

Regarding distance education: 36 out of every 100 undergraduate students take all their classes remotely, a high proportion compared with similar schools. But this is a fact about the entire school—it does not say whether your child’s specific major is offered online. One major may be almost entirely online while the one next to it is almost entirely in person.

The library operates with employed staff, has physical and digital materials, and offers interlibrary loan. The institution also reports combined academic and career advising services, student employment, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military personnel, and a services webpage for people with disabilities.

How many stay, how many graduate

Here comes the hardest part to read, and I will say it plainly because your child deserves it clearly.

Retention: of the cohort that entered full time in 2022 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 71 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already completed a degree one year later. It is a proportion below that of most similar schools—seven out of ten peers retain a greater proportion.

Graduation: of the 705 students who entered in 2017 full time and with no prior college attendance, six years later 278 had graduated here. That is 39 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 25 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, it falls in the bottom quarter.

But before that number worries you, look at the full breakdown of those same 705 students, because it tells a different story from “most failed”:

Remember what we saw earlier: someone who transfers does not appear as a graduate of this school, even if they finish their degree somewhere else. Those 189 are not necessarily failures—they are stories the data cannot follow. And “no longer enrolled” does not say why; it may include someone who finished after the official time frame.

This number, moreover, is for the whole school. IPEDS does not report graduation by major. If your child is pursuing a specific program, you need to request that fact directly from the department—and it is wise for their list of universities to have more than one option.

At eight years, with a different and broader cohort (2,648 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, including part-time students), 46 out of every 100 had a degree or certificate from this school. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure falls to 42 out of every 100—eight points below those who did not receive it. If your family would qualify for Pell, it is worth asking the school what specifically exists for that group: an assigned counselor, emergency aid, and whether institutional aid renews every year. Ask them to answer in writing.

What you already know, and what is still yours to decide

Nothing here tells you whether your child should go. That depends on three things only you know: what they want to study and whether they can picture themselves living away from home; what they have built so far in high school; and what your family can pay once the real financial-aid letter arrives, with numbers that are yours rather than other people’s averages.

If you live in Arkansas, the price gap does not apply to you. If you live outside the state, it does—and it is worth asking early what is required to qualify as a resident. If your child plans to live at home, drive the route before assuming anything. If they are interested in transferring here or from here, request the equivalencies in writing before enrolling.

When this school’s letter arrives, you will have something to compare: not only whether they said yes, but how much it will cost you and how close that number is to the one you already read here. With that in hand, you decide.

Source note: The information in this article comes from data reported by University of Arkansas at Little Rock to IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) of the United States Department of Education, corresponding mainly to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, and to the 2021 and 2019-20 Carnegie classification. Best College Aid does not represent University of Arkansas at Little Rock or any United States government agency.