Academic Influence Logo
Influential SchoolsInfluential PeopleTools & ResourcesRankingsInterviewsInflectionAbout

Arkansas’s Best Research Universities of 2021

Interested in attending a STEM school in Arkansas? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

Arkansas’s Best Research Universities of 2021

Colleges and Universities in Arkansas

Colleges and universities in Arkansas are uniquely affordable, with just under half providing tuition rates of $9,000 or less. Included in this list are the state’s two largest universities, the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University. Though students can find some overlapping degree programs at the two schools, each has its specialties. For example, students hoping to pursue degrees in architecture, agriculture, or business may want to consider the University of Arkansas, while those interested in biology, nursing, or political science may want to attend Arkansas State University.

Additionally, about one third of the schools in Arkansas have a religious affiliation. Student populations at these schools range from just under 200 students up to 5,000, and allow students to pursue degrees merging religious studies with fields like chemistry and history. While tuition at each of the state’s 12 private schools varies greatly, costing anywhere between $9,000 and $46,000, many of these colleges boast high graduation rates and small class sizes.

While Arkansas is perhaps best-known and loved for countless lakes, Hot Springs National Park, and the United States’ only active diamond mine. The Natural State houses many higher education institutes where students can earn associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a full range of disciplines.

With so many affordable schools and competitive degree programs, students attending school in Arkansas have the luxury of combining their individual budget needs with their desired degree paths. For more information on attending school in Arkansas, check out some of the state’s top schools.

Moresee more

What are Arkansas’s Colleges & Universities?

Arkansas’s Best Overall


Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges


Arkansas's Best Colleges and Universities 2021 badge
Download Badge

How do we determine Arkansas's best colleges and universities?

The best colleges pound for pound!

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call Concentrated Influence. Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.

Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Find out more about our ranking methodology here.

Moresee more

Arkansas’s Best Research Universities for Undergraduates

What is a research universitity? A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Research universities invest heavily in research, which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. We’ve identified 5 research universities in Arkansas that satisfy the following three conditions:

  1. It must be a fully accredited university.
  2. It must offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).
  3. It must report high levels of research activity based upon the number of research and/or practice doctorates awarded each year.

5 Best Research Universities in Arkansas

  1. University of Arkansas
    #1

    University of Arkansas

    #458 institution's overall influence
    #1356 overall school desirability

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    77%

    Graduation

    64%

    Student body

    24K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1195/26

    Fayetteville, AR

    View profile

    What is University of Arkansas known for?

    University of Arkansas's faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    • Economics
    • Philosophy
    • Law
    • History
    • Engineering
    • Business
    • Social Work
    • Chemistry
    • Political Science
    • Criminal Justice

    Most Influential Alumni

  2. Arkansas State University
    #2

    Arkansas State University

    #1449 institution's overall influence
    #1472 overall school desirability

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    77%

    Graduation

    44%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1113/24

    Jonesboro, AR

    View profile

    What is Arkansas State University known for?

    Arkansas State University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    • Biology
    • Political Science
    • Nursing
    • Medical
    • Education
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Engineering
    • Business
    • Chemistry

    Most Influential Alumni

  3. Harding University
    #3

    Harding University

    #2523 institution's overall influence
    #177 overall school desirability

    Tuition + fees

    $20K

    Acceptance

    75%

    Graduation

    65%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1180/25

    Searcy, AR

    View profile

    What is Harding University known for?

    Harding University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    • Social Work
    • Business
    • Religious Studies
    • History
    • Nursing
    • Mathematics
    • Communications
    • Education
    • Political Science
    • Biology

    Most Influential Alumni

  4. University of Arkansas at Little Rock
    #4

    University of Arkansas at Little Rock

    #1613 institution's overall influence
    #1043 overall school desirability

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    79%

    Graduation

    28%

    Student body

    8K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1070/21

    Little Rock, AR

    View profile

    What is University of Arkansas at Little Rock known for?

    University of Arkansas at Little Rock's faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    • Law
    • Anthropology
    • Computer Science
    • Political Science
    • Medical
    • Chemistry
    • Engineering
    • Business
    • Communications
    • Biology

    Most Influential Alumni

  5. University of Central Arkansas
    #5

    University of Central Arkansas

    #2557 institution's overall influence
    #1029 overall school desirability

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    91%

    Graduation

    42%

    Student body

    10K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1070/24

    Conway, AR

    View profile

    What is University of Central Arkansas known for?

    University of Central Arkansas's faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    • Chemistry
    • Economics
    • Computer Science
    • Philosophy
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Medical
    • Education
    • Communications

    Most Influential Alumni

Find the Best Research Universities in Arkansas for your Major

Anthropology

Biology

Business

Chemistry

Communications

Computer Science

Criminal Justice

Earth Sciences

Economics

Education

Engineering

History

Law

Literature

Mathematics

Medical

Nursing

Philosophy

Physics

Political Science

Psychology

Religious Studies

Social Work

Sociology

Resources for College-Bound Students

Photo By RebelAt at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0

What are Custom College Rankings?

Personalize your college ranking list based on the factors that matter most to you — affordability, test scores, preferred locations, student body size, and of course, the subject you want to study

College Strategist

Applying to college? Find your:

  • Reach schools
  • Target schools
  • Safety schools

Crimson Education - Acceptance Rate Facts - USC
AD
Win a $2000 scholarship
AD
Campus Book Rentals | Save up to 75% off + free shipping on all orders!
AD
Brain Sensei - ace your PMP and CAPM exams
AD
Olive Book SAT Bundle Offer
AD