The best colleges in Arkansas for 2027 are the University of Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist University, and Hendrix College. Choosing a college is a huge decision, and so many options can feel overwhelming. The best colleges in Arkansas offer strong academics, good facilities, and real opportunities for students.
If you are looking for the best colleges in Arkansas, this list ranks 25 schools, from a large flagship research university to small liberal arts colleges, historically Black institutions, and online options. Arkansas offers everything from Ozark mountain towns to Delta communities and city campuses in Little Rock. See the published University Magazine rankings methodology and our university rankings for context.
The Best Colleges in Arkansas 2027
1. University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is the state’s flagship public research university in Fayetteville. Founded in 1871 as Arkansas Industrial University, it held its first classes in 1872 and took its current name in 1899. It enrolled 34,174 students in fall 2025, holds the R1 research classification, and was established under the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act.
It offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs, and its business, engineering, and architecture courses are particularly well regarded. The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences anchors the liberal arts, and the Honours College offers honours coursework. The Razorbacks compete in the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas ranks first because of its size, research standing, and program rankings.
2. Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University is a private Christian university in Arkadelphia on a 160-acre campus. It opened as Ouachita Baptist College on September 6, 1886, and became a university in 1965. It enrolled 1,784 students in fall 2022 and is affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The Higher Learning Commission accredits it.
Specific programs hold accreditation from AACSB International for business, the National Association of Schools of Music, and accrediting bodies for teacher education, athletic training, and dietetics. The Tigers compete in the Great American Conference, and in 2010 Ouachita became the first Arkansas university to offer NCAA wrestling. Accredited programs and a close-knit campus are why Ouachita ranks second.
3. Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college in Conway, founded in 1876 as Central Institute in Altus and moved to Conway after trustees chose the city in 1890. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, but its curriculum is secular, and its student body is religiously diverse. About 1,120 students enrolled in fall 2023.
Hendrix offers 34 majors and 38 minors, and its Odyssey Program emphasizes experiential learning so students can apply classroom knowledge to real situations. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South, and the Warriors compete in NCAA Division III in the Southern Athletic Association. Experiential liberal arts study is why Hendrix ranks third.
4. University of Arkansas at Little Rock
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a public metropolitan research university. It began as Little Rock Junior College in 1927, became a private university in 1957, and joined the University of Arkansas System in 1969. It serves about 8,000 students, counting law school and concurrent high school students, and holds the R2 research classification.
Its colleges include Business, Health, and Human Services; Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education; and the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, plus the William H. Bowen School of Law. The Trojan Guarantee scholarship, announced in 2023, covers remaining tuition and mandatory fees for eligible first-time freshmen. City access and research are why UA Little Rock ranks fourth.
5. Southern Arkansas University
Southern Arkansas University is a public university in Magnolia on a rural, residential campus of 1,418 acres. The legislature established it in 1909 as the Third District Agricultural School, and it took its current name in 1976. It enrolled 5,127 students in fall 2023.
SAU offers 70 undergraduate options and 19 graduate programs, in person, online, or in hybrid format, through four colleges: Business, Education and Human Performance, Liberal and Performing Arts, and Science and Engineering. The Muleriders compete in NCAA Division II in the Great American Conference. The university had 297 academic staff in fall 2023. Flexible formats and a large campus are why SAU ranks fifth.
6. Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public research university in Jonesboro on 1,376 acres atop Crowley’s Ridge. Founded in 1909 as the First District Agricultural School, it became a university in 196, and it is the flagship of the Arkansas State University System. About 17,926 students enrolled in fall 2025, making it Arkansas’s second-largest university.
Colleges include Agriculture, Business, Engineering and Computer Science, and Nursing and Health Professions, and it holds the R2 research classification. The Red Wolves compete in NCAA Division I FBS in the Sun Belt Conference. Arkansas State ranks sixth because of its large-scale agriculture, nursing, and business programs.
7. Harding University
Harding University is a private Christian university in Searcy affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It was established in 1924 in Morrilton and moved to Searcy in 1934. About 4,879 students attend its 350-acre campus, and the Higher Learning Commission accredits it.
Harding has eight undergraduate colleges, a School of Theology, and a Graduate School of Business, with more than 110 majors and 40 graduate and professional degrees. It has campuses in North Little Rock and Rogers, plus permanent campuses in Florence, Italy, and Athens, Greece. The Bisons won the 2023 NCAA Division II football national championship. Program breadth and study abroad are why Harding ranks seventh.
8. University of Arkansas at Fort Smith
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is a public university on a 168-acre campus designated an arboretum. It began in 1928 as Fort Smith Junior College and became the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith on January 1, 2002, when it joined the University of Arkansas System as a four-year institution.
It offers 62 graduate, bachelor’s, and associate degree programs and 50 technical and proficiency certificates through three colleges: Arts and Sciences; Business and Industry; and Health, Education, and Human Sciences. The Lions compete in NCAA Division II in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Degrees and certificates in one place are why UAFS ranks eighth.
9. University of Central Arkansas
The University of Central Arkansas is a public university in Conway on a suburban 356-acre campus with more than 120 buildings. The legislature created it in 1907 as the Arkansas State Normal School, and it took its current name in 1975. It enrolled 9,962 students in fall 2025.
UCA offers programs through colleges of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Behavioural Sciences; and Science and Engineering. Its student-to-faculty ratio is about 17 to 1, and the Bears compete in NCAA Division I in the ASUN Conference. A broad program mix and a suburban campus are why UCA ranks ninth.
10. John Brown University
John Brown University is a private Christian university in Siloam Springs, founded in 1919. About 2,340 students enrolled in 2024-25, with a14-to-11 student-faculty ratio and an average class size of 20. The Higher Learning Commission accredits it.
JBU offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, including nursing, psychology, construction management, mechanical engineering, and computer science, as well as graduate options in business, counselling, education, and cybersecurity. All undergraduates complete a liberal arts core. The Golden Eagles won the 2005 NAIA Division I men’s basketball title. Its best-known landmark is the Cathedral of the Ozarks. Professional programs on a liberal arts base are why JBU ranks tenth.
11. University of the Ozarks
The University of the Ozarks is a private university in Clarksville affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Cumberland Presbyterians founded it in 1834 as Cane Hill School, and it is considered Arkansas’s oldest university. About 870 to 900 students attend, with a 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.
It offers more than 60 programs of study, and its Jones Learning Center, which serves students with learning disabilities, was the first program of its kind in the country. The university admitted women in 1875 and integrated in 1957. The Eagles compete in NCAA Division III. A small campus and long history are why the Ozarks rank eleventh.
12. Arkansas Tech University
Arkansas Tech University is a public university in Russellville on 516 acres. The legislature created it in 1909 as the Second District Agricultural School, and it took its current name in 1976. It enrolled 9,487 students in fall 2023 and also runs a two-year Ozark campus.
A 2022 restructuring organized academic programs into four colleges: Arts and Humanities; Business and Economic Development; Education and Health; and STEM. The Wonder Boys and Golden Suns compete in NCAA Division II in the Great American Conference. Russell Jones became president in July 2024. Technology, engineering, and business programs are why Arkansas Tech ranks twelfth.
13. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is Arkansas’s oldest and largest historically Black university. It opened in 1875 as Branch Normal College, holds land-grant status, and has been part of the University of Arkansas System since 1972. About 2,100 students enrolled in 2023.
UAPB has eight academic divisions and the only comprehensive aquaculture program in Arkansas, with an aquaculture and fisheries doctorate added in 2012. It also offers agricultural engineering and a pipeline with the UA Little Rock law school. The Golden Lions compete in NCAA Division I in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Aquaculture and land-grant strength are why UAPB ranks thirteenth.
14. University of Arkansas at Monticello
The University of Arkansas at Monticello is a public university that opened in 1910 as the Fourth District Agricultural School and joined the University of Arkansas System in 1971. About 2,856 students enrolled in fall 2024, and the Colleges of Technology in Crossett and McGehee joined in 2003.
It offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees across eight schools and colleges, including Arkansas’s only forestry school. The campus also houses the Turner Neal Museum of Natural History and the Pomeroy Planetarium. The Boll Weevils compete in NCAA Division II in the Great American Conference. Forestry and technical education are why UAM ranks fourteenth.
15. Philander Smith University
Philander Smith University is a private historically Black university in Little Rock affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1877 as Walden Seminary, it became a university on August 1, 2023, when it added its first master’s program. The Higher Learning Commission accredits it.
It is a founding member of the United Negro College Fund, has about 866 students, and received a $19 million gift from MacKenzie Scott in 2025, the largest in its history. Students took part in Civil Rights Movement sit-ins, and the Panthers compete in the NAIA. Civil rights history and a new graduate program are why Philander Smith ranks fifteenth.
16. Williams Baptist University
Williams Baptist University is a private university in Walnut Ridge, owned and operated by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. Founded in 1941 as a two-year school, Southern Baptist College, it began granting bachelor’s degrees in 1984 and master’s degrees in 2017.
It became Williams Baptist University in 2018, has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1963, and enrolled 584 students in fall 2022. The Eagles compete in the NAIA’s American Midwest Conference and offer 18 varsity sports. The university is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Williams Baptist ranks sixteenth because it offers accredited degrees through the master’s level and active athletics.
17. Lyon College
Lyon College is a private liberal arts college in Batesville, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Chartered in 1872 as Arkansas College, it was renamed Lyon College in 1994 and describes itself as the oldest independent college in Arkansas. Its campus covers 136 acres, and 781 students enrolled in fall 2025.
The Scottish Heritage program offers scholarships and hosts the Arkansas Scottish Festival each October. The college also runs the Nichols Program, a two-week study abroad program, started Army ROTC in 2019, and allows pets in campus housing. The Scots compete in NCAA Division III with 21 varsity sports. Tradition and small classes are why Lyon ranks seventeenth.
18. Henderson State University
Henderson State University is a public university in Arkadelphia, founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College and named Henderson State Teachers College in 1929. The board voted in October 2019 to join the Arkansas State University System, and Trey Berry has been chancellor since 2024.
Fall 2025 enrollment was 2,258 undergraduates and 577 postgraduates. The Reddies compete in NCAA Division II in the Great American Conference, and the Battle of the Ravine football rivalry with Ouachita Baptist began in 1895. Its Arkadelphia campus covers about 151 acres. Henderson ranks eighteenth because of its long history and affordable public option in the Arkadelphia area.
19. University of Arkansas Grantham
The University of Arkansas Grantham is a fully online public university headquartered in Little Rock. It began in 1951 as Grantham Radio License School in Los Angeles, and the University of Arkansas System bought it in 2021 and renamed it that November. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission has accredited it since 1961.
It offers associate and bachelor’s degrees through four colleges: Business; Humanities and Social Sciences; Science, Engineering, and Technology; and Health Professions. Its electronics engineering technology bachelor’s program received ABET accreditation in 2016, and credits can transfer to other University of Arkansas System schools. Online access and System backing are why Grantham ranks nineteenth.
20. Central Baptist College
Central Baptist College is a private Baptist college in Conway, affiliated with the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas. It was founded in 1952 as Conway Baptist College on the former Central College campus and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
About 470 traditional students attend, along with more than 200 students in its PACE program for non-traditional learners. It offers associate and bachelor’s degrees; first-year students must live on campus, and full-time students attend chapel weekly. The Mustangs compete in the NAIA’s American Midwest Conference in 16 varsity sports. The college is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. A faith-centred Baptist college, it ranks twentieth because of its faith-centred community
20. Crowley’s Ridge College
Crowley’s Ridge College is a private Christian college in Paragould, affiliated with the Churches of Christ and open to students of all backgrounds. It was established in 1964 on a more than 166-acre campus atop Crowley’s Ridge, with a lake at its center. The Higher Learning Commission accredited it in 2000.
The college offers three associate programs and eleven baccalaureate programs, and in 2008 it gained accreditation for its first bachelor’s degrees in business administration and biblical studies. About 299 students enrolled in fall 2024. The Pioneers joined the NAIA American Midwest Conference in 2024-25. A small campus and growing four-year offerings are why Crowley’s Ridge ranks twenty-first.
22. Arkansas Baptist College
Arkansas Baptist College is a private, Baptist-affiliated historically Black college in Little Rock. Founded in 1884 as the Minister’s Institute, it is described as the only historically Black Baptist school west of the Mississippi River. The Higher Learning Commission first accredited it in 1987.
Its Old Main, built in 1893, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered the oldest building in Arkansas built to educate Black students. About 373 students enrolled in fall 2023, and the Buffaloes compete in the NAIA with ten varsity sports. Historic significance is why Arkansas Baptist College ranks twenty-second.
23. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is the state’s academic health sciences university in Little Rock. Eight local physicians founded its medical school in 1879, and the campus now covers more than 84 acres. It has six academic units: Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Health Professions, Public Health, and the Graduate School.
UAMS Medical Center is the state’s only adult Level 1 trauma center, and UAMS runs eight regional centers across Arkansas. It is the state’s largest research institution, with more than $100 million in annual research funding, and the largest public employer in Arkansas. Clinical training and research are why UAMS ranks twenty-third.
24. Champion Christian College
Champion Christian College is a private Christian college in Hot Springs. Founded in 2005 as Champion Baptist College, it began as a Bible college and later renamed itself while pursuing accreditation. The Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools granted it candidacy in 2017 and full accreditation in 2019.
About 150 students attend, and the college offers an Associate of Arts in Professional Studies, a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Church Ministries. The Tigers compete in the NCCAA, and the women’s basketball team won the 2021 NCCAA Division II national championship. Champion ranks twenty-fourth because of affordable Christian degrees.
25. Ecclesia College
Ecclesia College is a private evangelical Christian work college in Springdale. Oren Paris II and his family founded it in 1975, and the name comes from the Greek word for the called-out ones. The Association for Biblical Higher Education has accredited it since 2005.
It offers degrees on campus and online, is approved by the Arkansas Course Transfer System so students can transfer eligible credits to other Arkansas colleges, and joined the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in 2009. It is classified as a work college and reported 178 full-time-equivalent students in fall 2013. A work college model and flexible delivery are why Ecclesia rounds out the list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best colleges in Arkansas in 2027?
The University of Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist University, Hendrix College, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and Southern Arkansas University lead this University Magazine list for 2027.
Which is the largest university in Arkansas?
The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is the largest, with 34,174 students in fall 2025. Arkansas State University is the second largest, with about 17,926 students.
Which is the oldest university in Arkansas?
The University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, founded in 1834 as Cane Hill School, is considered Arkansas’s oldest university.
Which Arkansas colleges are historically Black?
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Philander Smith University, and Arkansas Baptist College are historically Black institutions in Arkansas.
Which Arkansas colleges offer online degrees?
The University of Arkansas Grantham is fully online; Southern Arkansas University offers in-person, online, and hybrid programs; and Ecclesia College offers on-campus and online degrees.
Top 25 Best Colleges in Arkansas 2027: Ranked List
- University of Arkansas
- Ouachita Baptist University
- Hendrix College
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock
- Southern Arkansas University
- Arkansas State University
- Harding University
- University of Arkansas at Fort Smith
- University of Central Arkansas
- John Brown University
- University of the Ozarks
- Arkansas Tech University
- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
- University of Arkansas at Monticello
- Philander Smith University
- Williams Baptist University
- Lyon College
- Henderson State University
- University of Arkansas Grantham
- Central Baptist College
- Crowley’s Ridge College
- Arkansas Baptist College
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
- Champion Christian College
- Ecclesia College
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