State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in Arkansas

Name: Arkansas College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

Arkansas's median net price sits 18% below the national Scorecard median; Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas leads the 69-school list at $4,385.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$4,385
Cheapest net price: $14,060
Arkansas median: 69
Schools ranked

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas has the lowest average net price in Arkansas among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas posts the lowest average net price in Arkansas at $4,385 among 69 ranked schools, with the state median 18% below the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price: $4,385
Arkansas median: $14,060
Schools ranked: 69
National median: $17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas has the lowest average net price in Arkansas at $4,385/year, and the state's median net price is 18% below the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$4,385
cheapest ranked net price: $14,060
Arkansas median net price: 33 public / 36 private
schools in this ranking: $12,761
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $12,761 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Hendrix College, where in-state published tuition of $38,200 falls to an average net price of $24,149 after aid, a $14,051 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked Arkansas schools.

Private campuses outnumber public ones here (36 vs 33). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $11,625. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 69 Scorecard-reporting Arkansas schools:

The bar to make Arkansas's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 69 Scorecard-reporting schools

$11,625 Among the most affordable more affordable than 64% of 69 Arkansas colleges

Show national distribution

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more Arkansas colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

Arkansas's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas De Queen, AR · Public

Avg net price: $4,385
Net price (<$30K income): $3,452
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $30,249
Enrollment: 1,312

Ozarka College Melbourne, AR · Public

Avg net price: $4,543
Net price (<$30K income): $3,718
Median debt: $9,818
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,145
Enrollment: 1,069

University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain Mena, AR · Public

Avg net price: $4,842
Net price (<$30K income): $4,248
Median debt: $6,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $22,765
Enrollment: 786

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Helena, AR · Public

Avg net price: $4,848
Net price (<$30K income): $4,683
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $27,083
Enrollment: 1,199

Black River Technical College Pocahontas, AR · Public

Avg net price: $5,095
Net price (<$30K income): $3,433
Median debt: $9,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,263
Enrollment: 1,705

Arkansas Northeastern College Blytheville, AR · Public

Avg net price: $5,375
Net price (<$30K income): $5,232
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $30,674
Enrollment: 1,461

Arkansas State University Mid-South West Memphis, AR · Public

Avg net price: $5,427
Net price (<$30K income): $4,411
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $27,557
Enrollment: 1,022

Velvatex College of Beauty Culture Little Rock, AR · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $6,909
Net price (<$30K income): $6,909
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $14,400
Enrollment: 8

NorthWest Arkansas Community College Bentonville, AR · Public

Avg net price: $7,196
Net price (<$30K income): $5,722
Median debt: $9,506
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,242
Enrollment: 8,412

East Arkansas Community College Forrest City, AR · Public

Avg net price: $7,220
Net price (<$30K income): $6,888
Median debt: $6,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $26,801
Enrollment: 1,401

South Arkansas College El Dorado, AR · Public

Avg net price: $7,486
Net price (<$30K income): $6,690
Median debt: $11,153
Median earnings, 6yr: $30,240
Enrollment: 1,207

University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville Batesville, AR · Public

Avg net price: $8,044
Net price (<$30K income): $7,668
Median debt: $10,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $32,636
Enrollment: 1,192

Arkansas State University Three Rivers Malvern, AR · Public

Avg net price: $8,070
Net price (<$30K income): $8,070
Median debt: $10,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $33,365
Enrollment: 1,983

Arkansas State University-Newport Newport, AR · Public

Avg net price: $8,444
Net price (<$30K income): $7,403
Median debt: $8,002
Median earnings, 6yr: $34,583
Enrollment: 1,868

University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton Morrilton, AR · Public

Avg net price: $8,725
Net price (<$30K income): $7,073
Median debt: $10,315
Median earnings, 6yr: $32,571
Enrollment: 2,248

Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Mountain Home, AR · Public

Avg net price: $8,847
Net price (<$30K income): $7,734
Median debt: $10,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $34,640
Enrollment: 1,315

Arkansas Beauty College Russellville, AR · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $8,985
Net price (<$30K income): $8,508
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $20,636
Enrollment: 61

Southern Arkansas University Tech Camden, AR · Public

Avg net price: $9,018
Net price (<$30K income): $8,848
Median debt: $6,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,841
Enrollment: 991

University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Hope, AR · Public

Avg net price: $9,270
Net price (<$30K income): $8,725
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $30,007
Enrollment: 1,305

University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology El Dorado, AR · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $9,634
Net price (<$30K income): $8,910
Median debt: $9,833
Median earnings, 6yr: $17,198
Enrollment: 42

North Arkansas College Harrison, AR · Public

Avg net price: $10,180
Net price (<$30K income): $10,059
Median debt: $9,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,671
Enrollment: 2,089

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith, AR · Public

Avg net price: $10,574
Net price (<$30K income): $8,890
Median debt: $18,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,925
Enrollment: 5,496

Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock, AR · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $10,627
Net price (<$30K income): $7,715
Median debt: $25,375
Median earnings, 6yr: $22,652
Enrollment: 342

Northern Technical College Pine Bluff, AR · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $10,733
Net price (<$30K income): $10,733
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 8

The Salon Professional Academy Sherwood, AR · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $11,625
Net price (<$30K income): $11,625
Median debt: $6,333
Median earnings, 6yr: $22,662
Enrollment: 106

#	College	Avg net price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas De Queen, AR · Public	$4,385	$3,452	-	$30,249	1,312
2	Ozarka College Melbourne, AR · Public	$4,543	$3,718	$9,818	$28,145	1,069
3	University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain Mena, AR · Public	$4,842	$4,248	$6,500	$22,765	786
4	Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Helena, AR · Public	$4,848	$4,683	-	$27,083	1,199
5	Black River Technical College Pocahontas, AR · Public	$5,095	$3,433	$9,500	$31,263	1,705
6	Arkansas Northeastern College Blytheville, AR · Public	$5,375	$5,232	-	$30,674	1,461
7	Arkansas State University Mid-South West Memphis, AR · Public	$5,427	$4,411	-	$27,557	1,022
8	Velvatex College of Beauty Culture Little Rock, AR · Private for-profit	$6,909	$6,909	-	$14,400	8
9	NorthWest Arkansas Community College Bentonville, AR · Public	$7,196	$5,722	$9,506	$35,242	8,412
10	East Arkansas Community College Forrest City, AR · Public	$7,220	$6,888	$6,000	$26,801	1,401
11	South Arkansas College El Dorado, AR · Public	$7,486	$6,690	$11,153	$30,240	1,207
12	University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville Batesville, AR · Public	$8,044	$7,668	$10,250	$32,636	1,192
13	Arkansas State University Three Rivers Malvern, AR · Public	$8,070	$8,070	$10,250	$33,365	1,983
14	Arkansas State University-Newport Newport, AR · Public	$8,444	$7,403	$8,002	$34,583	1,868
15	University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton Morrilton, AR · Public	$8,725	$7,073	$10,315	$32,571	2,248
16	Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Mountain Home, AR · Public	$8,847	$7,734	$10,500	$34,640	1,315
17	Arkansas Beauty College Russellville, AR · Private for-profit	$8,985	$8,508	-	$20,636	61
18	Southern Arkansas University Tech Camden, AR · Public	$9,018	$8,848	$6,000	$31,841	991
19	University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Hope, AR · Public	$9,270	$8,725	-	$30,007	1,305
20	University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology El Dorado, AR · Private for-profit	$9,634	$8,910	$9,833	$17,198	42
21	North Arkansas College Harrison, AR · Public	$10,180	$10,059	$9,000	$31,671	2,089
22	University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith, AR · Public	$10,574	$8,890	$18,250	$35,925	5,496
23	Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock, AR · Private nonprofit	$10,627	$7,715	$25,375	$22,652	342
24	Northern Technical College Pine Bluff, AR · Private for-profit	$10,733	$10,733	-	-	8
25	The Salon Professional Academy Sherwood, AR · Private for-profit	$11,625	$11,625	$6,333	$22,662	106

Showing the 25 cheapest of 69 Scorecard-reporting Arkansas schools. The remaining 44 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

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What this means for you

Use Arkansas's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas reports the lowest average net price in Arkansas, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Cossatot Community College
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. Arkansas safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for Arkansas. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

Arkansas's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

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