There are 89 colleges in Arkansas - 36 public and 53 private schools. At Arkansas colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
Arkansas Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Arkansas colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 21.62%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 21.61%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $32,510 when living on campus and $33,497 when living off campus.
Arkansas Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
23.90% (from $7,339 to $9,093) |
$9,093 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
11.99% (from $14,468 to $16,203) |
$16,203 |
| Private Colleges |
12.83% (from $18,823 to $21,238) |
$21,238 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 11.99%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 15.51% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Arkansas colleges, living costs increased by 36.00% for on-campus and 35.00% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $15,040 (on-campus) and $16,027 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (5.23%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,267.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 21.62% when living on campus and 21.61% when living off campus at Arkansas Colleges.
In private Arkansas Colleges, the COA has increase by 20.78% (on-campus) and 20.79% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $32,510 when a student lives on campus and $33,497 when living off campus at Arkansas Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Arkansas Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Arkansas Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$19,602 | $26,731 | $31,086 | $20,415 | $27,544 | $31,899 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$20,202
3.06% | $27,583
3.19% | $32,444
4.37% | $20,972
2.73% | $28,353
2.94% | $33,214
4.12% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$20,712
2.52% | $27,818
0.85% | $33,148
2.17% | $21,282
1.48% | $28,388
0.12% | $33,718
1.52% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$20,924
1.02% | $28,164
1.24% | $32,567
-1.75% | $21,549
1.25% | $28,789
1.41% | $33,192
-1.56% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$21,660
3.52% | $29,094
3.30% | $33,815
3.83% | $22,292
3.45% | $29,726
3.25% | $34,447
3.78% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$21,762
0.47% | $28,514
-1.99% | $34,824
2.98% | $22,205
-0.39% | $28,957
-2.59% | $35,267
2.38% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$22,184
1.94% | $29,021
1.78% | $34,289
-1.54% | $22,600
1.78% | $29,437
1.66% | $34,705
-1.59% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$24,266
9.39% | $31,758
9.43% | $35,056
2.24% | $24,710
9.34% | $32,202
9.39% | $35,500
2.29% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$25,594
5.47% | $32,647
2.80% | $35,994
2.68% | $26,073
5.52% | $33,126
2.87% | $36,473
2.74% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$25,400
-0.76% | $32,510
-0.42% | $37,545
4.31% | $26,387
1.20% | $33,497
1.12% | $38,532
5.65% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Arkansas Colleges is $11,442 for Arkansas residents and $18,552 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $22,374.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $10,143 for Arkansas residents and $15,996 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $16,107.
The tuition & fees has increased 11.99% for undergraduate programs and 15.51% for graduate programs at Arkansas Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Arkansas Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$7,339 | $14,468 | $18,823 | $6,697 | $12,431 | $18,434 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$7,633
4.01% | $15,014
3.77% | $19,875
5.59% | $7,191
7.38% | $13,222
6.36% | $19,219
4.26% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$7,903
3.54% | $15,009
-0.03% | $20,339
2.33% | $7,192
0.01% | $12,965
-1.94% | $20,078
4.47% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$8,121
2.76% | $15,361
2.35% | $19,764
-2.83% | $7,434
3.36% | $13,309
2.65% | $20,456
1.88% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$8,406
3.51% | $15,840
3.12% | $20,561
4.03% | $7,606
2.31% | $13,507
1.49% | $22,597
10.47% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$7,967
-5.22% | $14,719
-7.08% | $21,029
2.28% | $7,702
1.26% | $13,662
1.15% | $21,248
-5.97% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,050
1.04% | $14,887
1.14% | $20,155
-4.16% | $7,759
0.74% | $13,797
0.99% | $19,222
-9.54% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$9,792
21.64% | $17,284
16.10% | $20,582
2.12% | $7,829
0.90% | $13,597
-1.45% | $19,756
2.78% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$10,261
4.79% | $17,314
0.17% | $20,661
0.38% | $8,638
10.33% | $13,933
2.47% | $15,699
-20.54% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$9,093
-11.38% | $16,203
-6.42% | $21,238
2.79% | $8,506
-1.53% | $14,359
3.06% | $15,804
0.67% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,267 for Arkansas Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Arkansas Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,204 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,203
-0.08% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,194
-0.75% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,226
2.68% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,236
0.82% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,420
14.89% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,455
2.46% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,230
-15.46% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,226
-0.33% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,267
3.34% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Arkansas Colleges, the living have increased 18.63% when a student lives on campus facilities and 19.29% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Arkansas Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,059 | $11,758 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $11,366
4.14% | $12,114
2.87% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $11,615
2.33% | $12,281
0.82% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $11,577
0.48% | $12,161
2.22% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $12,018
3.13% | $12,482
4.69% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $12,375
2.86% | $12,790
1.15% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $12,679
1.96% | $13,065
1.98% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $13,244
2.64% | $13,742
1.66% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $14,107
6.81% | $14,735
5.78% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $15,040
3.58% | $15,683
8.90% |
|---|