Public Graduate Good 57/100

Henderson State University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Arkadelphia, Arkansas

About Henderson State University

Thinking about Henderson State University, a college in Arkansas where more students graduate in Education than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Henderson State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. It enrolls 1,456 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
36.7%
Net Price
$23,405
Median Earnings (10yr)
$43,459
Enrollment
1,456
Student : Faculty
17:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
57/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 47
Value 24
Affordability 41
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Henderson State University does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Henderson State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 6.3 pts since 2019
75.6%201974.9%202075%202170.7%202281.9%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $23,405 a year on average, it sits in line with what public colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$23,405
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
46%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
44%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$8,244
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,620
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,000
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,562
Books & Supplies
$2,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,420
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,800
Total Cost of Attendance
$27,385

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $23,386
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $23,208
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $25,051

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,750
10% percentile
$5,500
25% percentile
$19,500
Median percentile
$21,650
75% percentile
$30,750
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,350 ↓ $7,150
No Pell $11,000 ↓ $8,500
Dependent students $11,000 ↓ $8,500
Independent students $17,346 ↓ $2,154
Female students $12,500 ↓ $7,000
Male students $11,000 ↓ $8,500
Pell recipients: 16.4% (3,203 students)No Pell: 14.6% (2,853 students)Dependent students: 14.6% (2,853 students)Independent students: 23.1% (4,498 students)Female students: 16.6% (3,242 students)Male students: 14.6% (2,853 students)Overall Median$19,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($19,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

37% of students who start here finish within six years, and 60% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
37%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
60%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $43,459 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,459
Earning > $25K
72%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$34,000$37,000$39,000$42,000$45,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$35,500

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$46,300

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$40,500

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$38,800

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$42,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $10,800, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Declining: debt management worsening over time ↓ 11.2 pts across 6 years
81.7%1yr76.2%3yr54.3%5yr70.5%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 71% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,456 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 38% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
1,456
Part-Time
9%
First-Generation
38%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 54.0% 786
Black 34.2% 498
Other 4.5% 66
Hispanic 4.1% 60
International 2.3% 34
Asian 0.8% 11
White: 54.0% (786 students)Black: 34.2% (498 students)Other: 4.5% (66 students)Hispanic: 4.1% (60 students)International: 2.3% (34 students)Asian: 0.8% (11 students)Total1,456

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Henderson State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Town: Distant Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Housing
Strongly residential 2,061 beds for 1,456 students
Adult Learners
11% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Health graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Henderson State University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 52 distinct programs across 20 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

8 Programs
3 Programs
2 Programs
2 Programs
3 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 17 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty
17:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$11,290
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$26M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$60,322
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

77 instructional faculty across 5 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 17 22% $66,494
Associate Professors 17 22% $70,216
Assistant Professors 26 34% $60,938
Instructors 16 21% $42,769
No Rank 1 1% $52,000

Pros & Cons of Henderson State University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Henderson State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Class sizes are on the higher side
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
Best for: Based on the data, Henderson State University is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Henderson State University

The questions families ask most about Henderson State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Henderson State University cost?
Budget around $23,405 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Henderson State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $43,459 a year against a net price of $23,405, about 1.9 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Henderson State University known for?
Mostly Special Education, Teaching ESL, Teacher Education (K-12). Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Henderson State University graduates earn?
About $43,459 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Henderson State University accredited?
Yes. Henderson State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Henderson State University?
1,456 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Henderson State University?
37% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Henderson State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Henderson State University located?
Henderson State University is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
What programs does Henderson State University offer?
52 different programs, most commonly Special Education, Teaching ESL, Teacher Education (K-12). If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Henderson State University?
17 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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