Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Magnolia, Arkansas. It enrolls 2,708 students (a mid-sized 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.
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 Selective), 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
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes26
Value62
Affordability80
Selectivity38
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus admits 75.3% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
75.3%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
875 – 1105
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
17 – 24
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyRequiredSAT or ACT scores must be submitted with the application.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
1.5 pts
since 2019
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 $14,027 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$9,960
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$15,690
Room & Board (on-campus)
$7,911
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,911
Books & Supplies
$1,600
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,682
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,446
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,951
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
$13,187
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,827
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,790
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,654
Over $110,000
$19,244
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.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$18,750Medianpercentile
$18,50075%percentile
$28,89790%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 $14,000
↓ $4,750
No Pell $10,250
↓ $8,500
Dependent students $12,000
↓ $6,750
Independent students $17,818
↓ $932
Female students $13,161
↓ $5,589
Male students $12,000
↓ $6,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,808, less than completers ($18,750), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
42% of students who start here finish within six years, and 68% 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
42%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
68%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $42,386 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)
$42,386
Earning > $25K
69%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
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
$34,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$44,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$41,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$45,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,500, about 22% 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.
Stable ↑
0.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 70% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,708 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 42% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
2,708
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
42%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 63.1%1,709
Black 22.7%615
Other 6.1%166
Hispanic 5.8%157
International 1.4%39
Asian 0.6%16
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
53 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.
There are 16 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,607
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$56M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$66,193
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
158 instructional faculty across 4 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
24
15%
$91,930
Associate Professors
50
32%
$67,669
Assistant Professors
45
28%
$64,885
Instructors
39
25%
$49,971
Pros & Cons of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
The questions families ask most about Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Southern Arkansas University Main Campus hard to get into?
Not especially. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 75.3%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus?
75.3% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Southern Arkansas University Main Campus?
Aim for 1105 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 875 and 1105 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Southern Arkansas University Main Campus?
Aim for 24 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 17 and 24 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Southern Arkansas University Main Campus cost?
Budget around $14,027 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $42,386 a year against a net price of $14,027, about 3.0 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus known for?
Mostly Information Systems, Liberal Arts, 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduates earn?
About $42,386 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus accredited?
Yes. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Southern Arkansas University Main Campus?
2,708 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus?
42% 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Southern Arkansas University Main Campus located?
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is located in Magnolia, Arkansas.
What programs does Southern Arkansas University Main Campus offer?
53 different programs, most commonly Information Systems, Liberal Arts, 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus?
16 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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