University of Central Arkansas

Public · Moderately Selective · AR

Photo: Arraz (CC BY 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationAR · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads7,762

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate41.9%

6-yr grad rate53.5%

Drop-out rate26.7%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$11k

Out-of-state tuition$18k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity36.5%

Gender diversity62.3%

International3.1%

Identity—

Overview

The University of Central Arkansas, in Conway, sits roughly half an hour from Little Rock and has built a reputation as one of the more residential and traditionally collegiate of Arkansas's regional public universities. Teacher education has deep historical roots here, and the university has grown a genuinely strong niche in the health sciences alongside it.

Academics

Physical therapy and speech-language pathology are particularly well regarded, giving UCA a health sciences profile that punches above its regional-university status, alongside continued strength in teacher preparation. The university has built out graduate-level health programs that create a pipeline directly from undergraduate preparation into professional training on the same campus.

Campus & student life

Conway is a smaller city with a genuine college-town feel, and UCA's campus culture leans more residential and traditionally collegiate than many of its Arkansas peers, with a more unified student population rather than a heavily commuter-based one. Bears athletics and a fairly active Greek and student-organization scene support that residential identity.

Getting in

Admission is accessible, with particular attention to preparation for the university's health science and education pipelines, which often require specific prerequisite coursework beyond general admission standards.

Worth knowing

The strength of the physical therapy and speech-language pathology pathways means students interested in those fields can plan an undergraduate-to-graduate track largely within one university, a genuine efficiency for students who already know their intended health profession.

uca.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate89.5%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 910–1170 · ACT 19–25

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying