Henderson State University

Public · AR

Photo: Brandonrush (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationAR · South

SettingRural

Undergrads1,456

Student:faculty14:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate27.2%

6-yr grad rate37.3%

Drop-out rate38.3%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$11k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity46%

Gender diversity51.9%

International2.3%

Identity—

Overview

Henderson State University is a public university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, historically known as the state's public liberal arts university. It shares its small town with Ouachita Baptist University, whose campus sits just across a ravine, giving Arkadelphia an unusual two-college identity that shapes much of local life. Henderson State underwent significant financial restructuring in recent years and is now part of the Arkansas State University System rather than operating independently.

Academics

The university is known for a notable aviation program that trains professional pilots, alongside education, business, and liberal arts offerings typical of a regional public university, with programs tending toward practical, career-oriented tracks alongside a traditional liberal arts core.

Campus & student life

Henderson State's proximity to Ouachita Baptist produces one of the closest and most storied rivalries in small-college football, the "Battle of the Ravine," played across the literal ravine separating the two campuses — a fixture of the town's identity, not just the schools'. Campus life otherwise follows a typical small regional-university pattern of residence halls and Division II athletics.

Worth knowing

The dual-college-town setup with Ouachita Baptist is the defining local fact about attending Henderson State — students socialize across both campuses, and the rivalry game is a genuine community event. The relatively recent shift into the Arkansas State University System also changed the institution's governance and branding.

hsu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate—

Enrolled mid-50%1110

Test policynot reported

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying