Colleges › Arkansas › University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
Most applicants get into University of Arkansas-Fort Smith — 80.5% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith sits in Fort Smith proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it.
Its highest-earning path is Computer and Information Sciences, General, where graduates median $82,688 four years out. Faculty pay averages $87,972 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. Most of its 4,091 undergraduates commute — campus empties by evening — yet 69.8% of first-years return, which says something about what daytime here is worth.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 18 and 23 on the ACT composite. Put your own practice estimate on University of Arkansas-Fort Smith's range with the ACT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith requires SAT or ACT scores from all applicants — the middle 50% ranges below describe University of Arkansas-Fort Smith's full admitted class, not a self-selected subset.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Composite | 18 | 20 | 23 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith received 2,677 applications and admitted 2,181 (81.5%), with 886 enrolling.
How University of Arkansas-Fort Smith compares
| University of Arkansas-Fort Smith | Arkansas median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 80.5% | 70.5% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $7,334 | $13,467 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $41,102 | $44,308 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith's median earnings are $41,102 — below the Arkansas benchmark of $44,308. Weigh that against the $7,334 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith prices by residency: $7,334 in-state versus $12,182 out-of-state — a $4,848 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith enrolls 4,091 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs University of Arkansas-Fort Smith's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
Fewer than half of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith students — 37.9% — finish within six years. That number should shape how much debt feels safe.
Top majors by earnings at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $82,688 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $73,708 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $72,074 |
| Chemistry | $66,817 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $65,470 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $50,020 |
| Biology, General | $48,712 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $45,378 |
| Social Work | $45,275 |
| History | $45,097 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $44,197 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $43,509 |
| Psychology, General | $40,519 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $37,641 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $35,760 |
Median earnings for these 15 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $41,102 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 14 additional University of Arkansas-Fort Smith programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of Arkansas-Fort Smith?
The middle 50% of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith's submitters earned ACT composites of 18–23; no GPA cutoff is published.
What is University of Arkansas-Fort Smith's acceptance rate?
81.5% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,181 admitted from 2,677 applicants.
How much does University of Arkansas-Fort Smith cost?
In-state tuition is $7,334; out-of-state students pay $12,182. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $41,102 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Arkansas
- Southern Arkansas University Main Campus — 75.3% admitted
- Williams Baptist University — 83.4% admitted
- Ouachita Baptist University — 67.5% admitted
- John Brown University — 76.1% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.