University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, ARAdministration Bldg 425, Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-575-2000
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UARK, or UA) is a public land-grant, research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest, by enrollment, in the state. Founded as Arkansas Industrial University in 1871, its present name was adopted in 1899 and classes were first held on January 22, 1872. It is noted for its strong architecture, agriculture, business, communication disorders, creative writing, history, law, and Middle Eastern studies programs.
The University of Arkansas offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university is classified by the Carnegie Foundation among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". The University of Arkansas has been ranked the 37th best public university in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The University of Arkansas was also ranked the 53rd best college and the 30th top public school in the nation by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
The University of Arkansas has an endowment of over $1.3 billion, the seventh largest of any public university in the United States. The University of Arkansas' athletic teams, the Razorbacks, compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Southeastern Conference. The University of Arkansas is one of only a handful of universities in the nation with a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant designation. The University of Arkansas was founded as Arkansas Industrial University on July 2, 1871, under the Morrill Act of 1862. The act provided for the " granting of lands for the endowment, support, and maintenance of at least one college where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and mechanic arts... and to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life".
The college's founders chose the city of Fayetteville as its location, due in part to its proximity to the Boston Mountains, which were considered to be an excellent source of timber for the construction of buildings on campus. The city of Fayetteville donated a tract of land measuring one mile (1.6 km) square on the south side of Dickson Street between what is now West and Garland Avenues. This land was originally part of the campus of Ogden College, which operated from 1859 to 1868. The university's first chancellor was Joseph G. Totten. He began his tenure in 1872 and oversaw the construction of the first six buildings on campus.
In 1874, the university began offering courses in agriculture, horticulture, and veterinary medicine. The first class of thirty-seven students graduated in 1875. The first buildings constructed on the current site of the university were Old Main, the first permanent academic building, and University Hall, the first dormitory. Both buildings were designed by architect John G. Ralston. Old Main was completed in 1876 and University Hall in 1877.
In 1879, a bell tower was added to Old Main. The bell tower is now known as the Old Main Bell Tower and is a symbol of the university. A second academic building, East Hall, was completed in 1881. The first student union building, the Arkansas Union, was completed in 1957. The university's first library, the John Gould Fletcher Library, was completed in 1884. The Fletcher Library is now a special collections library and houses the university's rare books and manuscripts.
In 1885, the Arkansas Industrial University was renamed the University of Arkansas. The name change was approved by the Arkansas State Legislature. The university began offering graduate programs in 1891 with the establishment of the Graduate School. The first doctoral degree was awarded in 1898. The University of Arkansas became a land-grant university in 1890 with the passage of the Morrill Act. The act provided for the " granting of lands for the endowment, support, and maintenance of at least one college where the leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and mechanic arts... and to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life".
The University of Arkansas offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university is classified by the Carnegie Foundation among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". The University of Arkansas has been ranked the 37th best public university in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The University of Arkansas was also ranked the 53rd best college and the 30th top public school in the nation by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
The University of Arkansas has an endowment of over $1.3 billion, the seventh largest of any public university in the United States. The University of Arkansas' athletic teams, the Razorbacks, compete in NCAA Division
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 27562
Acceptance Rate: 77.67%
Type: Public, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.uark.edu/
Financial Aid: https://finaid.uark.edu/
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $26176
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $42664
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at University of Arkansas is $106050.42. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at University of Arkansas. For graduates of University of Arkansas, we saw an average early-career income of $57300.00 and mid-career income of $104900.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.