Best Nursing Schools in Arkansas (2026): Rankings and Reviews

Arkansas offers affordable nursing degrees at public universities across the state, alongside several small private colleges. This guide ranks Arkansas BSN programmes with official federal data and reviews the top five on graduation rate, graduate earnings and cost.

Imagine wanting a nursing degree without moving far from home or taking on heavy debt. In Arkansas, in-state tuition at many public universities is around $8,000 to $11,000 a year, and there are good options in every region of the state. The trick is knowing which ones get students to graduation.

How we ranked these schools

We used the latest official data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. We included colleges in Arkansas that award a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), and ranked those producing at least 20 BSN graduates a year by their graduation rate. We also show how much their nursing graduates earn and what tuition costs. Graduation rates are for each college as a whole, not nursing students alone.

Arkansas nursing schools ranked (2026)

Rank	College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
1	John Brown University	Siloam Springs	Private nonprofit	74%	26	$72,179	$32,710
2	University of Arkansas	Fayetteville	Public	71%	342	$76,529	$10,496
3	Harding University	Searcy	Private nonprofit	70%	46	$73,395	$27,282
4	Ouachita Baptist University	Arkadelphia	Private nonprofit	64%	38	n/a	$35,740
5	Arkansas State University	Jonesboro	Public	56%	220	$78,857	$8,354
6	University of Central Arkansas	Conway	Public	54%	121	$72,654	$10,940
7	Southern Arkansas University Main Campus	Magnolia	Public	47%	31	$69,942	$10,200
8	Arkansas Tech University	Russellville	Public	47%	88	$71,890	$8,901
9	University of Arkansas at Little Rock	Little Rock	Public	42%	137	$80,281	$9,808
10	University of Arkansas-Fort Smith	Fort Smith	Public	40%	67	$71,652	$7,888
11	Henderson State University	Arkadelphia	Public	37%	53	$79,891	$8,664

Also offering a BSN in Arkansas (not ranked: either a comparable graduation rate isn’t reported, often because they mainly enrol transfer, upper-division or adult students, or they’re for-profit career colleges whose college-wide rates aren’t comparable with universities):

College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences	Little Rock	Public	n/a	91	$73,909	n/a

Top Arkansas nursing schools reviewed

1. John Brown University

A small Christian university in north-west Arkansas with an intimate nursing programme and the highest graduation rate on our Arkansas list.

• Graduation rate: 74%, number 1 in Arkansas on our list
• Programme size: about 26 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $72,179 one year after graduating
• Cost: $32,710 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 76%

2. University of Arkansas

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the state’s flagship university in Fayetteville combines a large-campus experience with solid graduate earnings and modest in-state tuition.

• Graduation rate: 71%, number 2 in Arkansas on our list
• Programme size: about 342 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, one of the largest in the state
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $76,529 one year after graduating
• Cost: $10,496 in-state tuition ($31,550 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 74%

3. Harding University

Harding’s Carr College of Nursing in Searcy offers a close-knit, faith-based learning environment and a strong graduation rate.

• Graduation rate: 70%, number 3 in Arkansas on our list
• Programme size: about 46 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $73,395 one year after graduating
• Cost: $27,282 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 71%

4. Ouachita Baptist University

A small private Baptist university in Arkadelphia, ideal if you want small classes and close contact with faculty.

• Graduation rate: 64%, number 4 in Arkansas on our list
• Programme size: about 38 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Cost: $35,740 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 68%

5. Arkansas State University

Arkansas State in Jonesboro runs one of the larger BSN programmes in the state at a relatively low in-state cost, with good early earnings for graduates.

• Graduation rate: 56%, number 5 in Arkansas on our list
• Programme size: about 220 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $78,857 one year after graduating
• Cost: $8,354 in-state tuition ($15,002 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 82%

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), the state’s academic health centre in Little Rock, isn’t ranked because it mainly enrols upper-division and graduate students, but it’s a major provider of nursing education in Arkansas.

But is a ranking enough to choose a school?

No ranking can tell you everything. Before you apply, also check:

• NCLEX pass rates: the Arkansas State Board of Nursing publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for every approved programme. Look for consistently high rates over several years.
• Accreditation: make sure the BSN is accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
• Getting into the nursing major: many universities admit students as “pre-nursing” first. Ask what share progress into the nursing programme.
• Clinical placements: where students train and how placements are arranged.
• Total cost: use each college’s net price calculator to see your likely cost after financial aid.

Related: US nursing schools with the highest graduation rates

Sources: US Department of Education College Scorecard (accessed November 2026), Arkansas State Board of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Figures change every year; always confirm with the college.