Cost of Attending College in Arkansas: Tuition and Living Costs
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 08, 2026 • US States & Cities
Part of the guide Cost of Attending College by State: Tuition and Living Costs Compared
A year at Arkansas's flagship costs about 33,988 dollars in-state and 56,256 dollars out-of-state with room and board for 2026-27. Regional public universities run close behind on total cost, and community college tuition falls under 6,600 dollars a year.
💵 University of Arkansas: $10,916 in-state tuition/fees, $33,184 out-of-state (2026-27)
💵 Arkansas State: $10,850 in-state tuition/fees for 30 credit hours (2026-27)
💵 University of Central Arkansas: $11,384 in-state tuition/fees (2026-27)
🏠 On-campus room and board at the flagship: $15,694 a year
🎓 Community colleges like NWACC and Pulaski Tech charge under $6,600 a year in-state
What "Cost of Attendance" Includes
Cost of attendance covers more than the tuition bill. It adds mandatory fees, room and board, books and supplies, and an estimate for personal and transportation expenses, and financial aid offices use this full number to build your aid package. The figures below reflect published in-state and out-of-state tuition and fees at Arkansas's largest public universities for the 2026-27 academic year, based on 30 annual credit hours.
Public University Tuition and Fees, 2026-27
| University | In-State (annual) | Out-of-State (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) | $10,916 | $33,184 |
| University of Central Arkansas | $11,384 | approx. $18,800 |
| Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) | $10,850 | approx. $13,800 |
The University of Arkansas board of trustees approved a 4 percent increase for the Fayetteville campus heading into 2026-27, and the university's financial aid office lists tuition and fees at $10,916 for residents and $33,184 for nonresidents. Arkansas State's trustees approved a similar 4 percent increase , raising in-state tuition and fees to $10,850 for 30 hours. UCA's board approved a 4.06 percent increase , bringing in-state tuition and fees to $11,384. Neither Arkansas State nor UCA had posted an official 2026-27 nonresident rate at the time of writing, so the out-of-state figures above come from published tuition-comparison data and should get confirmed against each school's own billing office before you budget.
Room, Board, and Total Cost of Attendance
At the flagship, the 2026-27 cost of attendance for a dependent undergraduate living on or off campus runs about $33,988 in-state and $56,256 out-of-state, once you add room and board, books, personal expenses, and transportation to tuition.
| Budget item | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $10,916 | $33,184 |
| Room and board | $15,694 | $15,694 |
| Books and supplies | $1,270 | $1,270 |
| Personal expenses | $3,452 | $3,452 |
| Transportation | $2,656 | $2,656 |
| Total | $33,988 | $56,256 |
Regional universities run lower on tuition, and room and board tends to track close to the flagship since dining and housing contracts move together statewide. Expect a full in-state budget at a regional campus like UCA, Arkansas Tech, or Arkansas State to land 1,000 to 3,000 dollars below the flagship total once you include similar housing costs.
Community College Costs
Two-year colleges cost far less. NorthWest Arkansas Community College charges about $5,314 a year in-state, and University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College charges about $145 per credit hour, close to $6,550 a year full-time. Living at home while attending a community college limits your annual cost to tuition, fees, books, and transportation, often under $8,000 a year total.
The ArFuture Grant covers remaining tuition after other aid for STEM and high-demand associate degrees and certificates, which brings net tuition at a community college to zero for eligible students.
Ways to Lower Your Real Cost
Published cost of attendance is not what most students pay. The College Scorecard tracks net price, the average cost after grants and scholarships, which runs well below the sticker price at every public Arkansas university once you add Academic Challenge, ArFuture, and federal Pell Grant funding.
Start at a community college and transfer core credits into a 4-year degree
Apply for the Academic Challenge Scholarship, worth up to $5,000 a semester by senior year
File the FAFSA early to maximize need-based aid and grant eligibility
Live off campus or at home once you have transportation, since room and board makes up close to half the flagship's total budget
Check reciprocity and Academic Common Market eligibility if your major is not offered in-state at home