University of Arkansas vs. Louisiana State University

Arkansas and LSU play very different roles on a college list, so start with where you'd actually spend four years and what you want to study. Fayetteville tucks Arkansas into the Ozarks, a hilltop college town with Dickson Street nightlife and trails out the back door. LSU plants you in Baton Rouge, the bigger state capital on the Mississippi, where Tiger Stadium becomes Death Valley on fall Saturdays and a live tiger named Mike lives on campus. Their strengths split as cleanly as their settings. Arkansas funnels its best students into the Walton business school, supply chain especially, while LSU leans on engineering and coastal science. LSU runs the larger flagship, and the anonymity that rides along with it cuts both ways. Both keep in-state tuition low, yet out-of-state money decides more than reputation here: Arkansas hands qualifying non-residents an automatic tuition award, and LSU makes you chase merit aid for the same break. Calling the Hogs or answering Mike, you're choosing a flavor of SEC Saturday as much as a major.

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ArkansasFayetteville, AR

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

Arkansas CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from Arkansas CDS (Fall 2025).
73.9%acceptance rate
Applied
32,928
Admitted
24,326
Enrolled
6,956

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state79.2%
7,116 admitted of 8,988 applicants
Out-of-state76.2%
17,028 admitted of 22,358 applicants
International11.5%
182 admitted of 1,578 applicants

Early action

Arkansas offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Non-binding
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

Arkansas is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1020
50th Percentile
1110
75th Percentile
1210

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
21
50th Percentile
24
75th Percentile
28

Class rank

Where Arkansas's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class25.9%
Top quarter of class79.1%
Top half of class93.7%

Based on the 58% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Arkansas does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How Arkansas weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Arkansas's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$33,988
In-State
$56,256
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$10,916$33,184
Room & Board
$15,694$15,694
Other Expenses
$7,378$7,378
Total
$33,988$56,256

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$14k
$30–48k~$14k
$48–75k~$16k
$75–110k~$21k
$110k+~$22k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants17.8%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

2024–25 CDSArkansas's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
Receiving Aid
44%
Avg. Package
$12,543
Avg. Need Met
55%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Health Professions
Engineering
Communication/Journalism
Biological & Life Sciences
Social Sciences
Psychology
Other
Business
31%
Health
10%
Engineering
7%
Comms
7%
Life Sci
6%
Social Sci
6%
Psychology
5%
Other
28%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

N/A

Student outcomes

First-years who return86%
Graduate within six years71%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$69k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$22k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Arkansas’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

  • Finance

    382 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$88kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
  • Nursing

    342 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$85kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
  • Business Administration & Management

    332 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$80kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Psychology

    243 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$48kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
  • Biology

    178 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$54kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
Show all 35 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
85%
In Fraternities
24%
In Sororities
47%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Midsize city
Location
Fayetteville, AR

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
4825J
5229F
6136M
7045A
7754M
8563J
8967J
8965A
8257S
7145O
5935N
5028D
Snow a year
7 in
Precipitation a year
47 in
Days at 90°F or above
41
Days below 32°F
94

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, FAYETTEVILLE DRAKE FLD, AR US station, 4.2 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

45%
55%
Male
12,947
Female
16,046

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White72.7%
Hispanic12.5%
Other7.2%
Black3.5%
Asian and Pacific Islander3.1%
Native American<1%
LSUBaton Rouge, LA

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

LSU CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from LSU CDS (Fall 2024).
73.3%acceptance rate
Applied
47,065
Admitted
34,513
Enrolled
7,925

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state80.1%
8,923 admitted of 11,135 applicants
Out-of-state72.3%
24,838 admitted of 34,357 applicants
International47.8%
752 admitted of 1,573 applicants

Early admissions

LSU does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Not offered
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

LSU is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1180
50th Percentile
1250
75th Percentile
1320

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
24
50th Percentile
27
75th Percentile
30

Class rank

Where LSU's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class26%
Top quarter of class54%
Top half of class83%

Based on the 77% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. LSU does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How LSU weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from LSU's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$36,064
In-State
$52,741
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$11,954$28,631
Room & Board
$15,142$15,142
Other Expenses
$8,968$8,968
Total
$36,064$52,741

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$13k
$30–48k~$16k
$48–75k~$20k
$75–110k~$24k
$110k+~$26k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants26.6%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
59%
Avg. Package
$17,052
Avg. Need Met
57%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Engineering
Education
Biological & Life Sciences
Social Sciences
Communication & Journalism
Psychology
Other
Business
22%
Engineering
10%
Education
9%
Life Sci
8%
Social Sci
8%
Comm
6%
Psychology
5%
Other
32%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

21:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return85%
Graduate within six years69%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$67k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$21k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

LSU’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

  • Biology

    360 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$56kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
  • Communication & Media Studies

    332 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$55kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
  • Psychology

    283 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$52kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Business Administration & Management

    237 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$65kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
  • Kinesiology & Exercise Science

    206 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$56kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
Show all 30 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
83%
In Fraternities
17%
In Sororities
24%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Midsize city
Location
Baton Rouge, LA

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
6242J
6745F
7351M
7957A
8665M
9172J
9274J
9273A
8969S
8158O
7148N
6443D
Snow a year
0 in
Precipitation a year
62 in
Days at 90°F or above
96
Days below 32°F
18

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, BATON ROUGE RYAN AP, LA US station, 8.7 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

43%
57%
Male
14,814
Female
19,428

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White57.9%
Black20.3%
Hispanic10.4%
Other6.3%
Asian and Pacific Islander4.7%
Native American<1%

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Arkansas vs. LSU: frequently asked questions

Effectively a tie, and both read as lightly selective public flagships. Arkansas admitted about 73.9% of applicants and LSU about 73.3%, so neither plays as a reach for a well-prepared student. The profiles part on testing: among enrolled first-years who submitted, LSU's middle 50% scored 1180–1320 on the SAT and 24–30 on the ACT, above Arkansas's 1020–1210 and 21–28, while both report an average high school GPA around 3.83.

Strong at both, with only a modest residency gap. For Fall 2025 Arkansas admitted 76.2% of out-of-state applicants against 79.2% of residents; for Fall 2024 LSU admitted 72.3% of out-of-state applicants against 80.1% of residents. LSU lists geographical residence and state residency as not considered in its review, and Arkansas's out-of-state share has climbed to about 49% of undergraduates against 40% at LSU, so non-residents make up a real part of each class.

LSU leans harder into engineering, which accounts for about 10% of its bachelor's degrees and ranks as its second-largest field, anchored by petroleum, chemical, and coastal programs. Engineering runs smaller at Arkansas, roughly 7% of degrees, where business dominates instead. A student set on engineering finds more company and more depth at LSU.

Arkansas, by a clear margin. Business and marketing is its single largest field at about 31% of degrees, anchored by the Sam M. Walton College of Business and a nationally ranked supply chain program. LSU also leads with business, but at a lighter 22% of degrees inside a more even spread across engineering, education, and the sciences. For a business-first student, Arkansas points its whole catalog that way.

It depends on aid, since the sticker and the discounts pull in opposite directions. Out-of-state tuition and fees run about $33,184 at Arkansas versus $28,631 at LSU, so LSU lists lower. Arkansas closes that gap with its automatic New Arkansan non-resident tuition award for qualifying students, while LSU has no automatic equivalent. On need-based aid LSU does more on average, meeting about 57% of demonstrated need with a package near $17,052, against 55% met and roughly $12,543 at Arkansas.

LSU runs larger, enrolling about 34,242 undergraduates to Arkansas's 29,252, on an urban Baton Rouge campus in the state capital. Arkansas sits in Fayetteville, a smaller Ozark college town in the state's northwest corner. Both house most students on campus and carry a heavy SEC football culture, so the surrounding city and the size of the crowd shape the day-to-day more than the headline stats.

Source: University of Arkansas Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. % of Full-Time First-Years Awarded Need-Based Grant Aid, Average Aid Package, Students With Need Who Received Aid, and Average % of Need Met, Students With Need Who Received Aid are from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Arkansas. Banner photo by Michael Barera, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Source: Louisiana State University Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with LSU. Banner photo by Louisiana Sea Grant, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).