University of Arkansas vs. University of Mississippi

A side-by-side comparison of Arkansas and Ole Miss — acceptance rates (73.9% vs. 97.4%), SAT scores (1020–1210 vs. 990–1175), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.

Want to compare other schools? Open the interactive comparison tool →

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%
Ole MissUniversity, MS

Acceptance rate

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

Ole Miss CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from Ole Miss CDS (Fall 2025).
97.4%acceptance rate
Applied
37,621
Admitted
36,635
Enrolled
5,458

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state98.2%
4,230 admitted of 4,307 applicants
Out-of-state97.3%
31,976 admitted of 32,875 applicants
International97.7%
429 admitted of 439 applicants

Early admissions

Ole Miss 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

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

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
990
50th Percentile
1080
75th Percentile
1175

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
21
50th Percentile
25
75th Percentile
29

Class rank

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

Top tenth of class22%
Top quarter of class46%
Top half of class74%

Based on the 35% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Ole Miss does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How Ole Miss 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 Ole Miss's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

2024–25 CDSOle Miss's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
$31,154
In-State
$51,314
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$10,150$30,310
Room & Board
$13,004$13,004
Other Expenses
$8,000$8,000
Total
$31,154$51,314

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$9k
$30–48k~$9k
$48–75k~$15k
$75–110k~$19k
$110k+~$21k

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 grants21.7%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

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

Receiving Aid
37%
Avg. Package
$16,802
Avg. Need Met
76%

Popular majors

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

Health Professions
Business
Sciences & Engineering
Social Sciences
Education
Communication
Other
Health
24.9%
Business
24.4%
Sci & Eng
11.5%
Social Sci
7.4%
Education
6.5%
Comm
6.4%
Other
18.9%

Student-faculty ratio

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

18:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return87%
Graduate within six years70%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$66k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$20k

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

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

  • Nursing

    281 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$88kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$15k median debt
  • Finance

    201 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$80kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$24k median debt
  • Psychology

    175 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$50kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$23k median debt
  • Biology

    119 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$58kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Criminal Justice

    115 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$53kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$20k median debt
Show all 33 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
98%
In Fraternities
40%
In Sororities
53%

Place

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

Setting
Remote town
Location
University, MS

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
5231J
5734F
6641M
7449A
8259M
8967J
9170J
9169A
8662S
7649O
6440N
5533D
Snow a year
1 in
Precipitation a year
61 in
Days at 90°F or above
74
Days below 32°F
68

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, UNIVERSITY, MS US station, 0.6 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

42%
58%
Male
9,554
Female
13,314

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White76.3%
Black9.9%
Hispanic6.3%
Other5.3%
Asian and Pacific Islander1.9%
Native American<1%

Writing your Arkansas or Ole Miss application essay?

Paste your draft and get specific, line-by-line feedback on what is and isn't landing — scored against the rubrics admissions readers use.

Get essay feedback

Arkansas vs. Ole Miss: frequently asked questions

Arkansas is more selective: it admits about 73.9% of applicants, compared with 97.4% at Ole Miss. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1020–1210 at Arkansas and 990–1175 at Ole Miss on the SAT. Treat the ranges as a benchmark — a score inside or above a school's range keeps you competitive there.

Ole Miss has the lower published price for out-of-state students — $30,310 in tuition and fees versus $33,184 at Arkansas, a gap of about $2,874 a year before financial aid.

Arkansas graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 71% versus 70% at Ole Miss.

Arkansas, and only there. Arkansas's Common Data Set rates the application essay considered, while Ole Miss reports that it does not consider the essay at all — so an application there rests on grades, course rigor, and test scores.

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: University of Mississippi Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. In-State Tuition & Fees and Out-of-State Tuition & Fees are from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Ole Miss. Banner photo by Adam Jones, Ph.D., via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).