- Acceptance rate: 74% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.83, as reported by the college for 2025–26
- SAT, middle 50%: 520–620 reading and writing, 510–600 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 21–28 composite
- Average net price: $17,475 a year (2022–23)
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Calculate my GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what University of Arkansas reported: an average GPA of 3.83 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 74% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 21–28.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. University of Arkansas reviews each application.
University of Arkansas average GPA
University of Arkansas reported an average high school GPA of 3.83 for its first-year students who submitted one (100% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so this figure can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
University of Arkansas acceptance rate
University of Arkansas admitted 22,703 of 30,555 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 74%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
University of Arkansas is a public 4-year university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with 28,859 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered University of Arkansas in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 520 | 570 | 620 |
| SAT Math | 510 | 550 | 600 |
| ACT Composite | 21 | 24 | 28 |
| ACT English | 20 | 23 | 28 |
| ACT Math | 18 | 23 | 26 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1169 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What University of Arkansas looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Not considered |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Not considered |
AP credit
University of Arkansas awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $17,475 a year at University of Arkansas in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 3.5 GPA good enough for the University of Arkansas?
GPA alone can't tell you here. University of Arkansas admitted 74% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.5 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
How important is GPA for getting into the University of Arkansas?
A lot: University of Arkansas requires high school GPA and high school record. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, essay or personal statement, test scores and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider recommendations, other tests, demonstration of competencies and work experience. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to the University of Arkansas?
Check University of Arkansas' admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. University of Arkansas was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 31% sent SAT scores and 73% sent ACT scores.
Is the University of Arkansas hard to get into?
It's moderately accessible: more than half of applicants got in. University of Arkansas admitted 74% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How many applicants get into the University of Arkansas?
University of Arkansas' acceptance rate was 74% for fall 2024: it admitted 22,703 of 30,555 first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education.
What GPA do you need to get into the University of Arkansas?
University of Arkansas doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.83, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
What SAT and ACT scores do the University of Arkansas students have?
The middle 50% of University of Arkansas' fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 520–620 in reading and writing and 510–600 in math; ACT composite 21–28, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Does it matter at the University of Arkansas if a parent went there?
Yes. University of Arkansas considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does the University of Arkansas give credit for AP exams?
Yes. University of Arkansas awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
How much does the University of Arkansas cost after financial aid?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $17,475 a year at University of Arkansas in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check the University of Arkansas' official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: University of ArkansasU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- University of Arkansas Common Data Set 2025–26University of Arkansas: average high school GPA of first-year students.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
Wrong result or missing a feature? Send feedback
Similar colleges in Arkansas
With a similar acceptance rate and size.
- Arkansas State UniversityAdmits most applicants · 82% admitted
- University of Arkansas Fort SmithAdmits most applicants · 80% admitted
- Southern Arkansas University Main CampusAdmits most applicants · 75% admitted
- Harding UniversityAccessible · 71% admitted
- University of Central ArkansasAdmits most applicants · 89% admitted
- John Brown UniversityAdmits most applicants · 76% admitted
See all colleges in Arkansas →