The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) is a public university in Conway, Arkansas, with 10,112 students, 8,268 of them undergraduates, in fall 2024. Its pros are a long record in teacher education and health professions, a 15 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio, residential colleges and Division I athletics; its cons are a net price that stays high even for low-income families, a 73% freshman retention rate and a 53% six-year graduation rate.
Below is each pro and con in detail, followed by cost, outcome and accreditation figures from the federal College Navigator database, so you can decide whether UCA is a good school for you.
University of Central Arkansas at a Glance
- Type: 4-year public university, classified as a Doctoral/Professional University.
- Location: Conway, Arkansas (“City: Small”).
- Founded: 1907 as the Arkansas State Normal School, historically the state’s primary source of teachers.
- Enrollment (fall 2024): 10,112 total, 8,268 undergraduate.
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 15 to 1.
- Admission: 89% of applicants were admitted for fall 2024.
Pros: What UCA Does Well
- A strong teaching and health-care tradition. UCA began as the state’s normal school and remains a major producer of Arkansas teachers. By 1967 its mission had widened to liberal arts and health care, and today it has a College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.
- Smaller classes. A 15 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio is low for a public university of 10,000 students.
- Residential colleges. UCA has five residential colleges, plus a commuter college for students who live off campus, which give first-year students a smaller community inside the larger university.
- Grants for almost every freshman. In 2023-2024, 97% of full-time beginning students received financial aid and 95% received grants or scholarships, averaging $8,901.
- Division I sports and campus life. The Bears and Sugar Bears compete in NCAA Division I (FCS in football) in the ASUN Conference, there are 29 Greek organizations, and the 1,200-seat Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall presents performing arts programming on campus.
- A broad program list. The university offers about 150 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs across its colleges.
Cons: What to Weigh Before You Enroll at UCA
- Net price stays high for low-income families. The average net price after grants was $16,546 in 2023-2024, and for families earning up to $30,000 it was $14,656, only slightly lower.
- Costs are rising. The estimated total in-state cost of living on campus rose 9.4% to $27,840 for 2024-2025.
- Retention is modest. 73% of full-time freshmen who started in fall 2023 returned in fall 2024.
- Middling completion. Of the fall 2018 cohort, 42% earned a bachelor’s degree in four years and 53% in six, and 25% transferred out.
- A regional student body. 91% of first-time undergraduates are Arkansas residents, and non-residents paid $18,023 in tuition and fees in 2024-2025.
What UCA Costs: Tuition, Housing and Net Price
| Item (2024-2025 unless noted) | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-state tuition and fees | $10,523 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $18,023 |
| On-campus food and housing | $9,110 |
| Total in-state cost, living on campus | $27,840 |
| Total out-of-state cost, living on campus | $35,340 |
| Average net price (2023-2024) | $16,546 |
In 2023-2024, 49% of full-time beginning students took out student loans, averaging $6,754. Run UCA’s net price calculator with your own income to see where you fall.
Is the University of Central Arkansas a Good School? What the Numbers Say
UCA is a good school for Arkansas students heading into teaching, nursing, therapy and other health professions, business or the sciences, who want smaller classes and a traditional residential campus.
The outcomes are middle-of-the-road: 73% freshman retention and a 54% overall graduation rate for the fall 2018 cohort. Students who join a residential college, keep a full course load and use advising early improve their odds of finishing on time.
Who Accredits the University of Central Arkansas?
UCA is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, with accreditation dating from 1931, and College Navigator lists its next review for 2027. Programs including dietetics, nursing and other health professions hold their own programmatic accreditation.
Who UCA Suits, and Who Should Look Elsewhere
A good fit for: Arkansas residents, future teachers and health-care professionals, and students who want a mid-sized campus with Division I sports and Greek life.
Worth comparing alternatives if: you come from a low-income household and need a lower net price, you are an out-of-state student without a scholarship, or you want a research-intensive university.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is UCA hard to get into? No. It admitted 89% of applicants for fall 2024; enrolled freshmen had a median ACT composite of 22.
- Where is the University of Central Arkansas? In Conway, Arkansas.
- What conference is UCA in? The ASUN Conference, which it joined on July 1, 2021.
- When was UCA founded? In 1907, as the Arkansas State Normal School.