Best colleges for Business Administration in Arkansas
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Arkansas, John Brown University and Harding University are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Arkansas by graduate earnings. University of Arkansas leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $56,456, College Scorecard. Arkansas Tech University, University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University award the most Business Administration degrees in Arkansas: 913, 580 and 207 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 37 Arkansas colleges offer Business Administration and award 2,847 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,456 | 580 | 71% | — | $21,500 |
| 2 | John Brown University Siloam Springs Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,982 | 50 | 72% | $20,325 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Harding University Searcy Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,081 | 72 | 69% | $19,423 | $27,750 |
| 4 | Arkansas Tech University Russellville Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,866 | 913 | 49% | — | $21,780 |
| 5 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,057 | 199 | 38% | — | $19,148 |
| 6 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,022 | 115 | 42% | — | $36,219 |
| 7 | University of Central Arkansas Conway Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,995 | 86 | 54% | — | $20,500 |
| 8 | Arkansas State University Jonesboro Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,007 | 207 | 55% | — | $22,000 |
| 9 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,490 | 26 | 40% | — | $27,406 |
| 10 | University of the Ozarks Clarksville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,373 | 26 | 51% | $13,608 | $18,575 |
Top certificate or associate program
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College North Little Rock Public · Associate degree Small program | $30,429 | 17 | 36% | — | $24,367 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Arkansas
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas Tech University Russellville Public | 913 | $39,866 |
| 2 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville Public | 580 | $56,456 |
| 3 | Arkansas State University Jonesboro Public | 207 | $36,007 |
| 4 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith Public | 199 | $39,057 |
| 5 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock Public | 115 | $39,022 |
| 6 | NorthWest Arkansas Community College Bentonville Public | 102 | Not reported |
| 7 | University of Central Arkansas Conway Public | 86 | $38,995 |
| 8 | Harding University Searcy Private not-for-profit | 72 | $40,081 |
| 9 | University of Arkansas at Monticello Monticello Public | 71 | Not reported |
| 10 | John Brown University Siloam Springs Private not-for-profit | 50 | $54,982 |
ShowHide the other 27 Arkansas colleges offering Business Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Arkansas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Arkansas.
Which Arkansas colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
Arkansas Tech University (913 graduates a year), University of Arkansas (580 graduates a year) and Arkansas State University (207 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Arkansas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 37 Arkansas colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Arkansas?+
By graduate earnings, University of Arkansas leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Arkansas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $56,456, College Scorecard. John Brown University and Harding University follow. By degrees awarded, Arkansas Tech University is the largest, with 913 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Arkansas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Arkansas tops the list at $56,456. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Arkansas?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Arkansas is $94,780 (median $74,050), across about 34,570 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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