Best colleges for Business/Commerce in Arkansas
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Arkansas, University of Central Arkansas and Henderson State University are the top bachelor's Business/Commerce programs in Arkansas by graduate earnings. University of Arkansas leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,307, College Scorecard. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, Henderson State University and University of Central Arkansas award the most Business/Commerce degrees in Arkansas: 145, 105 and 101 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 27 Arkansas colleges offer Business/Commerce and award 786 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business/Commerce program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of business management, marketing, and related services. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in…
Top 6 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 | $49,307 | 30 | 71% | — | $29,625 |
| 2 | University of Central Arkansas Conway Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,892 | 101 | 54% | — | $23,000 |
| 3 | Henderson State University Arkadelphia Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,606 | 105 | 37% | — | $19,500 |
| 4 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,910 | 145 | 49% | — | $22,500 |
| 5 | John Brown University Siloam Springs Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $58,390 | 2 | 72% | $20,325 | $26,566 |
| 6 | Strayer University - Arkansas Little Rock Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online | $55,431 | 45 | — | — | $56,517 |
Top 5 certificate and associate programs
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 | $32,780 | 46 | 36% | — | $13,750 |
| 2 | Arkansas State University - Beebe Beebe Public · Associate degree | $23,663 | 61 | 42% | — | $8,000 |
| 3 | Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas De Queen Public · Associate degree Small program | $36,808 | 11 | 54% | — | — |
| 4 | NorthWest Arkansas Community College Bentonville Public · Associate degree Small program | $31,888 | 19 | 31% | — | $11,313 |
| 5 | North Arkansas College Harrison Public · Associate degree Small program | $30,627 | 12 | 42% | — | $10,095 |
Colleges awarding the most Business/Commerce 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 | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus Magnolia Public | 145 | $34,910 |
| 2 | Henderson State University Arkadelphia Public | 105 | $36,606 |
| 3 | University of Central Arkansas Conway Public | 101 | $42,892 |
| 4 | University of Arkansas Community College - Morrilton Morrilton Public | 32 | Not reported |
| 5 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville Public | 30 | $49,307 |
| 6 | University of Arkansas Community College - Batesville Batesville Public | 27 | Not reported |
| 7 | Arkansas State University - Mountain Home Mountain Home Public | 20 | Not reported |
| 8 | National Park College Hot Springs Public | 19 | Not reported |
| 9 | Arkansas State University - Newport Newport Public | 19 | Not reported |
| 10 | Arkansas State University Mid-South West Memphis Public | 13 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 17 Arkansas colleges offering Business/Commerce
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas State University - Beebe | Beebe | Public | 61 |
| University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College | North Little Rock | Public | 46 |
| Strayer University - Arkansas (Online) | Little Rock | Private for-profit | 45 |
| NorthWest Arkansas Community College | Bentonville | Public | 19 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro | Public | 12 |
| North Arkansas College | Harrison | Public | 12 |
| Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas | De Queen | Public | 11 |
| Arkansas Northeastern College | Blytheville | Public | 11 |
| Ozarka College | Melbourne | Public | 11 |
| University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College | Forrest City | Public | 9 |
| University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain | Mena | Public | 9 |
| Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas | Helena | Public | 6 |
| Southeast Arkansas College | Pine Bluff | Public | 6 |
| University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana | Hope | Public | 6 |
| Arkansas State University Three Rivers | Malvern | Public | 5 |
| Black River Technical College | Pocahontas | Public | 4 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
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/Commerce programs in Arkansas.
Which Arkansas colleges award the most Business/Commerce degrees?+
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (145 graduates a year), Henderson State University (105 graduates a year) and University of Central Arkansas (101 graduates a year) award the most Business/Commerce degrees in Arkansas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 27 Arkansas colleges offer Business/Commerce.
What is the best college for Business/Commerce in Arkansas?+
By graduate earnings, University of Arkansas leads among bachelor's Business/Commerce programs in Arkansas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,307, College Scorecard. University of Central Arkansas and Henderson State University follow. By degrees awarded, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is the largest, with 145 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business/Commerce 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 $49,307. 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/Commerce program?+
The Business/Commerce program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of business management, marketing, and related services. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in…
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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