Arkansas · Registered Nursing

Best institutions to study Registered Nursing in Arkansas

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

Institutions
36
offering CIP 51.38
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,229
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$72,043
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
28
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,322
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
49%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Registered Nurses
$81,520
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Little Rock Public · Bachelor's degree
$78,89828042%$28,978
2Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Helena Public · Associate degree
$78,2131055%
3Arkansas State University - Newport
Newport Public · Associate degree
$74,6828546%$18,375
4Arkansas State University
Jonesboro Public · Bachelor's degree
$73,42376155%$26,355
5Henderson State University
Arkadelphia Public · Bachelor's degree
$72,3267437%$21,500
6University of Arkansas
Fayetteville Public · Bachelor's degree
$72,04336871%$24,327
7University of Central Arkansas
Conway Public · Bachelor's degree
$70,63615654%$25,000
8Arkansas Northeastern College
Blytheville Public · Associate degree
$70,1313049%$9,447
9Harding University
Searcy Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$69,74310569%$19,423$30,000
10University of Arkansas - Fort Smith
Fort Smith Public · Bachelor's degree
$69,6187638%$24,250

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~189,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$93,600
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoringWriting

What Registered Nurses earn in Arkansas

Jobs in Arkansas
29,400
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$81,520
median $78,940
Best-paying metro
$85,890
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

Related careers

Registered Nurses
$81,520 avg · 29,400 jobs
Medical and Health Services Managers
$101,500 avg · 6,440 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$130,260 avg · 3,970 jobs
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
$67,790 avg · 830 jobs
Nurse Anesthetists
$198,540
Nurse Midwives

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Arkansas.

Which Registered Nursing program in Arkansas has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of Arkansas at Little Rock tops the list at $78,898. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Registered Nurses earn in Arkansas?+

The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Arkansas is $81,520 (median $78,940), across about 29,400 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+

The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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