Arkansas has several nursing programs that provide students with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to succeed in the healthcare industry.
Let us explore nursing programs and nursing schools in Arkansas.
Total Number of Nursing Programs in Arkansas
According to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, there are a total of 40 approved nursing programs in Arkansas, including 5 LPN programs, 18 associate degree nursing programs, 9 bachelor degree nursing programs, 6 master’s degree nursing programs, and 2 doctoral degree nursing programs.
These programs are spread across the state, providing students with various options to choose from.
LPN Programs in Arkansas
There are numerous LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) programs in Arkansas. These programs usually take one year to complete and require students to complete 40-50 credit hours. LPN programs provide students with basic nursing skills, such as taking vital signs, administering medication, and providing bedside care.
LPN programs in Arkansas cost between $5,000 and $15,000, depending on the school.
Some of the popular LPN programs in Arkansas are:
Arkansas State University - Newport
Tuition: $5,592 (in-state); $7,692 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: ~35 students
Degree Awarded: Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
Program Length: 3 semesters (12 months)
Credits Needed for Completion: 44
Black River Technical College
Tuition: $4,600 (in-state); $6,900 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: ~30 students
Degree Awarded: Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
Program Length: 3 semesters (12 months)
Credits Needed for Completion: 47
North Arkansas College
Tuition: $4,600 (in-state students); $6,900 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: ~30 students
Degree Awarded: Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
Program Length: 3 semesters (12 months)
Credits Needed for Completion: 47
Ozarka College
Tuition: $4,600 (in-state students); $6,900 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: ~30 students
Degree Awarded: Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing
Program Length: 3 semesters (12 months)
Credits Needed for Completion: 47
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Tuition: $5,120 (in-state); $7,680 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: around 30 students
Degree Awarded: Certificate of Proficiency in Practical Nursing
Program Length: 3 semesters (12 months)
Credits Needed for Completion: 47
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
Tuition: $4,100 (in-state); $6,300 (out-of state)
Enrollment: ~25 students
Degree Awarded: Certificate of Proficiency in Practical Nursing
Program Length: 3 semesters (12 months)
Credits Needed for Completion: 47
Associate Nursing Programs in Arkansas
Associate degree programs in nursing are typically two-year programs that prepare students for entry-level positions as registered nurses (RNs). Students who complete an associate degree program are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) exam to become licensed RNs.
Associate programs in Arkansas require students to complete 60-70 credit hours and cost between $8,000 and $25,000.
Some of the popular associate nursing programs in Arkansas are:
Arkansas State University - Newport
Tuition: $4,830 per year (in-state); $9,990 per year (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 170
Degree awarded: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)
Program length: 2 years
Credits needed for completion: 71
Arkansas State University - Beebe
Tuition: $3,180 per year (in-state); $5,430 per year (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 140
Degree awarded: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)
Program length: 2 years
Credits needed for completion: 71
Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus
Tuition: $3,330 per (in-state); $6,660 per year (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 80
Degree awarded: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)
Program length: 2 years
Credits needed for completion: 70Northwest Arkansas Community College
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith
University of Arkansas Community College - Batesville
Tuition: $3,120 per year (in-state); $5,760 per year (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 75
Degree awarded: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)
Program length: 2 years
Credits needed for completion: 70
University of Arkansas Community College - Hope
Tuition: $2,880 per year (in-state); $5,520 per year (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 60
Degree awarded: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)
Program length: 2 years
Credits needed for completion: 70
University of Arkansas Community College - Morrilton
Tuition: $3,090 per year (in-state); $6,090 per year (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 70
Degree awarded: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)
Program length: 2 years
Credits needed for completion: 70
Bachelor Nursing Programs in Arkansas
Bachelor degree programs in nursing are four-year programs that provide students with a comprehensive education in nursing. These programs usually require students to complete 120-130 credit hours and cost between $20,000 and $40,000. Students who complete a bachelor degree program are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam to become licensed RNs.
Some of the popular bachelor of science in nursing (baccalaureate) programs in Arkansas are:
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Tuition: In-state: $8,607 per year; Out-of-state: $15,397 per year
Fees: $2,960 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $19,624 per year; Out-of-state: $26,414 per year
Enrollment: 600 undergraduate nursing students
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Number of Faculty: 17 full-time and 11 part-time
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:14
Gender: Female: 88%, Male: 12%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 97.2% (2020)
Program Length: Four years
Credits Needed for Completion: 120 credits
Arkansas Tech University
Tuition: In-state: $7,338 per year; Out-of-state: $13,164 per year
Fees: $1,896 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $19,678 per year; Out-of-state: $25,504 per year
Enrollment: 250 undergraduate nursing students
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Number of Faculty: 10 full-time and 4 part-time
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:12
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: Female: 91%, Male: 9%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 100% (2020)
Program Length: Four years
Credits Needed for Completion: 120 credits
Harding University - Searcy
Tuition: $22,490 per year
Fees: $1,410 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: $36,120 per year
Enrollment: 200 undergraduate nursing students
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Number of Faculty: 7 full-time and 6 part-time
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:10
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: Female: 88%, Male: 12%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 100% (2020)
Program Length: Four years
Credits Needed for Completion: 125-128 credits
Henderson State University
Tuition: In-state: $7,986 per year; Out-of-state: $13,920 per year
Fees: $2,940 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $19,366 per year; Out-of-state: $25,300 per year
Enrollment: 200 undergraduate nursing students
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Number of Faculty: 9 full-time and 3 part-time
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:12
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: Female: 87%, Male: 13%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 95.24% (2020)
Program Length: Four years
Credits Needed for Completion: 120 credits
Southern Arkansas University
Tuition: In-state: $6,360 per year; Out-of-state: $12,720 per year
Fees: $1,596 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $17,050 per year; Out-of-state: $23,410 per year
Enrollment: Approximately 180 undergraduate nursing students
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Number of Faculty: 6 full-time and 4 part-time
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:10
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: Female: 80%, Male: 20%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 100% (2020)
Program Length: Four years
Credits Needed for Completion: 120 credits
University of Arkansas - Fayetteville
Tuition: $9,062 per year (In-state); Out-of-state: $25,872 per year
Fees: $1,038 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $25,248 per year; Out-of-state: $42,058 per year
Enrollment: Approximately 700 undergraduate nursing students
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Number of Faculty: 25 full-time and 8 part-time
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:25
Sex: Female: 92%, Male: 8%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 94% (2020)
Program Length: Four years
Credits Needed for Completion: 120 creditsUniversity of Central Arkansas
Tuition: In-state: $8,608 per year; Out-of-state: $15,178 per year
Fees: $3,182 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $22,678 per year; Out-of-state: $29,248 per year
Enrollment: 450 undergraduate nursing students
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Number of Faculty: 12 full-time and 10 part-time
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:14
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: Female: 88%, Male: 12%
NCLEX Pass Rate: 98% (2020)
Program Length: Four years
Credits Needed for Completion: 120 credits
Master’s Nursing Programs in Arkansas
Master’s degree programs in nursing are typically two-year programs that prepare students for advanced practice nursing roles, such as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse anesthetists. These programs require students to complete 36-48 credit hours and cost between $20,000 and $50,000.
Some of the popular master’s nursing programs in Arkansas are:
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Tuition: $8,607 per year (in-state), $13,407 per year (out-of-state)
Fees: $1,020 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: $21,685 (in-state), $26,485 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 565
Degree Awarded: MSN
Number of Faculty: 15
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:28
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: 11% male, 89% female
NCLEX Pass Rate: 95%
Program Length: 2 years
Credits Needed for Completion: 39
Arkansas Tech University
Tuition: $5,880 per year (in-state), $10,710 per year (out-of-state)
Fees: $2,378 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: $18,630 (in-state), $23,460 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 386
Degree Awarded: MSN
Number of Faculty: 8
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:22
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: 6% male, 94% female
NCLEX Pass Rate: 93%
Program Length: 2 years
Credits Needed for Completion: 37
University of Central Arkansas
Tuition: $8,492 per year (in-state), $16,704 per year (out-of-state)
Fees: $1,420 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: $21,690 (in-state), $29,902 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 456
Degree Awarded: MSN
Number of Faculty: 12
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:19
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: 8% male, 92% female
NCLEX Pass Rate: 95%
Program Length: 2 years
Credits Needed for Completion: 39
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Tuition: $17,448 per year (in-state), $38,592 per year (out-of-state)
Fees: $1,170 per year
Total Cost of Attendance: $31,136 (in-state), $52,280 (out-of-state)
Enrollment: 1,146
Degree Awarded: MSN
Number of Faculty: 41
Faculty to Student Ratio: 1:28
Percent of Students that are Male or Female: 12% male, 88% female
NCLEX Pass Rate: 95%
Program Length: 2 years
Credits Needed for Completion: 44
Doctoral Nursing Programs in Arkansas
Doctoral degree programs in nursing are terminal programs that prepare students for leadership roles in nursing, such as nursing administrators, researchers, and educators. These programs typically require students to complete 60-70 credit hours and cost between $30,000 and $70,000. Some of the popular doctoral programs in Arkansas are:
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Tuition: $6,708 per year for in-state students, $13,428 per year for out-of-state students
Fees: $1,719 per year for all students
Total cost of attendance: $24,365 per year for in-state students, $31,085 per year for out-of-state students
Enrollment: 13,183 students (undergraduate and graduate programs combined)
Degree awarded: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Number of faculty: 6
Faculty to student ratio: 1:4.8
Percent of students that are male or female: 20% male, 80% female
NCLEX pass rate: 98%
Program length: 2-3 years
Credits needed for completion: 35 credits
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Tuition: $10,967 per year for in-state students, $21,466 per year for out-of-state students
Fees: $1,998 per year for all students
Total cost of attendance: $36,367 per year for in-state students, $46,866 per year for out-of-state students
Enrollment: 2,758 students (graduate and professional programs combined)
Degree awarded: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Number of faculty: 33
Faculty to student ratio: 1:4.2
Percent of students that are male or female: 85% female, 15% male
NCLEX pass rate: 93%
Program length: 3-4 years
Credits needed for completion: 35-37 credits
University of Central Arkansas
Tuition: $7,333 per year for in-state students, $14,714 per year for out-of-state students
Fees: $1,238 per year for all students
Total cost of attendance: $26,602 per year for in-state students, $34,057 per year for out-of-state students
Enrollment: 11,177 students (undergraduate and graduate programs combined)
Degree awarded: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Number of faculty: 8
Faculty to student ratio: 1:4.6
Percent of students that are male or female: 17% male, 83% female
NCLEX pass rate: 93%
Program length: 2-3 years
Credits needed for completion: 35 credits
Student Demographics, Faculty to Student Ratio, and Male to Female Ratio
The student demographics in nursing programs in Arkansas vary depending on the program and the school. However, nursing programs generally have a higher percentage of female students than male students. According to the National Student Nurses’ Association, the male to female ratio in nursing programs is approximately 1:10. The faculty to student ratio in nursing programs in Arkansas also varies, with some schools having a ratio of 1:15 and others having a ratio of 1:30.