Tuition fees for Arkansas residents attending South Arkansas College rose by 10.4% in the 2022-23 school year, based on recent data disclosures, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Arkansas residents paid $3,324 to enroll at the two-year public college this year, which is $231 higher than the $3,093 charged in the 2021-22 academic year.
Non-resident students faced tuition costs 54.2% higher than those for residents in 2022-23, amounting to $5,124. This represents a 4.7% increase from the $4,893 charged in the previous year.
Approximately 73% of the undergraduate student body at South Arkansas College are Arkansas residents, while about 27% come from other states.
Data indicates that 99% of full-time undergraduates who began studies at South Arkansas College in 2022-23 received some form of student financial aid. A total of 161 students were awarded grants or scholarships amounting to $1.1 million, and 27 students obtained student loans exceeding $112,412.
Among all undergraduate students, 851 received grants or scholarships totaling $4.3 million. Additionally, 205 students borrowed a combined total of $972,250 in federal student loans.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
The following data includes only full-time students who began an undergraduate program at the South Arkansas College in the 2022-23 school year.
| Type of Aid | Number of students awarded aid | Percent awarded aid | Total amount of aid awarded | Average amount of aid per student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal grants | 157 | 95% | $856,927 | $5,458 |
| State / local grant or scholarship | 37 | 22% | $46,475 | $1,256 |
| Institutional grants or scholarships | 86 | 52% | $175,017 | $2,035 |
| Grant or scholarship aid total | 161 | 98% | $1.1 million | $6,698 |
| Federal student loans | 27 | 16% | $112,412 | $4,163 |
| Other student loans | 0 | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Student loan aid | 27 | 16% | $112,412 | $4,163 |
| Total student aid | 163 | 99% | $1.2 million | $7,305 |
Information in this story was obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics. The source data can be found here.
