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Ouachita Baptist University

Private nonprofit Arkadelphia, AR · Town · Southeast · 100% data reported · Agent Insights · Claim Your School's Profile ➜
66%
Graduation Rate
$51,673
Earnings (10yr)
$22,409
Net Price
68%
Acceptance Rate
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Why Ouachita Baptist University Matters

Ouachita Baptist University is a private liberal arts college in Arkadelphia, AR and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Liberal Arts College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
Enrollment
1,602
Setting
Town
Designations
75
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical, Visual & Performing Arts

Why students choose Ouachita Baptist University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 44% overall
B
Earnings
$51,673 median
C-
Value
2.3× net price
D+
Affordability
$22,409/yr net
C+
Graduation
66% graduate
B+
Social Mobility
2.4% climb Q1→Q5
B-
Selectivity
68% admit rate
D
Diversity
0.34 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

About 66% of students complete their degree at Ouachita Baptist University. This graduation rate reflects a supportive environment in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where students can thrive academically and socially. With an acceptance rate of 68%, many students have the opportunity to join this community.

Data from Opportunity Insights shows that Ouachita Baptist graduates earn an average of $51,673 ten years after enrollment. This financial outcome suggests a solid return on investment for students. While specific mobility rates are not available, the earnings data indicates that graduates can find stable employment in various fields.

Attending Ouachita Baptist comes with a net price of $22,409, and the median debt for graduates is $21,050. Students who flourish here are likely to be those pursuing degrees in Business, Health Professions, or Education. The campus culture values personal growth and academic achievement, making it an appealing choice for motivated learners.

Rankings

1

Can I Get In?

How selective Ouachita Baptist University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Ouachita Baptist University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist University admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 68%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,211. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 66%.

Acceptance Rate 68%
Retention Rate 83%
SAT Average 1211
SAT Range 1070–1280
ACT Range 22–28
Full-Time Faculty 95%
Faculty Salary (mo) $7,702
Student–Faculty Ratio 12:1
Diversity Index 0.34
First-Gen Students 24%
Applicants 2,063
Admitted 1,492
2

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Ouachita Baptist University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

When weighing the true cost of attending Ouachita Baptist University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $34,500 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $22,409 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,207 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $21,050.

$34,500
In-State Tuition
$34,500
Out-of-State
$22,409
Avg Net Price
$21,050
Median Debt
23%
Pell Grant Rate
46%
Federal Loan Rate

What Families Actually Pay

$15,207
Family Income $0–$30K
$15,954
Family Income $30K–$48K
$18,007
Family Income $48K–$75K
$26,281
Family Income $110K+
3

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Ouachita Baptist University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Ouachita Baptist University earn a median of $51,673, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.

$41,697
6 Years After Entry
$47,024
8 Years
$51,673
10 Years
0.41x
Debt-to-Earnings
59%
Earning > $25K

Earnings Trajectory

$41,697 6yr $47,024 8yr $51,673 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

54%
100% (221)
54%
100% (221)
54%
100% (221)
54%
100% (221)

How Ouachita Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation66%Earnings 10yr$52KNet Price$22KRetention83%Median Debt$21KPell Grant Rate23%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$15K$0-30K$16K$30-48K$18K$48-75K$26K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%9.2%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%25.6%MOBILITY2.36%
4

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Ouachita Baptist University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Ouachita Baptist University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 2.36%, among the highest in the country. About 9.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 25.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $88,300, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

2.36%
Mobility Rate
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
25.6%
Success Rate
If bottom 20% get in
9.2%
From Bottom 20%
Share of students
$88,300
Parent Median Income

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Ouachita Baptist University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Ouachita Baptist University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.67 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

1.67
Economic Connectedness
Cross-class friendships
-0.02
Friending Bias
Lower = more inclusive
6.6%
Volunteering Rate
1.00
Support Ratio
Community support

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
Total Expenses
$5,417,946
Federal Grants
$-1,710,085
Investment Income

Top Programs

The fields Ouachita Baptist University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Ouachita Baptist University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +

Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist University admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 68%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,211. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 66%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Ouachita Baptist University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +

When weighing the true cost of attending Ouachita Baptist University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $34,500 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $22,409 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $15,207 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $21,050.

Is Ouachita Baptist University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +

Ten years out, alumni of Ouachita Baptist University earn a median of $51,673, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.

Does Ouachita Baptist University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +

Ouachita Baptist University is a genuine engine of upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 2.36%, among the highest in the country. About 9.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 25.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $88,300, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Ouachita Baptist University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +

Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Ouachita Baptist University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.67 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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