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Colleges / AR / Walnut Ridge
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Williams Baptist University

#1 Best Education Colleges in Arkansas
Private nonprofit Walnut Ridge, AR · Rural · Southeast · 100% data
C+ Affordability C Social Mobility C Value
31%
F
Graduation Rate
Lower completion rate than most colleges
$38,484
C-
Earnings (10yr)
Below average for college graduates
$15,745
C+
Net Price
Close to the national average
83%
C-
Acceptance Rate
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings -6% vs avg
Graduation -47% vs avg
Net Price +-8% vs avg
Mobility Top 50%

Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 12.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.4 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Education Colleges in Arkansas.

12.4× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $12.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $715,350.

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What The Data Says

1

A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

2

Graduation of 31% — 47% below the national average.

3

Every $1 invested returns $12.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Williams Baptist University Matters

Williams Baptist University is a private college in Walnut Ridge, AR and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.

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

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
478
Setting
Rural
Designations
75
Primary Strengths
Humanities, Business & Marketing, Education, Psychology

Why students choose Williams Baptist University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community
Strength in Humanities
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C-
Top 59% overall
C-
Earnings
$38,484 median
C
Value
2.4× net price
C+
Affordability
$15,745/yr net
F
Graduation
31% graduate
C
Social Mobility
1.5% climb Q1→Q5
C-
Selectivity
83% admit rate
D+
Diversity
0.43 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

Williams Baptist University serves 478 students with an acceptance rate of 83%. This accessibility makes it a viable option for many prospective students seeking a private education in Arkansas. However, the graduation rate sits at only 31%, indicating challenges in student retention and completion.

The outcomes data from Opportunity Insights is not available for this institution. Without specific numbers on economic mobility or success for low-income students, it’s difficult to assess how well Williams Baptist University supports its students in achieving upward mobility. This lack of data raises questions about the long-term value of a degree from this university.

From a practical standpoint, the net price for attending Williams Baptist University is $15,745, with a median debt of $21,820 for graduates. The average earnings ten years after graduation is $38,484. Students in programs like Humanities, Business & Marketing, Education, Psychology, and Biology & Biomedical may find the most success here, particularly those motivated to engage with the university community and utilize available resources.

Rankings

1

Can I Get In?

How selective Williams 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 Williams Baptist University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Williams Baptist University, located in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 83% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 980. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 31%.

Acceptance Rate 83%
Retention Rate 70%
SAT Average 980
ACT Midpoint 22
ACT Range 16–21
Full-Time Faculty 100%
Faculty Salary (mo) $5,570
Student–Faculty Ratio 16:1
Diversity Index 0.43
First-Gen Students 32%
Applicants 951
Admitted 564
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 Williams Baptist University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

When weighing the true cost of attending Williams Baptist University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $21,070 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 $15,745 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,733 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $21,820.

$21,070
In-State Tuition
$21,070
Out-of-State
$15,745
Avg Net Price
$21,820
Median Debt
54%
Pell Grant Rate
47%
Federal Loan Rate

What Families Actually Pay

$10,733
Family Income $0–$30K
$19,044
Family Income $30K–$48K
$15,655
Family Income $48K–$75K
$24,028
Family Income $110K+
3

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Williams Baptist University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Williams Baptist University report median earnings of $38,484; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

$38,067
6 Years After Entry
$38,828
8 Years
$38,484
10 Years
0.57x
Debt-to-Earnings
55%
Earning > $25K

Earnings Trajectory

$38,067 6yr $38,828 8yr $38,484 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

29%
100% (48)
29%
100% (48)
29%
100% (48)
29%
100% (48)

How Williams Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation31%Earnings 10yr$38KNet Price$16KRetention70%Median Debt$22KPell Grant Rate54%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$11K$0-30K$19K$30-48K$16K$48-75K$24K$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%14.1%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%10.4%MOBILITY1.46%

College ROI Calculator

Is Williams Baptist University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Williams Baptist University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $15,745/year ($62,980 total). Graduates earn $38,484 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $778,330 in total earnings — a net gain of $715,350 (12.4× your investment). The median debt is $21,820, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 31% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

$62,980
Total Cost (4yr)
$778,330
Projected 20yr Earnings
$715,350
Net Return
12.4×
ROI Multiple
$15,745
Cost Per Year
$21,820
Median Debt
Less than 1 yr
Debt Payback
31%
Graduation Rate
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 Williams Baptist University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Williams 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 1.46%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here: roughly 14.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a genuine foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $53,800, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

1.46%
Mobility Rate
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
10.4%
Success Rate
If bottom 20% get in
14.1%
From Bottom 20%
Share of students
$53,800
Parent Median Income

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Williams 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 Williams Baptist University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.41 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

1.41
Economic Connectedness
Cross-class friendships
-0.05
Friending Bias
Lower = more inclusive
5.8%
Volunteering Rate
1.00
Support Ratio
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
Total Expenses
$708,583
Federal Grants
$-1,300,860
Investment Income

Top Programs

The fields Williams 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 Williams Baptist University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +

Williams Baptist University, located in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, keeps admissions accessible, extending offers to roughly 83% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 980. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 31%.

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

When weighing the true cost of attending Williams Baptist University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $21,070 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 $15,745 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,733 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $21,820.

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

Ten years out, alumni of Williams Baptist University report median earnings of $38,484; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

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

Williams 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 1.46%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here: roughly 14.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a genuine foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $53,800, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Williams 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 Williams Baptist University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.41 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.05), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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