For those interested in studying in Arkansas, we have a very useful list. We selected the best Arkansas institutions for prospective students. Please know that rankings are based on academic research, alumni reviews, graduation rates, as well as assessment from peer colleges. On the page, you will find major admissions stats such as acceptance rate, tuition fees, average SAT scores for each ranked college or university.
| Rankings | Schools |
| 1 | University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR) Tuition: in-state: $7,554, out-of-state: $18,434 Total enrollment: 23,199 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 60.9% Average freshman retention rate: 83% 6-year graduation rate: 59% Classes with under 20 students: 28.6% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 23-28 |
| 2 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Little Rock, AR) Tuition: in-state: $6,854, out-of-state: $16,066 Total enrollment: N/A Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 96.2% Average freshman retention rate: 62% 6-year graduation rate: 20% Classes with under 20 students: N/A SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 19-25 |
Economy of Arkansas
The main sectors of the economy of the state of Arkansas are agriculture, mining and processing of minerals, food processing, production of lumber and pulp and paper products, engineering and others.
The fertile lands of Arkansas, especially in the Arkansas Delta region, are very favorable for agriculture.
Cotton, although a very important crop in Arkansas (as well as in other southern US states), is no longer the state’s staple crop. Rice, soybeans, wheat and other crops are grown in the fields of Arkansas.
Arkansas is one of the largest producers of poultry meat (primarily broilers and turkeys) and eggs in the United States. The state also has a well-developed breeding of pigs, cattle and the production of dairy products.
In Arkansas, many fruits (mainly apples) and berries (strawberries) are grown, and fish are farmed and processed.
Of great importance for the economy of the state of Arkansas (especially its southern regions) is mining.
The subsoil of Arkansas is rich in bauxites, the state of which is the leader in the production of bauxite in the United States. In Arkansas, as well as in the neighboring states of Oklahoma and Texas, oil and natural gas are produced, and several oil refineries also operate. In southern Arkansas, a very high concentration of bromine has been found in by-products (brines) from oil production. Now Arkansas provides almost one hundred percent of bromine production in the United States (and about forty percent in the world). Coal, vanadium, lead, zinc, silver, copper, antimony, gypsum, chalk and other minerals are also mined in the state.
At the beginning of the 20th century, diamonds were found in Arkansas, although it was not possible to organize their extraction on an industrial scale for various reasons.
Arkansas is home to the headquarters of several large American companies. In Bentonville, there is the head office of the world’s largest chain of retail stores Wal-Mart, in Springdale – Tyson Foods, which ranks second in the world in terms of production and sales of meat and poultry, in Lowell – one of the largest US carriers JB Hunt.
There are no large cities in Arkansas, the majority of the state ‘s population lives in rural areas, so industry is not very developed here. But huge forests, numerous rivers, picturesque mountains are very conducive to the development of tourism.
Back in the seventies of the XX century, the tourism industry began to actively develop in Arkansas. The nickname of Arkansas – “Natural State” is focused on tourists. Arkansas is home to several national parks, including one of the oldest in the United States, Hot Springs National Park.