University of Central Arkansas acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 89%, University of Central Arkansas is an accessible public university in Arkansas. Because it admits most qualified applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what University of Central Arkansas weighs, where it ranks among Arkansas schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1150, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of Central Arkansas?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of Central Arkansas?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Central Arkansas, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Central Arkansas?
University of Central Arkansas admits most qualified applicants (around 89%), but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of Central Arkansas in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Central Arkansas hard to get into?
University of Central Arkansas is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 89% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Central Arkansas?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Central Arkansas, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. University of Central Arkansas reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Central Arkansas by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Central Arkansas for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of Central Arkansas with a 3.1 GPA and a 1040 SAT?
About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1040 SAT, the middle of University of Central Arkansas's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1170 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-central-arkansas.
How to get into University of Central Arkansas
Built from University of Central Arkansas's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Here is how to get into University of Central Arkansas, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Central Arkansas carries about a 3.02 core GPA and a 1120 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 910 to 1170 SAT (19 to 25 ACT). Submit a score at 1040 or higher; below 910, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of Central Arkansas rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of Central Arkansas's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.uca.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of Central Arkansas, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, University of Central Arkansas received 6,589 applications and admitted 5,961, an acceptance rate of 90.5%. 1,737 enrolled. Only about 29% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of Central Arkansas enrolls about 7,762 undergraduates in total, 62% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 15 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Central Arkansas?
The middle 50% of admitted students at University of Central Arkansas scored between 910 and 1170 on the SAT (average 1118). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 19 to 25. A score above 1170 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 910 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of Central Arkansas is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Central Arkansas looks for
What University of Central Arkansas weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, University of Central Arkansas leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Central Arkansas's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Central Arkansas
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Central Arkansas cost after financial aid?
University of Central Arkansas's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $25,029 per year. Tuition and fees are $10,523 for AR residents and $18,023 for out-of-state students, a $7,500 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $16,511 a year, and it ranges from $14,656 for families earning under $30,000 to $20,157 for families earning over $110,000. 38% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of Central Arkansas graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Central Arkansas student who received federal aid earns $45,938 a year, up from $36,670 at six years. 54% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $20,346; 40% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Central Arkansas compares in Arkansas
University of Central Arkansas ranks #17 most selective of 18 schools in Arkansas in our database.
Among the 18 Arkansas schools we track, University of Central Arkansas ranks #17 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (41%) and Philander Smith University (50%) sit nearby, which makes Arkansas a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of Central Arkansas
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around University of Central Arkansas with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Colorado State University, East Carolina University, and Iowa State University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Central Arkansas's acceptance rate?
University of Central Arkansas admitted 5,961 of 6,589 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 90.5% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 29% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Central Arkansas?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 910 to 1170 on the SAT and 19 to 25 on the ACT. A score above 1170 is in the top quarter of admits. University of Central Arkansas is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of Central Arkansas test-optional?
Yes. University of Central Arkansas reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does University of Central Arkansas cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Central Arkansas, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $16,511 a year against a sticker price of about $25,029. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $14,656 on average.
What do University of Central Arkansas graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Central Arkansas are $45,938 a year among students who received federal aid, and 54% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Central Arkansas value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Central Arkansas weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Central Arkansas favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of Central Arkansas generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of Central Arkansas?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of Central Arkansas specifically.
How does residency affect admission to University of Central Arkansas?
As a public university, University of Central Arkansas typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
What are the admission requirements for University of Central Arkansas?
University of Central Arkansas reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.