Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

https://www.saumag.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$7,380

2.5% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$13,442

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

75.3%

2,708 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

4,732

62.5% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

44.5%

393 Graduates

About

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a higher education institution located in Columbia County, AR. In 2024, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus were General Computer & Information Sciences (598 degrees awarded), Teacher Education & Professional Development (99 degrees), and General Business Administration & Management (60 degrees).

In 2024, 1,894 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus. 53.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 46.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (895 degrees), 3.47 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (258 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is $7,380, which is $−16,620 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is $7,380, which is $16,620 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $13,442.

In 2024, 85% of undergraduate students attending Southern Arkansas University Main Campus received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 63% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$7,380

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus was $7,380. The cost of tuition at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is $−16,620 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$13,442

2024 Value

5.1%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $13,442. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus grew by 5.1%.

This chart compares the average net price of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$7,601

Room and Board

$1,600

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus was of $7,601 in 2024. The cost of room and board decreased by 2.66% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,600. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

85%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

63%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

85% of undergraduate students at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 12.4% with respect to 2023, when 97% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus received 2,708 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 7.77% annual growth. Out of those 2,708 applicants, 2,040 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 75.3% acceptance rate.

There were 4,732 students enrolled at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus in 2024. 7% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus has an overall enrollment yield of 34.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

75.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

2,040

Accepted Out of 2,708

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus was 75.3% (2,040 admissions from 2,708 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 66.6%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants declined by 7.77%, while admissions grew by 4.35%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

Submission Percentage (2024)

Scores Submitted (2024)

7% of enrolled first-time students at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus had a total enrollment of 4,732 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is 2,956 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,776. This means that 62.5% of students enrolled at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, both undergraduate and graduate, is 55.2% White, 19.5% Black or African American, 4.14% Hispanic or Latino, 4.02% Two or More Races, 0.719% Asian, 0.549% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0211% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (37.9%), followed by White Male (25.2%) and Black or African American Female (12.3%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (15.2%), followed by White Male (7.19%) and Black or African American Female (4.42%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

62.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 4,732 students. The full-time enrollment at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is 2,956 and the part-time enrollment is 1,776. This means that 62.5% of students enrolled at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are enrolled full-time compared with 67.1% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

66%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus was 66%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Southern Arkansas University Main Campus had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
2,612 enrolled students
Black or African American
925 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
196 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is 55.2% White, 19.5% Black or African American, 4.14% Hispanic or Latino, 4.02% Two or More Races, 0.719% Asian, 0.549% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0211% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 47.4% White, 18.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.6% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 12 students (0.254%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 138 more women than men received degrees from Southern Arkansas University Main Campus. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is white (895 degrees awarded). There were 3.47 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (258 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is General Computer & Information Sciences (598 degrees awarded), followed by Teacher Education & Professional Development (99 degrees) and General Business Administration & Management (60 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (638 degrees awarded), Agriculture (71 degrees), and Education (397 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,512,004 people), Software developers (684,497 people), Secondary school teachers (514,533 people), Other managers (286,610 people), and Education administrators (268,457 people).

The most specialized majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus in 2024 are Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (638 degrees awarded), Agriculture (71 degrees), Education (397 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (57 degrees), and Physical Sciences (36 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Physicians, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Dentists

The most specialized majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (638 degrees awarded), Agriculture (71 degrees), Education (397 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (57 degrees), and Physical Sciences (36 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are Elementary & secondary schools (2,811,370 people), Computer Systems Design (722,790 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (468,097 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (302,616 people), and Management, scientific & technical consulting services (152,807 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Southern Arkansas University Main Campus.

Most Common (2024)

General Studies
193 degrees awarded
General Business
40 degrees awarded
General Health Services
28 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common associates degree concentration at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus was General Studies with 193 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

878

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

1,016

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 878 degrees were awarded to men at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, which is 0.864 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,016).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 422 degrees were awarded to men at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus in General Computer & Information Sciences, which is 1.98 times more than the 213 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 213 degrees were awarded to men at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus in General Computer & Information Sciences, which is 0.505 times less than the 422 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

24%

100% Completion Time

33%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 24% of students graduating from Southern Arkansas University Main Campus completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 33% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 35% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
895 degrees awarded
Black or African American
258 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
57 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is white (895 degrees awarded). There were 3.47 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (258 degrees).

0.106% of degree recipients (2 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
628 degrees awarded
White Female
609 degrees awarded
White Female
569 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is white female (628 degrees awarded). There were 1.03 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (609 degrees).

Operations

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus has an endowment valued at nearly $63.2M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.63M (2.58%) compared to the 9.2% average return (4.22M on 45.9M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2024, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus had a total salary expenditure of 78.3M. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus employs 53 Associate professors, 48 Assistant professors and 33 Instructors. Most academics at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are Male Associate professor (30), Female Assistant professor (26), and Female Associate professor (23).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus are: Office and Administrative Support, with 72 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 42 employees, and Management with 27 employees.

Endowment

$63.2M

2024 Endowment

12.9%

growth from 2023

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus has an endowment valued at about $63.2M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus grew 12.9% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $17.4M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$30.8M

2024 Salaries

0.0374%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus paid a median of $30.8M in salaries, which represents 39.3% of their overall expenditure ($78.3M) and a 0.0374% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.66% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 5.96% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$11.1M

Instructional Salaries

158

Number of Employees

In 2024, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus paid a total of $11.1M to 158 employees working as instructors, which represents 36% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $965k (3.13%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus were Office and Administrative Support with 72 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 42 employees, and Management with 27 employees.

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