- The Inkwell
- Arkansas
- Philander Smith University
Little Rock, ARCity: midsizeZIP 72202Founded 1877
- Sector
- Private nonprofit
- Founded
- 1877
- Carnegie class
- Baccalaureate: diverse fields
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.philander.edu
ArkansasHBCUReligious affiliationPrivate nonprofit
Philander Smith University
Philander Smith University is a private nonprofit university in Little Rock, Arkansas, with 751 undergraduates. It graduates 36% within six years and costs $22,153 a year after aid.
36%graduate
Retention66%
4-year graduation26%
Pell Grant share62%
Federal loans62%
$22,153net price / year
openadmissions
—average SAT
36%graduate in 6 years
$40,195median earnings, 10 yrs
$29,375median debt
#1,580 of 1,704 for earnings#1,032 of 1,739 for lowest net price#1,441 of 1,738 for graduation rate
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $28,340tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $13,014
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $13,014
- Average net price
- $22,153national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$22,078
$30,001–48,000$22,352
$48,001–75,000$22,192
$75,001–110,000$22,110
$110,001+$22,147
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- open admissionsnational median 77%
- Average SAT
- —
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- —
- SAT math, middle 50%
- —
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- —
Against the national median
Retention · this college66%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college36%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college62%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 36%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 26%
- First-year retention
- 66%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 37%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $32,067
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $40,195middle 50%: $22,185–$56,562
- Median debt at graduation
- $29,375
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$56,562
Median, Philander Smith University$40,195
Lower quarter$22,185
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 751
- Part-time
- 16%
- Women / men
- 51% / 49%
- Average age at entry
- 21.9
- First-generation students
- 43%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 62%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 11 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 100%
- Average faculty salary
- $7,335 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $6,043
- Endowment, end of year
- $14,822,763
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White6.7%
Hispanic3.1%
Black79%
Two or more races1.2%
U.S. nonresident8.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.4%
Unknown1.5%
12 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management30%
Biological & biomedical sciences13%
Psychology9.6%
Homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting9.6%
Public administration & social service8.4%
Parks, recreation & fitness7.2%
Computer & information sciences4.8%
Education3.6%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit colleges in Arkansas
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Ozarks Clarksville, AR | $17,192 | 48% | $44,113 |
| Lyon College Batesville, AR | $14,400 | 45% | $49,833 |
| Central Baptist College Conway, AR | $20,276 | 41% | $49,734 |
| Williams Baptist University Walnut Ridge, AR | $17,814 | 36% | $47,042 |
| Hendrix College Conway, AR | $23,177 | 72% | $59,310 |
| Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock, AR | $12,951 | 7.2% | $35,793 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka College Eureka, IL | $21,198 | 36% | $51,381 |
| Fisher College Boston, MA | $22,042 | 40% | $52,749 |
| Keystone College La Plume, PA | $22,909 | 38% | $46,892 |
| Baptist University of Florida Graceville, FL | $21,817 | 40% | $42,284 |
| Newberry College Newberry, SC | $22,104 | 42% | $51,404 |
| Kansas Wesleyan University Salina, KS | $22,165 | 42% | $57,332 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 107600. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q7182919.