2026 Best Value Chemistry Schools in Arkansas
[Chemistry](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong chemistry education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools to find the best return on investment for chemistry students.
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2026 Best Value Chemistry Schools in Arkansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemistry, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemistry Schools
For return on investment in chemistry, no school beat University Of Arkansas Fort Smith this year. Set in the city of Fort Smith, University Of Arkansas Fort Smith is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,334, while out-of-state students pay about $12,182. Students borrow a median of $20,333 to complete the chemistry program here. Chemistry graduates of University Of Arkansas Fort Smith earn a median of $22,255 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,333 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Students looking for strong value in chemistry will find it at Arkansas Tech University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Russellville, Arkansas Tech University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,674 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,668. Students borrow a median of $23,257 to complete the chemistry program here. Chemistry graduates of Arkansas Tech University earn a median of $45,115 early in their careers. Set against $23,257 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Arkansas Tech University admits about 96% of applicants.
University Of Central Arkansas came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value chemistry schools. University Of Central Arkansas is a large public school located in the city of Conway. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,523, compared with $18,023 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for chemistry graduates is $21,125. Chemistry graduates of University Of Central Arkansas earn a median of $36,946 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Arkansas one of the best values for chemistry. Set in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,104, with out-of-state students paying around $29,966. Typical student debt for chemistry graduates is $24,875. Chemistry graduates of University Of Arkansas earn a median of $34,872 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,875 median debt. University Of Arkansas admits about 74% of applicants.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
