With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a college degree. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges in Arkansas ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Our analysis looked at 27 schools in Arkansas to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. While associate degree recipients from schools in Arkansas earn an average starting salary of $43,280, those from the top 20 school on this list made an average of $45,010.
Starting Salary ( 32197 to 54078 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in Arkansas take out an average of $9,013.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Our 2025 rankings named Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas the best school in Arkansas in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. This small public school is located in De Queen, Arkansas, and it awarded 238 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from UA Cossatot make an average of $41,849 a year.
Out of the 27 associate degree schools in Arkansas that were part of this year’s ranking, NorthWest Arkansas Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,135 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from NWACC is $43,033 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Arkansas State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 in Arkansas on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. A-State is located in Jonesboro, Arkansas and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 699 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from A-State is $60,787 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arkansas Northeastern College. It ranked #4 on our 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Arkansas Northeastern College is a small public school situated in Blytheville, Arkansas. It awarded 164 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $46,136 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree in Arkansas list means University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Little Rock, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 361 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $66,420 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $6,500.
University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College landed the #6 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. Located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, the small public school awarded 719 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $30,239 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $9,700 after getting their degree.
Southeast Arkansas College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #7. Southeast Arkansas College is a small public school located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas that handed out 152 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Arkansas Tech University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Located in Russellville, Arkansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,563 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $43,064 during the early years of their career.
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith landed the #9 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. UAFS is a public institution located in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 210 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from UAFS make an average of $45,967 per year during the early years of their career.
Southern Arkansas University Tech ranked #10 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. SAU Tech is located in Camden, Arkansas and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 210 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from SAU Tech is $43,212 during the early years of their career.
University of Arkansas Community College - Morrilton landed the #11 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. UACCM is a public institution located in Morrilton, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 398 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from UACCM go into careers with an average salary of $43,350 during the early years of their career.
University of Central Arkansas did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking, coming in at #12. UCA is located in Conway, Arkansas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 29 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
University of Arkansas at Monticello came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. UAM is a public institution located in Monticello, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 277 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from UAM is $30,523 during the early years of their career.
National Park College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. This small public school is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and it awarded 239 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from National Park College go into careers with an average salary of $45,270 during the early years of their career.
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas ranked #15 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Phillips County Community College is a small public school situated in Helena, Arkansas. It awarded 108 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,474 during the early years of their career.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is located in Magnolia, Arkansas and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 373 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
North Arkansas College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. North Arkansas College is a small public school located in Harrison, Arkansas that handed out 286 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Northark go into careers with an average salary of $38,211 during the early years of their career.
Ozarka College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. Ozarka College is a small public school situated in Melbourne, Arkansas. It awarded 202 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
South Arkansas Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. South Arkansas Community College is a small public school located in El Dorado, Arkansas that handed out 163 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from SouthArk make an average of $59,370 per year during the early years of their career.
Arkansas State University Three Rivers ranked #20 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. ASU Three Rivers is a public institution located in Malvern, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 89 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
University of Arkansas Community College - Batesville came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. This small public school is located in Batesville, Arkansas, and it awarded 195 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from UACCB make an average of $64,187 per year during the early years of their career.
Arkansas State University - Mountain Home landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas ranking. ASUMH is a public institution located in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 275 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from ASUMH make an average of $36,242 per year during the early years of their career.
Arkansas State University - Newport ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Located in Newport, Arkansas, the small public school awarded 309 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from ASUN make an average of $52,286 per year during the early years of their career.
Black River Technical College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Located in Pocahontas, Arkansas, the small public school handed out 375 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Black River Technical College make an average of $42,061 per year during the early years of their career.
Arkansas State University - Beebe ranked #25 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Arkansas list. Arkansas State University - Beebe is a small public school located in Beebe, Arkansas that handed out 601 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from ASU-Beebe make an average of $26,529 per year during the early years of their career.
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).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
