National university
#4 Best colleges in ArkansasHarding University
Searcy, AR · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $22,130 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in America#30 of 292
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#147 of 1,046
- Best colleges for social work in America#113 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#183 of 950
- Best colleges for nursing in America#224 of 1,068
- Best colleges for accounting in America#239 of 1,132
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In Arkansas
- Best mid-size colleges in Arkansas#1 of 9
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Arkansas#3 of 18
- Best colleges in Arkansas#4 of 23
- Best colleges for business in Arkansas#4 of 23
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Arkansas#4 of 23
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Arkansas#3 of 17
Show 17 more
- Best colleges for education in Arkansas#4 of 21
- Best colleges for social work in Arkansas#2 of 10
- Best colleges for psychology in Arkansas#4 of 20
- Best colleges for accounting in Arkansas#4 of 19
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Arkansas#4 of 19
- Best colleges for English in Arkansas#4 of 19
- Best colleges for music in Arkansas#4 of 19
- Best colleges for nursing in Arkansas#3 of 14
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Arkansas#4 of 18
- Best colleges for marketing in Arkansas#3 of 13
- Best colleges for art and design in Arkansas#4 of 17
- Best colleges for chemistry in Arkansas#4 of 17
- Best colleges for history in Arkansas#4 of 17
- Best colleges for mathematics in Arkansas#4 of 17
- Best colleges for finance in Arkansas#3 of 12
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Arkansas#4 of 16
- Best colleges for engineering in Arkansas#3 of 11
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.69%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.86%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,182 · ACT 24.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$11,670
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $39,534 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 3,496 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 46% · Women 54% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 21% |
| Total students | 4,608 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $22,130 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $39,534 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 69% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 62% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 55% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 73% |
| First-year retention | 86% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $52,876 |
| Admission rate | 71% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $734 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 24% |
| Average SAT | 1182 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 530–660 |
| SAT math | 520–630 |
| ACT composite | 20–29 |
| Test policy | Required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Accounting | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Nursing | |
| Finance | |
| Marketing | |
| Business administration | |
| Design | |
| Romance languages | |
| Speech-language pathology | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Public relations | |
| Secondary education | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Social work | |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Teacher education | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Broadcasting, Business/Corporate Communications, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Chemistry, Civil engineering, Clinical laboratory science, Communication studies, Computer engineering, Computing and information science, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services, Economics, Education (general), Electrical engineering, Experimental psychology, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Family and human development, Film and video, Fine arts, General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations, General studies, Global studies, Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities, Health administration, Health sciences, History, Housing and Human Environments, Human Biology, Human resources, Information science, Information technology, International business, Journalism, Mathematics, Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology, Music, Neuroscience, Pastoral counseling, Physics, Political science, Pre-health, Public administration, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious Education, Social sciences, Software and media applications, Special education, Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations, Theatre, Theology, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Health professions | |
| Education | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 5% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 5% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $9,060 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Great American Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 12%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 66%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $52,650IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 77% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field (LIT)About 46 miles away · about 1 hour by car |
| Town population | 23,340Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MemphisAbout 100 miles away · about 2 hours 15 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 40°F in January · 83°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Searcy, AR |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.05 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.03 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Harding University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 26% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Harding University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $22,130 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Harding University?
- Harding University admitted 71% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Harding University’s graduates do?
- 69% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $52,876; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 107044
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Churches of Christ
- Report an error or a newer source
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Colleges like this one
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