Nicholls State vs University of Central Arkansas (UCA)

Nicholls State University and University of Central Arkansas, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Nicholls State, nestled in the charming town of Thibodaux, Louisiana, boasts a tight-knit community and a focus on undergraduate education. In contrast, the University of Central Arkansas, located in the vibrant city of Conway, Arkansas, offers a more comprehensive range of academic programs, including graduate degrees. While Nicholls State prides itself on its high acceptance rate, making it an accessible option for many students, UCA's selectivity ensures a competitive and academically rigorous environment. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences, including popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, to determine which university best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Nicholls State University	University of Central Arkansas
Overview
Location	Thibodaux, Louisiana	Conway, Arkansas
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	70.0%	71.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	97.2%	92.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $36	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $45
SAT range	1038 - 1228	980 - 1160
ACT range	20 - 25	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	2.0%	3.0%
Students submitting ACT score	98.0%	94.0%
Total number of applicants	2,167	6,057
Total number of admissions given out	2,106	5,595
Admitted students who chose to enroll	958	1,854
Yield rate	45.5%	33.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $24,440 Out of state: $25,533	In state: $25,219 Out of state: $32,089
Average net price	$12,907	$14,042
Tuition	In state: $4,922 Out of state: $6,015	In state: $6,870 Out of state: $13,740
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,846 Meal plan: $3,562	Room/dormitory: $4,326 Meal plan: $3,570
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	96.0% Average amount $8,215	92.0% Average amount $7,693
Students receiving federal student loan	50.0% Average amount $5,010	51.0% Average amount $5,106
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $8,263	5.0% Average amount $10,426

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	5,567 Men 36.4% Women 63.6%	8,244 Men 39.0% Women 61.0%
Graduate students	658 Men 18.8% Women 81.2%	1,861 Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	7.9%
International students	1.5%	3.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	1,423	3,675
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Arkansas Texas Oklahoma Tennessee Alabama

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Multidisciplinary Studies Psychology	Health Professions Education Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	50.2%	49.4%
Dropout rate	24.0%	19.1%
Transferred out	24.0%	29.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $92,217 Year 2: $89,841 Year 3: $99,390 Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,846 Year 2: $52,733 Year 3: $68,809 Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $54,415 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $60,810 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $57,839 Year 2: $56,641 Year 3: $59,396 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,286 Year 2: $60,030 Year 3: $59,338 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,223 Year 2: $47,046 Year 3: $46,006 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,732 Year 2: $45,383 Year 3: $43,138 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $36,995 Year 2: $40,768 Year 3: $42,970 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,281 Year 2: $37,779 Year 3: $42,819 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,155 Year 2: $45,500 Year 3: $41,451	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $92,284 Year 2: $92,358 Year 3: $96,070 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $72,491 Year 2: $70,736 Year 3: $76,640 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,696 Year 2: $67,548 Year 3: $65,753 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,174 Year 2: $58,842 Year 3: $59,396 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,787 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $57,030 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $51,827 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $55,240 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,080 Year 2: $45,305 Year 3: $52,677 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,462 Year 2: $47,729 Year 3: $52,542 Library Science, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,140 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $49,838 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,755 Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: $49,837

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Nicholls State vs University of Central Arkansas (UCA)

Nicholls State University

University of Central Arkansas

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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