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Philander Smith University

Little Rock, AR

HBCU

N/A

Acceptance Rate

$13,014

Avg Cost (In-State)

$13,014

Avg Cost (Out-of-State)

31.4%

Graduation Rate

751

Total Enrollment

Official website ↗

By the numbers

Philander Smith University, at a glance

$38,427median earnings, 10 years after entry

31%graduation rate

751students enrolled

$13,014sticker cost / year (out-of-state, before aid)

Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.

Popular programs

Social WorkBusiness AdministrationEducationBiology/Pre-HealthComputer ScienceCriminal Justice

Application requirements

Regular Deadline

Rolling admissions

Common App

Yes

Test Policy

Test Optional

Essays Required

Letters of Rec

Application Fee

$25

Interview

Not required

Essays: Personal statement required through Common App or institutional application

Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.

Getting there

From:

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Graduate outcomes

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

$25,254

Median Earnings at 6 Years

median graduate salary 6 years after starting

$38,427

Median Earnings at 10 Years

median graduate salary 10 years after starting

31%

4-Year Graduation Rate

students completing degree within 4 years

Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.

Earnings by major

Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.

Program	Median earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations.	$27,413	$43,163	18
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other.	—	$44,330	—

Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.

What current students say

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What will you actually pay?

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In College

Tactics that apply here

Things you can do that most families don't know about.

Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools

~$15k value

At many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.

Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.

How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.

Source ↗

Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship

~$14k value

Arkansas pays $1,000-$5,000/year at any AR college based on year in school, for residents with 19 ACT / 990 SAT or 2.5+ GPA.

Who it helps: Arkansas residents attending any AR public or eligible private college.

How to use: File FAFSA + the YOUniversal application at scholarships.adhe.edu by July 1.

Source ↗

File FAFSA the day it opens

~$5k value

Most schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.

Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.

How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.

Source ↗

CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA

Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.

Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.

How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.

Source ↗

Scholarships