Arkansas has four represented accelerated BSN programs, with campus and hybrid options for students preparing to enter nursing. Published program lengths range from 12 to 16 months after required prior coursework; admission requirements, clinical travel and tuition billing differ substantially.
Last Updated: September 30, 2026
Arkansas ABSN Programs at a Glance
Tuition below excludes fees, prerequisites and living expenses. UAFS uses a current-rate resident estimate; A-State and Harding publish nursing-sequence prices. UAMS is shown per credit for its Northwest Arkansas campus, so that amount is not comparable to the other program totals.
| School | Tuition basis | Duration | Minimum GPA | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Arkansas State Jonesboro, AR | $20,234 nursing core | 15 months | 2.5 cumulative; 3.0 prerequisites | Fall 2; Spring 2 |
Harding Rogers, AR | $60,480 published tuition | 16 months | 2.5 cumulative; 2.78 pre-nursing | January; May; August |
UAFS Fort Smith, AR | $12,540 resident estimate | 15 months | 2.5 cumulative | Fall; spring |
UAMS Little Rock and Fayetteville, AR | $370/credit, NWA resident rate | 12 months advertised | 2.5 cumulative and prerequisites | Campus and cohort schedule |
How to Compare Arkansas ABSN Programs
- Previous education: A-State, UAFS and UAMS require a prior degree. Harding also considers applicants with at least 64 college credits.
- Attendance: Online theory at A-State and Harding still requires travel for labs and clinicals.
- Budget: Compare tuition separately from nursing fees, university fees and travel costs.
- Entry timing: A-State and Harding offer defined starts; UAFS publishes fall and spring application cycles.
Program Format and Attendance
Arkansas State combines online theory with assigned Friday–Sunday clinical attendance in Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas. Clinical days become 12 hours from the second term, and community projects also require local attendance. Some Memphis placements may be available later.
Harding combines online coursework with skills and simulation labs in Rogers. Its clinical region includes Rogers and Fort Smith; its Christian curriculum also includes Bible coursework.
UAFS offers a campus-based program in Fort Smith. Its published fall-entry plan runs through fall, spring, summer and a final fall term.
UAMS advertises a 12-month pathway in Little Rock and Fayetteville. Applicants should use the attendance and course sequence for their selected campus and cohort.
Admissions and Prerequisite Differences
| School | GPA definition | Important preparation |
|---|---|---|
2.5 cumulative undergraduate; 3.0 prerequisites | All prerequisites completed before applying; repeated attempts count. | |
2.5 cumulative on ABSN website; catalog uses 2.78 pre-nursing for unconditional admission | HESI A2 composite 70; current hybrid catalog lists 34 pre-nursing credits. | |
2.5 across college coursework, including transfers and excluding developmental courses | C minimum; pathophysiology must be completed at UAFS before nursing admission. | |
2.5 cumulative and 2.5 prerequisites | 58 prerequisite credits; a bachelor’s degree conferred before enrollment provides the TEAS exemption. |
Anatomy, physiology, microbiology and chemistry recur across the programs, but equivalent courses and supporting requirements differ. Course-age limits and repeat policies must be checked school by school rather than applied statewide.
Harding’s catalog allows possible part-time conditional consideration below the 2.78 pre-nursing threshold. That does not guarantee entry to its standard 16-month sequence. A-State’s early-admission criteria require 3.6 cumulative and prerequisite GPAs.
Start Dates and Application Deadlines
| School | Published timing | Planning detail |
|---|---|---|
Arkansas State | Spring 2 begins March 8, 2027; application deadline February 1, 2027 | Nursing starts are Fall 2 and Spring 2, not every date on the general online calendar. |
Harding | January, May and August starts | Obtain the deadline and availability for the chosen ABSN cohort. |
UAFS | March 1 for fall; October 1 for spring | Use the accelerated BSN application cycle. |
UAMS | Fall 2027 BSN admissions page: January 15 priority; March 1 regular | Applications open October 1; follow the selected campus and cohort instructions. |
Meeting an application deadline or a minimum GPA does not guarantee admission.
Tuition and Costs
UAFS: The 55-credit accelerated phase is estimated at $12,540 for Arkansas and eligible border-state residents using the 2026–27 rate of $228 per credit. Other nonresident tuition is estimated at $22,000. Mandatory university fees add approximately $6,149.50 over four terms; nursing program, lab and other charges are additional.
Arkansas State: Published tuition is $20,234, or 67 credits at $302 per credit, for U.S. residents. Its tuition footnote lists separate testing resources, clinical expenses, books and licensure costs, so the price should not be treated as all-inclusive.
Harding: Published tuition is $60,480, based on 64 billed credits. Nursing fees of $5,100 and technology fees of $2,400 bring the published tuition-and-fee estimate to $67,980, before prerequisite and personal expenses.
UAMS: The 2026–27 Northwest Arkansas ABSN schedule lists $370 per credit for residents and qualifying residents of six neighboring states, or $645 for other nonresidents. These rates are not full-program totals and should not be used to rank UAMS against the prices above. Campus-specific fees and attendance expenses are separate.
Current-rate calculations can span future academic years, but future tuition increases may raise the actual bill. Review each profile’s calculation and fee breakdown before comparing budgets.
Clinical Training and NCLEX Outcomes
A-State reports 750 combined lab, clinical and field hours; these should not be described as 750 bedside clinical hours. Harding names Mercy Hospital Northwest, Vantage Point Behavioral Health Hospital and Arkansas Children’s Hospital among its partners. UAFS integrates clinical progression standards with its coursework, including 100% mastery on dosage-calculation performance evaluations.
Published outcomes need matching populations and years. A-State’s combined 2025 ABSN first-time NCLEX rate was 90.7%, including 100% for May and 80% for December. Harding reports a 93.94% 2025 ABSN first-time NCLEX rate. These results do not rank overall program quality or predict an individual student’s outcome.
Arkansas ABSN Program Summaries
Arkansas State University ABSN Program
Jonesboro | $20,234 | 15 Months
Arkansas State offers a 15-month hybrid ABSN with online theory and assigned weekend clinical attendance in Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas. Published nursing-core tuition is $20,234 for U.S. residents; clinical, testing and other expenses are additional.
.. read more.Harding University ABSN Program
Rogers | $60,480 | 16 Months
Harding offers a 16-month hybrid ABSN in Rogers with January, May and August starts. The Christian curriculum combines online theory, local labs and regional clinicals; published tuition is $60,480, with $7,500 in nursing and technology fees listed separately.
.. read more.UAMS College of Nursing ABSN Program
Little Rock / Fayetteville | $370/credit (NWA resident) | 12 Months
UAMS advertises a 12-month accelerated BSN at Little Rock and Fayetteville for applicants with a prior degree. Bachelor’s-degree holders are exempt from TEAS; Northwest Arkansas tuition is listed per credit, with fees and campus-specific costs separate.
.. read more.University of Arkansas Fort Smith ABSN Program
Fort Smith | $12,540 | 15 Months
UAFS offers a 15-month campus-based ABSN in Fort Smith for graduates of other disciplines. The 55-credit accelerated phase has estimated resident tuition of $12,540 at 2026–27 rates, with university and nursing fees additional.
.. read more.