UAFS vs. WSSU

Deciding between University of Arkansas Fort Smith and Winston Salem State University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Winston Salem State University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UAFS Fort Smith, AR
  • WSSU Winston-Salem, NC
  • Setting
  • UAFS Small City
  • WSSU Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • UAFS 5,496
  • WSSU 4,782
  • Type
  • UAFS Public 4 Year
  • WSSU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UAFS
  • WSSU #940
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UAFS -
  • WSSU -
  • Status
  • UAFS Non-profit
  • WSSU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UAFS
  • WSSU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UAFS $7,334
  • WSSU $6,126
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UAFS $12,182
  • WSSU $16,782
  • Room & Board
  • UAFS $10,082
  • WSSU $11,484
  • Average Net Price
  • UAFS $11,159
  • WSSU $12,989
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UAFS $7,715
  • WSSU $10,057
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UAFS 95%
  • WSSU 91%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UAFS 2,769
  • WSSU 9,108
  • Admitted
  • UAFS 2,228
  • WSSU 7,128
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UAFS 80.5%
  • WSSU 78.3%
  • Enrolled
  • UAFS 40.2%
  • WSSU 13.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UAFS
  • WSSU 930
  • Typical ACT score
  • UAFS
  • WSSU 17
  • Average High School GPA
  • UAFS 3.39
  • WSSU 3.01
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UAFS B+
  • WSSU B
  • Admissions Standards
  • UAFS Unavailable
  • WSSU Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • UAFS
  • WSSU
  • ACT Range
  • UAFS
  • WSSU 15/20
  • SAT Range
  • UAFS
  • WSSU 830/1020
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UAFS Required
  • WSSU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UAFS
  • WSSU Feb 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UAFS 18:1
  • WSSU 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UAFS
    • Business (17%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
    • Precision Production Trades (10%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (10%)
  • WSSU
    • Health Professions (50%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Education (6%)
    • Social Sciences (5%)
    • Psychology (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UAFS 23%
  • WSSU 41%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UAFS $35,000
  • WSSU $35,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UAFS 47%
  • WSSU 33%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UAFS $14,132
  • WSSU $25,663
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UAFS $146
  • WSSU $265

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UAFS 40%
  • WSSU 26%
  • % Women
  • UAFS 60%
  • WSSU 74%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UAFS Medium
  • WSSU Low
  • HBCU
  • UAFS No
  • WSSU Yes
  • % White
  • UAFS 70%
  • WSSU 16%
  • % Asian
  • UAFS 5%
  • WSSU 1%
  • % Black
  • UAFS 4%
  • WSSU 72%
  • % Hispanic
  • UAFS 11%
  • WSSU 3%
  • % Native American
  • UAFS 2%
  • WSSU 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UAFS 0%
  • WSSU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UAFS 6%
  • WSSU 4%
  • % International
  • UAFS 1%
  • WSSU 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UAFS 0%
  • WSSU 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UAFS 86%
  • WSSU 75%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UAFS 13%
  • WSSU 24%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UAFS Yes
  • WSSU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UAFS No
  • WSSU No
  • Meal Plan
  • UAFS Yes
  • WSSU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UAFS Yes
  • WSSU Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • UAFS No
  • WSSU No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with Winston Salem State University in Winston-Salem, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Arkansas Fort Smith is larger than WSSU based on total student enrollment (5,496 students vs. 4,782 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); Winston Salem State University is in Winston-Salem, NC (Midsize City setting).
  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Winston Salem State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; Winston Salem State University 15:1.

UAFS vs. WSSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or WSSU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than WSSU ($11,159 vs. $12,989).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 12.2% lower than at Winston Salem State University ($10,082 vs. $11,484).
  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith is 19.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than WSSU (about $1,208 more per year; $7,334.00 vs. $6,126.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 37.8% higher at WSSU than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $4,600 more per year; $16,782.00 vs. $12,182.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than at Winston Salem State University (95% vs. 91%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Winston Salem State University students is 30.4% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($10,057 vs. $7,715).

UAFS vs. WSSU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or WSSU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between WSSU and UAFS.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresWinston Salem State University 830/1020.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresWinston Salem State University 15/20.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; WSSU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: WSSU Feb 15, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman UAFS students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at WSSU (3.01).
  • UAFS has a higher acceptance rate (80.5%) than WSSU (78.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 13.1% at WSSU.

UAFS vs. WSSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and WSSU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Winston Salem State University's six-year graduation rate (41%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
  • Graduates from Winston Salem State University earn a median of about $700 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,700 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates have a $11,531 lower median loan debt than WSSU graduates ($14,132 vs. $25,663).
  • Among borrowers, UAFS graduates have an estimated $119 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WSSU graduates ($146 vs. $265).
  • More UAFS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.