Northwest Arkansas Community College vs University of Central Arkansas: Which Nursing School Wins on the Numbers?
Two of Arkansas's biggest nursing schools, side by side — 2025 first-time NCLEX pass rates from the state board of nursing, plus cost, admissions and each school's own nursing-graduate earnings from federal data. University of Central Arkansas's best RN program outperformed Northwest Arkansas Community College's on the 2025 first-time NCLEX (88.7% vs 85.1%), while Northwest Arkansas Community College is the cheaper school on sticker tuition ($3,342 vs $10,523 a year).
| Northwest Arkansas Community CollegeBentonville · Arkansas · Public | University of Central ArkansasConway · Arkansas · Public | |
|---|---|---|
| Best 2025 NCLEX-RN pass rate | 85.1% | 88.7% |
| In-state tuition / yrsticker, whole institution | $3,342 | $10,523 |
| Avg net price after aid / yr | $7,196 | $16,511 |
| Acceptance ratewhole institution | — | 90% |
| Graduation rate | 31% | 54% |
| Undergraduates | 4,953 | 7,762 |
| BSN grad pay, 1 yr outthis school’s own nursing grads | — | $70,636 |
| BSN grad median debt | — | $19,250 |
| ADN grad pay, 1 yr out | $67,192 | — |
| ADN grad median debt | $13,938 | — |
Green = better on that row (higher pass rate, pay and graduation rate; lower cost and debt). Acceptance rate and size aren't scored — bigger or more selective isn't better for everyone. “—” = not published for that school.
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The pass-rate gap is a preparation gap
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the higher NCLEX pass rate — Northwest Arkansas Community College or University of Central Arkansas?
University of Central Arkansas — 88.7% vs 85.1% first-time NCLEX-RN in 2025, per the Arkansas board of nursing. One year of data; check the trend on each school's page.
Which is cheaper — Northwest Arkansas Community College or University of Central Arkansas?
On published in-state tuition, Northwest Arkansas Community College ($3,342/yr vs $10,523/yr). After average aid, net prices run $7,196 (Northwest Arkansas Community College) vs $16,511 (University of Central Arkansas).
About this data
Pass rates are 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN rates from the Arkansas board of nursing (each school's best rated RN program). Tuition, net price, admissions, earnings and debt come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release); earnings and debt are program-level figures for each school's own nursing graduates and lag the current class by several years. Full sources are on each school's page.