Nursing in Arkansas
Arkansas has 51 nursing schools running 83 board-approved programs, and the median RN program’s first-time NCLEX pass rate was 89.2%. Registered nurses here earn a median of $78,940; nurse practitioners, $125,660. Arkansas is a compact state, so a license here can be a multistate license. Every figure below names its source and the period it covers.
Nursing Schools in Arkansas
63 of Arkansas’s 83 programs have a published 2025 first-time pass rate. RN programs averaged 85.7% — 0.8 points below the 86.5% national average. Practical nursing programs averaged 93.8%.
| Degree | Programs | Median pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Associate (ADN) | 26 | 87.5% (23 rated) |
| Bachelor’s (BSN) | 15 | 91.3% (13 rated) |
Both degrees lead to the same RN license. ADN vs BSN, compared nationally →
Highest first-time pass rates (2025)
In-state RN programs. Ties go to the program with more nursing graduates. A single year’s rate swings widely for small programs; check the trend before you choose.
- Arkansas Tech UniversityRussellville · Baccalaureate Degree Registered Nursing Program100%
- Southern Arkansas UniversityMagnolia · Baccalaureate Degree Registered Nursing Program100%
- Arkansas Tech University-OzarkOzark · Associate Degree Registered Nursing Program100%
- Harding UniversitySearcy · Master's Entry into Practice (pre-licensure RN)100%
- Ouachita Baptist UniversityArkadelphia · Baccalaureate Degree Registered Nursing Program100%
What Nurses Earn in Arkansas
Federal wage survey data (BLS OEWS, May 2025) — employer-reported, not job-board estimates. The RN median in Arkansas is $18,610 below the $97,550 national median; the NP median is $6,640 below the $132,300 national NP median.
| Arkansas | Registered nurse | Nurse practitioner |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $78,940 | $125,660 |
| Median hourly | $37.95 | $60.41 |
| Starting range (10th pct.) | $60,780 | $99,420 |
| Top earners (90th pct.) | $103,660 | $205,810 |
| Employed in state | 29,400 | 3,970 |
Licensing in Arkansas
Arkansas is a Nurse Licensure Compact state (implemented January 19, 2018). A nurse whose primary residence is Arkansas can hold one multistate license and practice in every other compact state without applying for another license.
Either way the license starts the same: graduate from a board-approved program and pass the NCLEX. Fees, processing times, and continuing-education rules are set by the Arkansas board of nursing and change — confirm them with the board directly. The board documents these pass rates came from: Roster: live page 2026-07-13; rates: ASBN 5-yr report '2025' column (PDF rev 8/18/2025 per filename, created 7/31/2025 — exact 2025 period not stated) (1), ASBN 5-yr pass-rate report, '2025' column (PDF rev 8/18/2025 per filename, created 7/31/2025) (2), Roster: live page 2026-07-13; rates: ASBN 5-yr report '2025' column (PDF rev 8/18/2025 per filename, created 7/31/2025 — exact 2025 period not stated) (3), ASBN 5-yr pass-rate report, '2025' column (PDF rev 8/18/2025 per filename, created 7/31/2025) (4), Roster: live page 2026-07-13; rates: ASBN 5-yr report '2025' column (PDF rev 8/18/2025 per filename, created 7/31/2025 — exact 2025 period not stated) (5), Roster: live page 2026-07-13; rates: ASBN 5-yr report '2025' column (PDF rev 8/18/2025 per filename, created 7/31/2025 — exact 2025 period not stated) (6), Live page 2026-07-13 (7).
Sources
- First-time NCLEX pass rates by programEach state board of nursing — the exact board documents are linked on every state page · Data: 2025 first-time test takers · Checked
- Program cost, completion, and graduate earningsU.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Checked
- Registered nurse wages and employment (SOC 29-1141)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- Nurse practitioner wages and employment (SOC 29-1171)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- Nurse Licensure Compact member states and implementation datesNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) · Checked
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nursing schools are in Arkansas?
Arkansas has 51 nursing schools running 83 board-approved programs — 42 RN programs and 40 practical nursing programs (state board of nursing list, 2025 pass-rate year).
What is the NCLEX pass rate in Arkansas?
The median Arkansas RN program's first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate was 89.2%, and the average across programs was 85.7% — 0.8 points below the 86.5% national average (2025 first-time test takers, from the state board of nursing).
How much do nurses make in Arkansas?
Registered nurses in Arkansas earn a median of $78,940 a year ($37.95 an hour), $18,610 below the national RN median. Nurse practitioners earn a median of $125,660 (BLS, May 2025).
Is Arkansas a compact nursing state?
Arkansas is a Nurse Licensure Compact state (implemented January 19, 2018). A nurse whose primary residence is Arkansas can hold one multistate license and practice in every other compact state without applying for another license. Source: NCSBN compact map, checked September 17, 2026.
Nursing in other states
Keep going
- Degree pathwayADN vs BSNBoth degrees lead to the same RN license. Here is how associate and bachelor’s programs actually compare on NCLEX pass rates, graduate debt, and earnings.
- GuideADN vs BSN: Which Nursing Program Should You Choose?Compare ADN and prelicensure BSN pathways by time, total cost, admission, clinical logistics, employer expectations, and bridge options—not prestige alone.
- FinderCheapest RN programs in the U.S.The lowest-cost RN programs nationally, with their NCLEX pass rates alongside.
- FinderCompare nursing schoolsPut any nursing programs side by side on pass rate, cost, and outcomes.
- GuideHow Competitive Is Nursing School Admission?Estimate nursing-school competitiveness using seats, qualified applicants, point rubrics, recent cutoffs, attrition, and the parts of your application you can still change.
- Degree pathwayLPN to RNThe pay difference between a practical nurse and a registered nurse, and how practical-nursing and RN programs compare on pass rates, debt, and graduate earnings.