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Philander Smith University

Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation United Methodist
Population 550,000
United States map with state borders, rivers, lakes, and Alaska and Hawaii insets
Little Rock, AR

Weather

Comfortable Days 95 (20%)
Sunshine Hours 2,750 (74%)
Days Without Precipitation 260 (77%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 693
Men / Women 45% / 55%
Athletes 104 (16.4%)

Racial/Ethnic

Black 79%
International 9%
White 5%
Hispanic 3%
Native American 1%
Mixed 1%
Asian 0%

Men in the Entering Class

0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Men: 37.2% 37.2% 2012 Men: 34.6% 34.6% 2013 Men: 29.1% 29.1% 2014 Men: 35.5% 35.5% 2015 Men: 43.5% 43.5% 2016 Men: 38.9% 38.9% 2017 Men: 34.5% 34.5% 2018 Men: 31.0% 31.0% 2019 Men: 40.0% 40.0% 2020 Men: 41.8% 41.8% 2021 Men: 35.9% 35.9% 2022 Men: 38.9% 38.9% 2023 Men: 49.6% 49.6% 2024 Men: 46.1% 46.1% 2025 Men: 56.5% 56.5%

Men as a share of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 Native: 0.9% 0.9% 2015 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2016 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2017 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2018 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2019 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2020 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 Native: 2.1% 2.1% 2022 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Native: 1.6% 1.6% 2024 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2025 Native: 4.0% 4.0% 2011 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2016 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2019 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2020 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2025 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2011 Black: 98.4% 98.4% 2012 Black: 88.3% 88.3% 2013 Black: 91.0% 91.0% 2014 Black: 95.5% 95.5% 2015 Black: 93.5% 93.5% 2016 Black: 93.2% 93.2% 2017 Black: 95.8% 95.8% 2018 Black: 90.5% 90.5% 2019 Black: 92.8% 92.8% 2020 Black: 93.3% 93.3% 2021 Black: 90.1% 90.1% 2022 Black: 88.4% 88.4% 2023 Black: 77.9% 77.9% 2024 Black: 70.7% 70.7% 2025 Black: 79.8% 79.8% 2011 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Hispanic: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 Hispanic: 0.7% 0.7% 2014 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Hispanic: 1.8% 1.8% 2016 Hispanic: 1.4% 1.4% 2017 Hispanic: 1.2% 1.2% 2018 Hispanic: 2.4% 2.4% 2019 Hispanic: 0.4% 0.4% 2020 Hispanic: 0.7% 0.7% 2021 Hispanic: 1.4% 1.4% 2022 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Hispanic: 3.5% 3.5% 2024 Hispanic: 4.7% 4.7% 2025 Hispanic: 4.0% 4.0% 2011 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 White: 1.5% 1.5% 2014 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2016 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2019 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2020 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 White: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 White: 0.8% 0.8% 2024 White: 7.9% 7.9% 2025 White: 5.6% 5.6% 2011 International: 1.6% 1.6% 2012 International: 9.3% 9.3% 2013 International: 6.7% 6.7% 2014 International: 3.6% 3.6% 2015 International: 2.4% 2.4% 2016 International: 1.4% 1.4% 2017 International: 1.5% 1.5% 2018 International: 3.1% 3.1% 2019 International: 6.0% 6.0% 2020 International: 5.1% 5.1% 2021 International: 3.5% 3.5% 2022 International: 8.4% 8.4% 2023 International: 8.0% 8.0% 2024 International: 12.0% 12.0% 2025 International: 6.5% 6.5%

Share of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. Two or more races and race unknown are omitted, so the lines do not sum to 100%. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

Enrolled Undergraduates

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Total: 680 680 2012 Total: 616 616 2013 Total: 523 523 2014 Total: 521 521 2015 Total: 549 549 2016 Total: 725 725 2017 Total: 844 844 2018 Total: 955 955 2019 Total: 951 951 2020 Total: 1,058 1,058 2021 Total: 914 914 2022 Total: 668 668 2023 Total: 976 976 2024 Total: 757 757 2025 Total: 693 693 2011 Men: 236 236 2012 Men: 226 226 2013 Men: 173 173 2014 Men: 191 191 2015 Men: 207 207 2016 Men: 280 280 2017 Men: 317 317 2018 Men: 324 324 2019 Men: 344 344 2020 Men: 396 396 2021 Men: 319 319 2022 Men: 240 240 2023 Men: 426 426 2024 Men: 327 327 2025 Men: 309 309 2011 Women: 444 444 2012 Women: 390 390 2013 Women: 350 350 2014 Women: 330 330 2015 Women: 342 342 2016 Women: 445 445 2017 Women: 527 527 2018 Women: 631 631 2019 Women: 607 607 2020 Women: 662 662 2021 Women: 595 595 2022 Women: 428 428 2023 Women: 550 550 2024 Women: 430 430 2025 Women: 384 384

Full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates across all years of study. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2011 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2014 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2015 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2016 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2017 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2018 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2019 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2020 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2021 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2022 Native: 1.2% 1.2% 2023 Native: 2.5% 2.5% 2024 Native: 2.1% 2.1% 2025 Native: 1.4% 1.4% 2011 Asian: 0.1% 0.1% 2012 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2013 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2014 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2015 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2016 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2017 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2018 Asian: 0.1% 0.1% 2019 Asian: 0.1% 0.1% 2020 Asian: 0.1% 0.1% 2021 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2025 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2011 Black: 92.5% 92.5% 2012 Black: 90.1% 90.1% 2013 Black: 89.3% 89.3% 2014 Black: 89.4% 89.4% 2015 Black: 90.2% 90.2% 2016 Black: 91.9% 91.9% 2017 Black: 94.9% 94.9% 2018 Black: 93.2% 93.2% 2019 Black: 91.8% 91.8% 2020 Black: 92.2% 92.2% 2021 Black: 91.6% 91.6% 2022 Black: 88.8% 88.8% 2023 Black: 80.4% 80.4% 2024 Black: 77.8% 77.8% 2025 Black: 79.1% 79.1% 2011 Hispanic: 0.4% 0.4% 2012 Hispanic: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 Hispanic: 0.4% 0.4% 2014 Hispanic: 0.4% 0.4% 2015 Hispanic: 1.1% 1.1% 2016 Hispanic: 1.4% 1.4% 2017 Hispanic: 1.3% 1.3% 2018 Hispanic: 1.9% 1.9% 2019 Hispanic: 1.1% 1.1% 2020 Hispanic: 1.0% 1.0% 2021 Hispanic: 1.9% 1.9% 2022 Hispanic: 1.6% 1.6% 2023 Hispanic: 3.4% 3.4% 2024 Hispanic: 3.3% 3.3% 2025 Hispanic: 2.9% 2.9% 2011 White: 0.4% 0.4% 2012 White: 0.3% 0.3% 2013 White: 0.6% 0.6% 2014 White: 0.6% 0.6% 2015 White: 0.2% 0.2% 2016 White: 0.4% 0.4% 2017 White: 0.6% 0.6% 2018 White: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 White: 0.3% 0.3% 2020 White: 0.4% 0.4% 2021 White: 0.2% 0.2% 2022 White: 0.3% 0.3% 2023 White: 0.5% 0.5% 2024 White: 3.4% 3.4% 2025 White: 4.8% 4.8% 2011 International: 5.0% 5.0% 2012 International: 7.0% 7.0% 2013 International: 8.0% 8.0% 2014 International: 6.5% 6.5% 2015 International: 5.6% 5.6% 2016 International: 3.0% 3.0% 2017 International: 1.8% 1.8% 2018 International: 1.8% 1.8% 2019 International: 3.6% 3.6% 2020 International: 3.4% 3.4% 2021 International: 3.9% 3.9% 2022 International: 6.6% 6.6% 2023 International: 6.8% 6.8% 2024 International: 9.0% 9.0% 2025 International: 8.9% 8.9%

Share of full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates across all years of study. Two or more races and race unknown are omitted, so the lines do not sum to 100%. Fall enrollment through 2019; 12-month enrollment from 2020 (dashed line). 2025 covers 2024–25. Changes across 2020 may reflect the reporting period.

IPEDS Fall Enrollment (2011–2019) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025). The dashed line at 2020 marks the change in reporting period. Missing reports leave gaps.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Arts and Sciences 34 38% 0% 0% 76% 3% 21% $49,799 1 -1.78 39
Computer Science 4 — 75% 0% 0% 25% 25% 50% $90,220 12 -1.02 93 — — — — —
Chemistry — — — — — — — — $45,858 1 -2.48 28 — — — — —
Mathematics 2 — 50% 0% 0% 50% 0% 50% $58,147 7 -1.03 60 — — — — —
Biology 11 — 27% 0% 0% 73% 0% 27% $44,610 1 -2.53 25 — — — — —
Political Science 3 — 0% 0% 0% 67% 0% 33% $45,203 1 -1.99 26 — — — — —
Psychology 8 — 12% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $43,964 2 -1.68 23 — — — — —
Sociology — — — — — — — — $44,326 3 -1.14 24 — — — — —
General Education 3 — 67% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $43,849 7 -1.32 23 — — — — —
Visual and Performing Arts 3 — 100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $35,476 10 -1.02 8 — — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Business 25 36% 0% 0% 88% 4% 8% $45,002 0 -1.70 26 96%
Business Administration 25 — 36% 0% 0% 88% 4% 8% $45,002 1 -1.70 26 96% — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Education and Social Sciences 24 29% 0% 0% 96% 4% 0% $52,873 2 -0.56 47
Kinesiology 6 — 67% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $54,192 19 -0.88 51 — — — — —
Social Work 7 — 29% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $45,083 10 -0.97 26 — — — — —
Early Childhood Education 3 — 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $43,643 6 -1.29 23 — — — — —
Middle School Education — — — — — — — — $43,718 7 -1.33 23 — — — — —
Criminal Justice 8 — 12% 0% 0% 88% 12% 0% $62,163 68 +0.31 68 — — — — —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $13,925
ROI Percentile 37th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 66%
4-Year Graduation Rate 20%
6-Year Graduation Rate 30%
Transfer-Out Rate 36%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 31.1% 31.1% 2012 Graduated: 30.7% 30.7% 2013 Graduated: 44.6% 44.6% 2014 Graduated: 38.6% 38.6% 2015 Graduated: 40.1% 40.1% 2016 Graduated: 40.4% 40.4% 2017 Graduated: 30.3% 30.3% 2018 Graduated: 41.4% 41.4% 2019 Graduated: 43.7% 43.7% 2020 Graduated: 33.6% 33.6% 2021 Graduated: 28.2% 28.2% 2022 Graduated: 30.5% 30.5% 2023 Graduated: 32.3% 32.3% 2024 Graduated: 30.4% 30.4%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 35.6% 2012 Men: 28.6% 2013 Men: 40.3% 2014 Men: 34.7% 2015 Men: 43.1% 2016 Men: 40.0% 2017 Men: 35.7% 2018 Men: 26.8% 2019 Men: 53.7% 2020 Men: 33.3% 2021 Men: 26.7% 2022 Men: 19.3% 2023 Men: 22.3% 2024 Men: 31.9% 2011 Women: 28.6% 2012 Women: 31.9% 2013 Women: 48.5% 2014 Women: 40.7% 2015 Women: 38.6% 2016 Women: 40.6% 2017 Women: 27.1% 2018 Women: 49.1% 2019 Women: 39.4% 2020 Women: 33.8% 2021 Women: 29.5% 2022 Women: 37.6% 2023 Women: 37.6% 2024 Women: 29.7%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Black: 31.1% 2012 Black: 30.7% 2013 Black: 43.7% 2014 Black: 38.0% 2015 Black: 37.0% 2016 Black: 36.6% 2017 Black: 29.0% 2018 Black: 37.8% 2019 Black: 40.5% 2020 Black: 31.1% 2021 Black: 27.8% 2022 Black: 29.3% 2023 Black: 31.4% 2024 Black: 28.6% 2013 International: 100.0% 2014 International: 71.4% 2015 International: 81.8% 2016 International: 81.2% 2017 International: 100.0% 2018 International: 78.6% 2019 International: 88.9% 2020 International: 100.0% 2021 International: 25.0% 2022 International: 66.7% 2023 International: 80.0% 2024 International: 77.8%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Business & Economics 30.1% 25 36% 0% 0% 88% 4% 8% $45,002 0 -1.70 26 96% —
Social Sciences 21.7% 18 17% 0% 0% 94% 0% 6% $44,606 1 -1.46 25 — —
Life & Natural Sciences 13.3% 11 27% 0% 0% 73% 0% 27% $44,610 0 -2.53 25 — —
Professional 9.6% 8 12% 0% 0% 88% 12% 0% $62,163 35 +0.31 68 — —
Education 7.2% 6 33% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $43,746 3 -1.30 23 — —
Health Sciences 7.2% 6 67% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $54,192 1 -0.88 51 — —
Computer Science 4.8% 4 75% 0% 0% 25% 25% 50% $90,220 17 -1.02 93 — —
Arts 3.6% 3 100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $35,476 3 -1.02 8 — —
Physical Sciences & Math 2.4% 2 50% 0% 0% 50% 0% 50% $58,147 2 -1.03 60 — —

Sports

⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Baseball 34 $290K $290K $0
Cross Country 16 $40K $40K $0
Track & Field (indoor) 15 $35K $35K $0
Track & Field (outdoor) 15 $35K $35K $0
Basketball 13 $305K $305K $0
Total 65 $708K $708K $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Volleyball 16 $241K $241K $0
Basketball 13 $359K $359K $0
Cross Country 13 $29K $29K $0
Track & Field (indoor) 13 $38K $38K $0
Track & Field (outdoor) 13 $38K $38K $0
Total 39 $708K $708K $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Baseball 34 $290K $290K $0
Cross Country 29 $70K $70K $0
Track & Field (indoor) 28 $74K $74K $0
Track & Field (outdoor) 28 $74K $74K $0
Basketball 26 $665K $665K $0
Volleyball 16 $241K $241K $0
Total 104 $1.6M $1.6M $0

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. Each team's revenue and expenses are what the college attributes to it. The Total view's totals row is the department's grand total, which also includes money not attributed to any team; the Male and Female totals rows only add up their teams.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 95%
Yield (non-ED) 12%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 95% 95% 95%

This college’s Common Data Set does not break down admissions by applicant demographics, so in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants share one Regular Decision rate.

Acceptance & Yield

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 68.0% 68.0% 2011 Yield: 10.0% 10.0%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

0 1,250 2,500 3,750 5,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 2,906 2,906 2011 Admitted: 1,976 1,976 2011 Enrolled: 197 197

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional

SAT Composite

700 800 900 1000 1100 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 710 710 2011 75th: 1020 1020

SAT Math

350 400 450 500 550 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 350 350 2011 75th: 510 510

SAT Reading & Writing

350 400 450 500 550 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 360 360 2011 75th: 510 510

Submitting a Test Score

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 95.0% 95.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.