Best PhD in Nursing Programs in Arkansas, Ranked (2026)
There's one nursing PhD in Arkansas, and it belongs to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. That's the practical shape of PhD in nursing programs in Arkansas: a single admissions committee decides whether you do this degree without leaving the state. The program runs hybrid, so you're not necessarily relocating, but you're not avoiding Little Rock either. If UAMS turns you down, or nobody there works on your question, your next move is an application out of state.
Last updated
Programs ranked
1
Universities
1
Nursing faculty median
$63,090
Faculty jobs in AR
830
How We Ranked the Best PhD in Nursing Programs in Arkansas
Campus and online programs are scored on separate models, because they compete on different
things, and this page lists both together with each one's score from its own model. Research
funding comes from NIH RePORTER, doctoral scale from federal IPEDS completions, and the
curriculum, funding and deadline figures from each school's own pages.
The full scoring model is here.
UAMS built this program in 1997 and it sits inside the state's academic medical center, which matters mostly for one reason: UAMS employees get 90% of tuition reimbursed. If you work there, the arithmetic changes completely.
Where it wins. 60 credits at $525 puts the whole degree around $31,500 in tuition for an Arkansas resident. A UAMS employee with the 90% reimbursement pays roughly $3,150 of that. Three entry tracks too, from BSN, from MNSc and post-master's, so a DNP holder isn't shut out.
What you give up. Federal nursing research funding at the college sits at zero, so this is a path into teaching and leadership, not into a funded lab. Arkansas nursing instructors earn a median $63,090, $17,160 under the national median, and you're driving to Little Rock monthly.
Funding. UAMS employees receive 90% tuition reimbursement; faculty research assistantships, Graduate Assistant positions and student stipends are offered annually, along with College of Nursing scholarships. Tuition runs roughly $5,000 per semester for Arkansas residents and about $9,000 for non-residents.
What Nursing Faculty and Nurse Researchers Earn in Arkansas
Arkansas pays nursing instructors a median of $63,090, which is $17,160 under the national median of $80,250. It's also $15,850 under what registered nurses in the state earn, $78,940. There's no gentle way to write that: teaching nursing in Arkansas pays substantially less than nursing in Arkansas, and Arkansas RN pay is itself $18,610 below the national RN median of $97,550. The faculty range runs from $48,960 to $93,060, so a ceiling exists, but reaching it takes rank and years. About 830 people hold these jobs statewide, a larger teaching workforce than a single doctoral program would suggest.
Is There NIH Nursing Research Funding in Arkansas?
No NIH nursing research awards came to Arkansas between FY2021 and FY2025. That's a hard fact to work around, and it should shape how you plan both the money and the research.
It doesn't mean UAMS has no research. It means the federal nursing research money that funds doctoral assistantships elsewhere hasn't landed in this state recently, so your funding conversation has to cover the other routes: teaching assistantships, employer or hospital support, university fellowships, and grants from agencies outside the nursing institute. Ask the program what it funded last year, for how long, and for how many students. Ask in writing.
The program runs hybrid, about 60 credits, with BSN entry and part-time enrollment available. It hasn't dropped the GRE, so plan on sitting the test. Arkansas awards roughly four nursing doctorates a year, which tells you the committee is picking a small number of people it can supervise closely, and that your fit with one faculty member carries most of the weight.
Questions About Nursing PhD Programs in Arkansas
How many PhD in nursing programs are there in Arkansas?
1, at 1 university. 1 is campus-based and 0 run online.
Where can you get a PhD in nursing in Arkansas?
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, and that's the only option in the state. The program is hybrid and runs about 60 credits, with part-time enrollment available.
Does the UAMS nursing PhD require the GRE?
It hasn't dropped the requirement the way some nursing PhD programs have, so build the test into your application timeline and confirm the current rule with the program before you register.
What do nursing professors earn in Arkansas?
Postsecondary nursing instructors in Arkansas earn a $63,090 median. The bottom 10% earn $48,960 and the top 10% clear $93,060, across 830 jobs in the state. The national median is $80,250.
Can you do a nursing PhD in Arkansas without moving?
Every nursing PhD program in Arkansas is campus-based, so studying in state means commuting or moving. The alternative is an online program based elsewhere, and those are ranked here.