Skip to Main Content
A-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    A-
  2. Value
    A-
  3. Diversity
    B+
  4. Campus
    A
  5. Athletics
    B+
  6. Party Scene
    C-
  7. Professors
    A-
  8. Location
    C-
  9. Dorms
    A
  10. Campus Food
    B+
  11. Student Life
    A-
  12. Safety
    A+
View Full Report Card
Ouachita Baptist University is ...
Private not-for-profit, Baptist
Athletic Division
NCAA Division II (with football)
Athletic Conference
Great American Conference
Address
410 Ouachita Street
Arkadelphia, AR 71998
Website
obu.edu
From Ouachita Baptist University

It's different here. By choosing Ouachita Baptist University as your college home, you're choosing not only to invest in outstanding academic training and career preparation, but you also are joining a community unlike any other. Our relationships run as deep as our 130-year history, with meaningful traditions and a strong spiritual foundation supporting it all.

Earning recognition as the top private university in Arkansas, Ouachita continues to be ranked among the nation's top universities by Forbes magazine, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today/CollegeFactual.com, and Niche.com.

Ouachita Baptist University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Application Deadline
Rolling Admissions
Acceptance Rate
67%
SAT Range
950-1200
ACT Range
21-28
Application Fee
$0
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Accepts Common App
—

Cost

Net Price
$18,789/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $21,516/ year
  • $30-48k
    $14,729/ year
  • $49-75k
    $18,120/ year
  • $76-110k
    $20,410/ year
  • $110k+
    $22,932/ year
Student Loan Options from Lenders
Learn More
  • 1% Cash Back + affordable rates starting at 3.82% APR w/auto debit discount
  • No application, origination or disbursement fees

Academics

Professors
A-
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
13:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
92%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.25 responses
87%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.31 responses
87%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.31 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Biology
    41 Graduates
  • Elementary Education
    18 Graduates
  • Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
    16 Graduates
  • Psychology
    16 Graduates
  • Accounting
    15 Graduates
  • Communications
    15 Graduates
  • Theological and Ministerial Studies
    15 Graduates
  • Religious Studies
    12 Graduates
  • Finance
    10 Graduates
  • Business Administration and Management
    9 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
1,468Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
1%
Pell Grant
30%
Varsity Athletes
25%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 19 responses
Report
  • Friendly
    79%
  • A little bit snobby.
    21%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
97%
Poll
43%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.40 responses
Poll
59%
of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.39 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 20 responses
Report
  • A second home
    50%
  • A place to grow and be yourself
    30%
  • A place you both love and hate
    20%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$38,400/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
70%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
93%
National
83%
89%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.18 responses
Colleges like Ouachita Baptist University
More

Ouachita Baptist University Reviews

420 reviews
All Categories
Ouachita Baptist University has some good and some bad. The faculty is incredible! All of the professors care about their students and are experts in their field. If you're able to connect with a faculty member, you're more willing to overlook the bad at the school. The administration at the university is frustrating. They do not seem to care about the individual students and they are focused too much on the rules. Certain programs seem to be ignored in favor of "trendier" programs and the school's image is the most important thing to the administration. However, as I already said, the professors are just amazing. They make the rest of it worth it!
Start Your Review of Ouachita Baptist University
Rate It!
Without a doubt, Ouachita is the best choice I could’ve made to further my education. Ouachita has one of the strongest science programs in the state and I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from these professors and gain hands-on experience outside of class. The extracurriculars are awesome- club life, intramurals, and football games are a few of my favorite things!
My time at Ouachita Baptist has been a frustrating but rewarding one. The education I have received in music and theatre are high quality and my professors care deeply about my education and me as a person: I would not trade them for the world. However, the administration has failed me. The misconduct I have personally experienced and seen with friends when it came to housing accommodation, mental health needs, and varying levels of punishment for the same infractions are unacceptable. Additionally, many of the rules on campus are antiquated and demeaning, stunting young adults growth into responsibility in the real world. Those rules are held in place by the elderly donors who seem to run the school, based on religious virtue. I am thankful for my time and academic experiences at OBU, but I would never recommend to go there now after my four years of experience with the administration and campus life.