Arkansas Snapshot
1,113
Public Schools in Arkansas
84
Colleges in Arkansas
49.4%
Avg Completion Rate
How Arkansas compares
Arkansas
49.44%
National Average
56.52%
Arkansas's avg completion rate is 12.5% lower than the national average.
Arkansas Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for Arkansas — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
13 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Aug 1
Homeschool Regulation
Annual notice only; minimal oversight
School Choice
ESA up to $6,700 per student
Per-Pupil Spending
18% below national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
8% below national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in Arkansas
Arkansas requires school attendance from age 5 through age 18 — a total of 13 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is optional in Arkansas, though most districts offer K with entry age 5 by Aug 1.
Homeschool Laws in Arkansas
Arkansas falls in the low regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Annual notice only; minimal oversight.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: No
- Specific subjects mandated: No
Annual notice of intent
School Choice in Arkansas
Arkansas offers universal school choice — any K-12 student is eligible regardless of income or zoning.
- Education Savings Account (ESA) — up to $6,700 per student
LEARNS Act ESA (2023) — universal 2025-26
School Spending & Class Size in Arkansas
Arkansas spends $12,520 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 18% below national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 13.4:1. 8% below national avg (14.5).
How Arkansas compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Iowa | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $13,549 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Kentucky | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,702 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Carolina | 7–16 | Moderate | Universal | $10,413 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Pennsylvania | 8–17 | High | Limited | $19,188 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Carolina | 5–17 | Moderate | Limited | $12,516 |
| South Dakota | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,649 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| West Virginia | 6–17 | Moderate | Universal | $14,308 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about Arkansas
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in Arkansas.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in Arkansas?
Mubboo tracks 614 ZIP codes in Arkansas via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does Arkansas's average college completion rate compare nationally?
Arkansas's average college completion rate is lower the national average. See the "How Arkansas compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →