Fort Smith Times

College tuition fees rose 6.3% in Sebastian County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Data shows that students paid $7,324 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $436 more than the previous school year.

Among the three institutions in the county, Academy of Salon and Spa stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $17,385. Designer Barber & Stylist School followed with an average of $16,325 per year. The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $7,049.

At the time, a total of $6.3 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Sebastian County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $1.6 million.

Currently there are three higher education institutions in Sebastian County, including Designer Barber & Stylist School, Academy of Salon and Spa, and University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.

Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.

According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.

Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.

Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.

Institution	Number of Students Receiving Grants	Total Amount of Grants Received	Average Amount of Grant Per Student	Number of Students Receiving Loans	Total Amount of Loans Received	Average Amount of Loans Per Student
Academy of Salon and Spa	48	$218,930	$4,561	45	$267,882	$5,953
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith	760	$5,948,295	$7,827	232	$1,165,263	$5,023
Designer Barber & Stylist School	18	$109,159	$6,064	20	$158,532	$7,927