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Philander Smith University

#1536 in US ranking Little Rock, AR
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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Cost

Cost / year
$28,340
Tuition & fees
$11,804
Avg. aid
$12,496
Receiving aid
99%

Outcomes

Graduation rate
30%
Median salary
$35,285
1 yr after graduation

What are the graduation rates for students at Philander Smith University?

Philander Smith University's reported six-year graduation rate is 30%, while its four-year rate is 20%. These measures follow a defined entering group of first-time, full-time students; they are not the share of all students, including transfers, who eventually earn a degree.

The reported student retention rate is 66%, a separate measure concerning whether students continue from one year to the next. Graduation and retention figures can help applicants ask focused questions about course availability, academic advising and progress toward a degree. They do not explain why any individual student did or did not finish, and a transfer student's timeline may differ substantially from the cohort used for the graduation rate.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Philander Smith University?

Field-of-study earnings figures offer a limited view of outcomes after Philander Smith University. College Scorecard figures supplied for the period one year after completion report $23,231 for business administration, management and operations and $36,677 for a separate, broader category of other business-related programs.

Those are different fields of study, not two salary estimates for every business student. A one-year earnings measure also says little on its own about later career growth, local living costs or the results of students who continue their education. Applicants should consider program-specific career paths, potential debt and the time required to enter a profession alongside any reported earnings figure.

Philander Smith University Graduation Rate

Avg. graduation
30%
4-year graduation
20%
6-year graduation
30%

Philander Smith University Retention and Employment

First-year retention, full-time students
66%
First-year retention, part-time students
63%
Employed 1 year after graduation
96%

Philander Smith University Median Alumni Salary Over Time

1 year after graduation
$35,285
4 years after graduation
$42,151
5 years after graduation
$37,698
7 years after graduation
$52,210
10 years after starting college
$40,195

Alumni Salary for Philander Smith University Degrees

Degrees

Avg. salary

Business Administration, Management and Operations

$23,231

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other

$36,677

Philander Smith University Graduations Per Degree

BACHELOR’S Degree

Women Men Total

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

191635

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

12214

Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services

10313

Psychology

8412

Education

527

Public Administration and Social Service Professions

336

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services

055

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology

235

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

213

Social Sciences

213

MASTER’S Degree

Women Men Total

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

11617

Data last updated on November 2, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.