Public · Community college

University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain

Mena, Arkansas · Remote town

#3 best value in Arkansas

6%
Transfer rate: $4,842
Avg net price: 55%
Grad / completion: $30,037
Median earnings

University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain is a public certificate-granting institution in Mena, Arkansas (remote town setting), enrolling 503 undergraduates. Admission is open to all applicants.

PublicSmall · 503 undergradsRemote townNJCAA Division IICold winters

About Mena, Arkansas

Mena is a city in and the county seat of Polk County, Arkansas, United States. Mena was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (now the Kansas City Southern), which stretched from Kansas City, Missouri, to Port Arthur, Texas. Train service to Mena began in 1896. A portion of American Made is set in Mena, Arkansas. The film focuses on the exploits of Barry Seal, a drug runner for the Medellín Cartel who operated out of Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport. (Wikipedia)

Setting: Remote town
Highest degree offered: Associate
Nearest big city: 102 miles to Fayetteville, AR
To the ocean: 319 miles
Nearest airport: 52 miles to Fort Smith (FSM)

How University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain compares

Graduation rate55%

Higher than 43% · #19 of 47 in Arkansas

First-year retention63%

Higher than 29%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$30,037

Higher than 31% · #25 of 43 in Arkansas

Average net price$4,842

Cheaper than 91% · #3 cheapest of 49 in Arkansas

Median debt at graduation$6,500

Lower than 86%

Student–faculty ratio19 : 1

Lower than 35%

Undergraduate enrollment503

Larger than 62%

Percentiles compare University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain with the nation's 3,519 two-year and certificate schools, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count two-year and certificate schools in Arkansas.

Student body

Undergraduates by gender

Women32765%
Men17635%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

White70%
Black2.2%
Hispanic13%
Asian1.0%
Other or multiracial14%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment: 503
Student–faculty ratio: 19 : 1
Pell Grant recipients: 40%
First-generation students: 64%
Students over 25: 17%
Median family income: $17,974
Avg faculty salary (academic year): $37,854
Endowment: $4,209,847

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Cost

In-state tuition: $3,696
Out-of-state tuition: $4,272
Room & board: $9,590
Books & supplies: $960
Total cost of attendance: $13,096
Average net price: $4,842

Outcomes

Graduated: 55%
First-year retention: 63%
Transferred to another college: 6%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $22,765
Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $30,037
Median debt at graduation: $6,500
Students with federal loans: 12%

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing: Yes
Dorm capacity: 205
Dorm capacity vs undergrads: 41%
Housing charge (year): $5,360
Meal plan (year): $3,870
Application fee: Free
Athletics: NJCAA Division II
Varsity athletes: 155 (101 men · 54 women)

Varsity sports (4)

Baseball52

Soccer47

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)33

Softball23

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade: A
Reported offenses per 1,000 students: 0.0 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024): 0
Property offenses (2022–2024): 0

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k

$4,248

$30–48k

$5,069

$48–75k

$6,422

$75–110k

$6,587

$110k+

—

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

51%

of first-years get a grant from the school

$2,875

average award, among those who get one

Modest institutional aid: 51% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $2,875. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 135 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years): $30,037
Typical debt at graduation: $6,500
Debt vs. one year's pay: 22%
Out-earn a HS grad: 28%

Typical debt would take roughly 2.2 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Solid value

A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women

$27,050

Men

$36,329

Men out-earn women by $9,279 (34%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high: 90°F
Winter low: 28°F
Annual rain: 61.4″
Annual snow: 4″

Average temperature

HighLow

Average precipitation (inches)

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Mena, AR US station (4 mi from campus).

What University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain graduates study — and earn

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssoc.

85 grads$17k 1 yr$25k 5 yr— debt

85$17,381$24,720—Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesCert.

80 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

80———Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCert.

41 grads$36k 1 yr$49k 5 yr— debt

41$36,179$48,773—Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming ServicesCert.

39 grads$10k 1 yr$10k 5 yr— debt

39$9,998$10,392—Precision Metal WorkingCert.

26 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

26———Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherAssoc.

22 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

22———Health and Medical Administrative ServicesCert.

18 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

18———Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssoc.

13 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

13———Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCert.

10 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

10———Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansAssoc.

8 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

8———Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsCert.

8 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

8———Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsCert.

5 grads— 1 yr— 5 yr— debt

5———

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain side by side →

Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas

Public

Helena, Arkansas · Remote town · 53 mi to Memphis

Students: 614
Tuition: $3k
Transfer: 19%
Earnings: $30k

Ozarka College

Public

Melbourne, Arkansas · Remote rural · 93 mi to Little Rock

Students: 575
Tuition: $4k
Transfer: 3%
Earnings: $29k

Arkansas State University Mid-South

Public

West Memphis, Arkansas · Large suburb · 10 mi to Memphis

Students: 502
Tuition: $3k
Transfer: 9%
Earnings: $32k

Arkansas Northeastern College

Public

Blytheville, Arkansas · Remote town · 52 mi to Memphis

Students: 756
Tuition: $3k
Transfer: 7%
Earnings: $33k

University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College

Public

Forrest City, Arkansas · Distant town · 41 mi to Memphis

Students: 554
Tuition: $3k
Transfer: 2%
Earnings: $28k

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

Public

De Queen, Arkansas · Remote town · 111 mi to Shreveport

Students: 772
Tuition: $4k
Transfer: 0%
Earnings: $34k

Colleges near University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain

Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

De Queen, AR · Public · Certificate · 772 students

39 mi

Carl Albert State College

Poteau, OK · Public · Associate · 1,308 students

39 mi

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

Fort Smith, AR · Private nonprofit · Graduate

50 mi

Designer Barber & Stylist School

Fort Smith, AR · Private for-profit · Certificate · 95 students

54 mi

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Fort Smith, AR · Public · Associate · 4,091 students

55 mi

Academy of Salon and Spa

Fort Smith, AR · Private for-profit · Certificate · 52 students

56 mi

National Park College

Hot Springs, AR · Public · Certificate · 1,789 students

63 mi

Champion Christian College

Hot Springs, AR · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 144 students

66 mi

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.