College · Catholic life on campus
Philander Smith University
- LocationLittle Rock, AR
- Type and sizePrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 866 students
Affiliation: United Methodist
Philander Smith University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.
Catholic life here hasn’t been researched yet. We research from official sources only, starting with the largest campuses, and we never guess. The nearest Catholic church mapped in OpenStreetMap is 0.6 miles away.
Know the official campus ministry or Mass schedule page? Send us the link.
Catholic churches nearby
- Saint Bartholomew Catholic Church — 0.5 mi · 1622 Marshall Street, Little Rock
- Cathedral of Saint Andrew — 0.7 mi · 617 South Louisiana Street, Little Rock
- Saint Edward Catholic Church — 1.0 mi · 801 Sherman Street, Little Rock
- Saint Augustine Catholic Church — 2.1 mi · 1400 East 2nd Street, North Little Rock
- Saint Marys Catholic Church — 2.2 mi
- Saint Mary Catholic Church — 2.2 mi
Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.30%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.66%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$6,043
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
Cost and value
Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 848 |
|---|---|
| Total students | 866 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $14,224 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $28,136 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $24,736 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 30% |
| First-year retention | 66% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $38,427 |
| Admission rate | — |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 68% |
Value index: 34 / 100 (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Local Church
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
The Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor, Bishop of Little Rock
Formal address: “Your Excellency”
Source: dolr.org, dolr.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.
Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 107600
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (diverse fields)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): United Methodist
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Questions families ask
- Is Philander Smith University a Catholic college?
- No. Philander Smith University is not a Catholic college. Its listed religious affiliation is United Methodist. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
More in Arkansas · Arkansas rankings