Catholic School CompassTrue north for Catholic families.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus: Cross and Nelson Hall Historic District, 1 of 2
Photo: Fessie, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

College · Catholic life on campus

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

  • LocationMagnolia, AR
  • Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 5,127 students
Official website

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia lists a Catholic Campus Ministries group among its official religious student organizations.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches0.25 mi0.5 miImmaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church: 0.3 mi1Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (campus)N0.25 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church — 0.3 mi · 2114 North Jackson Street, Magnolia

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

N/ACatholic life on campus: Not enough information. Official sources do not cover enough of this to grade it yet.

Catholic life on campus

Not enough information: official sources cover less than 60% of this area.

  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes (Listed on the university's official student organizations directory under Religious Organizations.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Student Organizations | Student Life | Southern Arkansas Universitysaumag.edu/students/student-organizations · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Catholic Campus Ministries Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship”
      Catholic Campus Ministries is listed among the university's religious affiliated student organizations.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryNot enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)One (One Catholic student group is listed.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Student Organizations | Student Life | Southern Arkansas Universitysaumag.edu/students/student-organizations · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Catholic Campus Ministries Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship”
      Catholic Campus Ministries is listed among the university's religious affiliated student organizations.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Not enough information: not found in official sources.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 1 mile of campusComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Not enough information: official sources do not document this, so it is left out of the grade rather than counted as a no.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adorationNot enough information: no verified Mass times are recorded.

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • The university's official student organizations directory lists a Catholic Campus Ministries group.
    Sources (1)
    1. Student Organizations | Student Life | Southern Arkansas Universitysaumag.edu/students/student-organizations · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Catholic Campus Ministries Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship”
      Catholic Campus Ministries is listed among the university's religious affiliated student organizations.

Concerns

None recorded.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

Catholic clubs and student life

1 groups and regular activities · 0 on campus, 0 off campus, 1 location not published

Clubs and groups 1

  • Catholic Campus Ministries
    Listed on the university's student organizations directory under Religious Organizations.
    saumag.edu

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Catholic campus ministry

Sources (1)
  1. Student Organizations | Student Life | Southern Arkansas Universitysaumag.edu/students/student-organizations · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Catholic Campus Ministries Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship”
    Catholic Campus Ministries is listed among the university's religious affiliated student organizations.

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Academic Excellence

DAcademic Excellence: Limited (grade D): 40 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
50 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.49%
  • 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.SAT 1,047 · ACT 20.5
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$6,019

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)
3,224
Total students5,127
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$14,027
Cost of attendance (per year)$24,951
Median federal debt at graduation$18,750
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
49%
First-year retention66%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$42,386
Admission rate75%
Students receiving Pell grants48%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1047
SAT reading & writing450–565
SAT math425–540
ACT composite17–24
Test policyRequired

Value index: 51 / 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

Questions families ask

Is Southern Arkansas University Main Campus a Catholic college?
No. Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by Catholic Campus Ministries.

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