| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year college; campus-based, with many business and computer programs online |
| Name | North Arkansas College of the University of Arkansas (“UA Northark”) since 20 April 2026; formerly North Arkansas College (“Northark”) |
| Campuses | 3, all in Arkansas: South Campus (main) and North Campus in Harrison, and the Carroll County Center in Berryville |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AAS; AA, AS and AGS transfer degrees), Technical Certificates (about a year) and Certificates of Proficiency (about a semester) |
| Programs | 86 credentials on the college’s program listing |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission since 1979; last reaffirmed 2018-19; next evaluation 2028-29 |
| Federal aid | Yes (OPEID 01226100) |
| 2026-27 tuition | $124 per credit (Boone County), $140 (rest of Arkansas), $171 (four nearby Missouri counties), $217 (out of state), plus $41 in fees |
| Students | 2,903 in fall 2026, a record; 53% were high-school concurrent students |
| Founded | College opened in 1974; Northark Technical Center formed in 2001 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
North Arkansas College (UA Northark) and its Technical Center
North Arkansas College is a public two-year college based in Harrison, Arkansas. It opened in 1974 as North Arkansas Community College, merged with Twin Lakes Technical College in 1993 and took the name North Arkansas College in 1997. On 20 April 2026 it joined the University of Arkansas System, after the Higher Learning Commission approved the change on 22 March 2026, and it is now North Arkansas College of the University of Arkansas, or “UA Northark”. It remains separately accredited.
Northark Technical Center is the college’s career center for high-school students, formed in 2001 and now based on the North Campus. Adults take the same technical programs through the college’s ordinary credit courses. Fall 2026 enrollment was a record 2,903 students, up 32%, and 53% of them were high-school students taking college classes.
Programs for adult students
The college’s program listing has 86 credentials, from one-semester Certificates of Proficiency to two-year Associate of Applied Science degrees, plus transfer degrees. The table shows the main career programs. Health programs are mostly at South Campus, and skilled trades are taught at North Campus.
| Program | Credential | Length | Where | Prepares for / accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | AAS; RN Bridge AAS (3 semesters) | 2 years, full-time | South Campus, Harrison | NCLEX-RN; ACEN accredited |
| Practical Nursing | Technical Certificate | 11 months; January and August starts | Mostly blended or online, clinicals in person | NCLEX-PN; ASBN full approval |
| Surgical Technology | AAS | 18 months | Harrison, plus a Washington Regional (Fayetteville) instructional site | CST exam; CAAHEP accredited |
| Radiologic Technology | AAS | 21 months (6 semesters) | Harrison, with 22 clinical sites in AR and MO | Described by the college as “ARRT approved” |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | AAS | 3 semesters after prerequisites; 3 or 5 online | South Campus, or online didactic for working lab staff | ASCP BOC exam; NAACLS accredited |
| Paramedic | AAS; Technical Certificate | 2 years (AAS) | On campus | CAAHEP accredited |
| EMT | Certificate of Proficiency | 1 semester | On campus; also Technical Center | Arkansas EMT licence |
| Nursing Assistant | Certificate of Proficiency | 1 semester | South Campus, Berryville; also Technical Center | Arkansas CNA certification |
| Phlebotomy Technician | Certificate of Proficiency | 1 semester | On campus | – |
| Truck Driving | Certificate of Proficiency | 8 weeks per the program page (4 weeks in press reports) | North Campus; relaunching from fall 2026 | Arkansas Class A CDL |
| Automotive Service Technology | Technical Certificate; 2 Certificates of Proficiency | 11 months | North Campus | – |
| Collision Repair Technology | Technical Certificate; Certificate of Proficiency | 1 year | North Campus | I-CAR (Technical Center) |
| HVAC/Refrigeration Technology | AAS; Technical Certificate; Certificate of Proficiency | 1 semester to 2 years | North Campus | – |
| Welding Technology | Technical Certificate; 2 Certificates of Proficiency | 1 semester to 1 year | North Campus | NCCER (Technical Center) |
| Construction Technology | Technical Certificate; 2 Certificates of Proficiency | 1 semester to 1 year | North Campus | NCCER (Technical Center) |
| Information Technologies | AAS; Technical Certificate; Certificate of Proficiency | 1 semester to 2 years | Harrison; certificate also in Berryville | – |
| Accounting | AAS; Technical Certificate | 1 to 2 years | Online; Berryville | – |
| Logistics and Supply Chain Management | AAS; Technical Certificate | 1 to 2 years | Online | – |
Programmatic accreditation, as the college lists it: ACEN for Registered Nursing, CAAHEP for Surgical Technology and for Paramedic (on CoAEMSP’s recommendation), NAACLS for Medical Laboratory Technology, and full approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing for Practical Nursing. The college calls Radiologic Technology “ARRT approved” but does not name a programmatic accreditor for it.
Business programs, including Management, Hospitality Management, Office Management and Logistics and Supply Chain Management, are taught online. Cybersecurity and Agriculture are offered only as Associate of Science transfer degrees, and Electronics Technology is an electronics program, not electrician training. Through a new University of Arkansas at Monticello partnership starting fall 2026, students can finish bachelor’s degrees in business administration or elementary education in Harrison.
What the main programs cover
Registered Nursing
The Registered Nursing AAS is a two-year, full-time program that leads to the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. Students apply to it separately through the health professions application, which closes on 1 April each year. Nursing labs are in the Allied Health Addition at South Campus, with a simulation center on the same campus. The program holds continuing accreditation from ACEN and approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. A separate RN Bridge AAS runs for three semesters; check the program page for who can enter it.
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing is an 11-month Technical Certificate that starts twice a year, in January and August. Applications close on 15 October for the January start and 15 April for the August start. According to the college’s 2026 information packet, most coursework is blended or online with some face-to-face sessions, and fall-term clinicals run Thursday and Friday from 6:30 am to 3 pm. Graduates sit the NCLEX-PN exam for an Arkansas LPN licence. The program has full approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
Surgical Technology
The Surgical Technology AAS runs for 18 months and prepares students for the Certified Surgical Technologist exam from the NBSTSA. It is delivered at the main campus in Harrison, where the Allied Health Addition has a surgical technology lab, and the college also runs a separate instructional site at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville. Applications close on 1 May. The program is accredited by CAAHEP on the recommendation of ARC/STSA. The program’s published outcomes stop at the 2023-24 cohort, and its cohorts are small.
Radiologic Technology
Radiologic Technology is an AAS taught over six semesters, or 21 months. Clinical training takes place at 22 sites in Arkansas and Missouri, so ask where rotations are placed. Admission requires a GPA of at least 2.5. The college describes the program as “ARRT approved”, but its program page does not name a programmatic accreditor such as JRCERT. Ask the program directly about its accreditation status before you apply.
Medical Laboratory Technology
The Medical Laboratory Technology AAS is accredited by NAACLS and leads to the ASCP Board of Certification exam. On campus, students take prerequisites and then three semesters of laboratory coursework, using the lab in the Allied Health Addition at South Campus. The didactic courses are also offered 100% online over three or five semesters, but only for students who already work in a laboratory, and online students must arrange their own clinical placements.
Truck Driving (Class A CDL)
Truck Driving is a Certificate of Proficiency that trains students for an Arkansas Class A commercial driver’s licence. The program was paused for 18 months and is relaunching from fall 2026, after FedEx Freight donated two tractors and two trailers, according to FreightWaves (May 2026). Training uses the truck-driving area at North Campus. The college’s program page gives the length as 8 weeks, while press coverage described a four-week intensive format, so ask which schedule applies to the next class.
The Technical Center: free career training for high-school students
The UA Northark Technical Center serves high schools in Baxter, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton and Searcy counties, according to the college’s website (its 2025-26 handbook lists six counties and leaves out Baxter). The web page describes it for juniors and seniors; the handbook says students entering grades 10 to 12, with sophomores needing a recommendation from a high-school administrator. Students apply through their own high school and earn high-school and college credit at the same time, up to 30 college credit hours.
Books, tuition and fees are covered by a training fee paid by local school districts plus state career and technical education funding, so students pay nothing unless they lose or damage books. The center follows the college’s academic calendar.
| Technical Center area | College credentials and certifications |
|---|---|
| Robotics & Manufacturing | Certificates of Proficiency in Workforce Technology, Manufacturing Technology and Electronics Technology; OSHA |
| Automotive Service Technology | Certificate of Proficiency in Gas Engine Repair & Brake Technology; OSHA |
| Collision Repair Technology | Certificate of Proficiency in Collision Repair Technology; I-CAR; OSHA |
| Construction Technology | Certificates of Proficiency in Construction Technology, HVAC and Workforce Technology; NCCER; OSHA |
| Health Professions | Certificates of Proficiency in Nursing Assistant plus Administrative Medical Assistant or EMT; CNA state certification; EMT state licence; CPR |
| HVAC/R Technology | Preparation for a refrigeration certification exam |
| Outdoor Power Equipment | Certificate of Proficiency in Workforce Technology; Technical Certificate in Outdoor Power Equipment Technology |
| Welding | Certificates of Proficiency in Welding Applications & Procedures, Shielded Metal Arc Welding and Workforce Technology; NCCER; OSHA |
Tuition and how students pay
The college’s 2026-27 tuition rates run from fall 2026 through summer II 2027. In-district tuition rose 4.2%, from $119 to $124 per credit, and mandatory fees stayed at $41 per credit (activity, student services, safety and parking, technology and student government).
| 2026-27, per credit hour | Tuition | With $41 mandatory fees |
|---|---|---|
| Boone County (in-district) | $124 | $165 |
| Rest of Arkansas | $140 | $181 |
| Barry, Ozark, Stone and Taney counties, Missouri | $171 | $212 |
| Out of state | $217 | $258 |
| Northark Technical Center (high-school students) | $0 | $0 (tuition, books and fees covered) |
Program fees are charged per credit on top of these rates: $40 for Registered Nursing, $38 for other health professions, $35 for technical and welding courses and $20 for online or hybrid courses. Truck Driving has a flat $1,800 program fee plus a $200 Class A CDL fee, and five welding courses carry a $100 certification fee. The college’s 2026 Practical Nursing packet estimates the whole program at $12,817.62 for Boone County residents and $16,957.62 for out-of-state students. Niche puts the average net price at $10,234 a year. UA Northark takes federal student aid (OPEID 01226100), and a veterans’ affairs office is at South Campus. A new Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship, starting fall 2026, lets students continue at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville at UA Northark tuition.
Open admission, with selective health programs
The college has open admission. Several health programs add their own application and deadline: Registered Nursing by 1 April, Practical Nursing by 15 April (August start) or 15 October (January start), and Surgical Technology by 1 May. Radiologic Technology requires a 2.5 GPA, and the online Medical Laboratory Technology route is open only to people already working in a lab. High-school students enter the Technical Center through their high school, not through college admissions. Tuition for fall 2026 was due on 4 August.
Accreditation and results
North Arkansas College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1979. HLC last reaffirmed its accreditation in 2018-19, and the next full evaluation is scheduled for 2028-29. HLC lists no sanctions, and when it approved the move into the University of Arkansas System in March 2026 it kept the college as a separately accredited institution.
| Measure | Result | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate | 90.4% (57 of 63); Arkansas 84.4% | 2026, Arkansas State Board of Nursing (Aug 2026) |
| Practical Nursing, first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate | 100% (25 of 25); Arkansas 93.1% | 2026, Arkansas State Board of Nursing (Aug 2026) |
| Surgical Technology, CST exam pass rate | 100% (50% for 2022-23) | 2023-24 cohort, program outcomes page; small cohorts |
| Graduation rate | 42% within 150% of normal time; another 13% transferred out | Full-time, first-time students who started in fall 2021, College Navigator |
| First-year retention | 54% of full-time and 44% of part-time students returned | Fall 2023 to fall 2024, College Navigator |
Nursing pass rates come from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s tables posted in August 2026, which combine all of a college’s campuses.
Before you enroll
- The Technical Center is free only for high-school students. Adults pay tuition: about $165 per credit with fees for Boone County residents in 2026-27, and $258 for out-of-state students.
- Radiologic Technology is described as “ARRT approved”, but the college does not name a programmatic accreditor. Confirm its accreditation before you apply.
- Truck Driving is restarting after an 18-month pause, and the college and press give different lengths (8 weeks and 4 weeks). Ask when the next class starts and how long it runs.
- Cybersecurity and Agriculture are transfer degrees, not job credentials, and Electronics Technology does not train electricians.
- Online Medical Laboratory Technology is only for people already working in a lab, and they must find their own clinical sites. If you live outside Arkansas, ask whether you can enroll in an online program from your state.
Three campuses in Harrison and Berryville
| Campus | Address | Main programs taught here |
|---|---|---|
| South Campus (main) | 1515 Pioneer Dr, Harrison, AR 72601 | General education, nursing, surgical technology, medical laboratory technology, robotics and manufacturing labs; student services |
| North Campus | 1320 N Spring Rd, Harrison, AR 72601 | Automotive, collision repair, construction, HVAC, machining, welding, electronics, heavy equipment, truck driving (relaunching from fall 2026); Northark Technical Center |
| Carroll County Center | 804 W Freeman, Berryville, AR 72616 | Associate of Arts, Accounting, Business AS, Information Technologies certificate, Nursing Assistant, adult education and ESL |
Concurrent-credit classes held inside area high schools and the Fayetteville surgical-technology clinical site are not listed as campuses here.
Labs and student support
South Campus has a simulation center for health students and the Center for Robotics and Manufacturing Innovation, opened in 2025, with robotics, manufacturing and electronics labs and a maker space. The Carroll County Center in Berryville offers adult education, ESL classes and Educational Opportunity Center services. No college housing is mentioned on the campus pages.
What students say
On Niche, North Arkansas College is rated 4.03 out of 5 from 227 reviews, with an overall grade of B (checked 10 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise caring, accessible professors, small classes, low cost with work-study and support programs, and a safe, supportive community. The most common complaints are few music and science clubs, transfer advising and course availability, and the athletics facilities. The reviews cover the whole college, not only the Technical Center, and we could not tell whether they were invited by the college or posted in bursts.
Sources
Checked October 2026: UA Northark academic programs · UA Northark Technical Center · Tuition and fees · HLC accreditation status · ASBN NCLEX-RN pass rates 2022-2026 · ASBN NCLEX-PN pass rates 2022-2026 · College Navigator · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Allied Health
- Registered Nursing (AAS)
- RN Bridge (AAS)
- Practical Nursing (LPN)
- Nursing Assistant
- Surgical Technology
- Radiologic Technology
- Medical Laboratory Technology
- Paramedic
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Phlebotomy Technician
- Pre-Allied Health
Skilled Trades
- Automotive Service Technology
- Collision Repair Technology
- Construction Technology
- HVAC/Refrigeration Technology
- Welding Technology
- Facilities Maintenance
- Heavy Equipment Technology
- Outdoor Power Equipment
- General Technology
- Workforce Technology
Manufacturing, Robotics and Electronics
- Advanced Manufacturing and Machining
- Automation and Systems Integration (Robotics)
- Electronics Technology
- Energy Management
- UAS (Drones) and Data Applications
- Aviation Maintenance
Transportation
- Truck Driving (Class A CDL; relaunching fall 2026)
Computers, Data and Media
- Information Technologies
- Programming (online)
- Data Analytics
- Data Science (transfer degree)
- Cybersecurity (transfer degree)
- Creative Media
Business (mostly online)
- Accounting
- Management
- Small Business Management
- Office Management
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Hospitality Management
- Banking and Finance
- Sports Management
- Turf Management
Public Service
- Criminal Justice
Transfer degrees
- Associate of Arts
- Business
- Education
- Agriculture
- Science, Engineering and Math
- Studio Arts
- Associate of General Studies
Campus Locations
Harrison, AR South Campus, 1515 Pioneer Dr, Harrison, AR 72601
Harrison, AR North Campus, 1320 N Spring Rd, Harrison, AR 72601
Berryville, AR 804 W Freeman, Berryville, AR 72616