Best Military-Friendly Online Colleges Near Searcy, AR

Updated September 6, 2026 On this page

Home > Online Colleges > Military-Friendly > Arkansas > Searcy

Key takeaway: 10 accredited institutions within 100 miles of Searcy offer fully online programs and report both credit for military training and a dedicated point of contact for veterans, servicemembers, and their families (IPEDS IC 2024); 3 report all four services the federal survey tracks. The nearest installation recorded by the Census Bureau is Little Rock AFB, about 33 miles away, and 4 installations sit within 100 miles (1 Army, 1 Air Force, 2 Other). 1 of the 10 schools has a campus within 30 miles; the closest is Harding University in Searcy, AR, about 1 miles from city center. The highest-ranked by BOC Score is University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Searcy has a population of about 23,115 and a median household income of $50,896; 29.4 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (Census ACS 5-year estimates).

Military-friendly online colleges near Searcy

Schools based in Arkansas that report credit for military training and a dedicated military contact, ordered by distance from Searcy city center, with BOC Score on each card. The tags on each card are the school’s own IPEDS answers for the four military services. The distance table further down covers the nearest qualifying schools regardless of state line.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Searcy. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Harding University

Searcy, AR 0.6 miles from Searcy
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Credit for military training
  • Dedicated military contact
  • Student veteran org
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,876
Avg net price $22,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Nearest qualifying schools within 100 miles (any state)

School Location Credit for military training Dedicated military contact DoD MOU member Student veteran org BOC Score Distance
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock, AR Yes Yes Yes Yes 90.5 48 mi
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis, TN Yes Yes No No 89.5 96 mi
Harding University Searcy, AR Yes Yes No Yes 63.3 1 mi
Baptist Health Sciences University Memphis, TN Yes Yes No Yes 62.6 97 mi
Arkansas Tech University Russellville, AR Yes Yes Yes Yes 58.4 79 mi
Ozarka College Melbourne, AR Yes Yes Yes No 57.5 57 mi
University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville Batesville, AR Yes Yes Yes No 54.5 39 mi
Arkansas State University Three Rivers Malvern, AR Yes Yes Yes No 53.0 86 mi
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Helena, AR Yes Yes Yes No 52.0 80 mi
Arkansas State University Jonesboro, AR Yes Yes Yes Yes 51.5 72 mi

Arkansas has 32 military-friendly online colleges by this definition; the Arkansas page lists them all.

Military installations near Searcy

Installation (as recorded by the Census Bureau) Branch (from the name) Distance from Searcy
Little Rock AFB Air Force 33 mi
Camp Joseph T Robinson Army 40 mi
Pine Bluff Arsenal Other 66 mi
Nswc Carderock Div Other 91 mi

Common post-service careers near Searcy

Median wages for occupations that veterans commonly move into after an online degree (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS).

Occupation Median annual wage Scope
Information Security Analysts $103,490 AR statewide
Logisticians $78,400 AR statewide
Emergency Management Directors $50,180 AR statewide
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers $47,670 AR statewide
Medical and Health Services Managers $94,340 AR statewide
Project Management Specialists $77,170 AR statewide
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $81,590 AR statewide
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $89,200 AR statewide

BLS publishes wages for metro areas and states, not individual cities; these are statewide medians.

Campuses within 30 miles of Searcy

  • Harding University (Searcy, AR), 1 mi, 3 of 4 services reported

Nearby cities

Benefit eligibility is determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and your service’s education office. Nothing on this page guarantees education benefits, credit transfer, admission, or a particular cost. Confirm every detail with the school’s military or veteran services office before you enroll.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (IC 2024): veteran and military services indicators (VET2 through VET5), distance-education program flag (DISTPGS); BOC Score from College Scorecard and IPEDS outcome data; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 Military Installations layer (installation names as recorded there); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities; Census ACS 5-year estimates. Directory counts as of the September 2026 refresh.