Best Child Development Schools Near Searcy, AR (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Searcy, Arkansas has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs. Searcy has a population of about 23,115. Median household income is $50,896 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Arkansas, the top-earning child development-related role is Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education at a median $52,060 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Child Development Schools to Searcy

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer child development programs near Searcy, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Searcy city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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
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

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas child development page.

Child Development Wages Near Searcy

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Arkansas, statewide)
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $34,190
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare $44,990
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $43,330
Childcare Workers $28,450
Special Education Teachers, Preschool $35,580
Social and Human Service Assistants $36,770
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education $52,060
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other $40,840

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Searcy at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,115 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $50,896 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 29.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Searcy-Area Cities With Child Development Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited child development schools are near Searcy, AR?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering child development programs near Searcy. The closest is Harding University in Searcy, AR (0.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ozarka College (56.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying child development roles in Arkansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying child development-related roles in Arkansas are: Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education ($52,060), Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare ($44,990), Child, Family, and School Social Workers ($43,330). Wages for Searcy workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Cabot instead of Searcy?

Cabot, AR is 24.7 miles from Searcy and has its own set of local child development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Searcy an affordable place to study child development?

Searcy’s median household income of $50,896 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Searcy while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Child Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Searcy

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Searcy:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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