University of the Ozarks
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Best Online Education Programs in Fort Smith, AR (2026)
Fort Smith, Arkansas has 2 accredited schools offering education programs, with tuition ranging from $8,508 to $21,536 per year for indexed programs. Fort Smith has a population of about 89,496. Median household income is $52,692 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $96,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Education Schools to Fort Smith
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer education programs near Fort Smith. Distances are calculated from Fort Smith city center.
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 Fort Smith. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Arkansas Tech University
Published tuition$8,508 - $21,536
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas education page.
Education Wages Near Fort Smith
Fort Smith is part of the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area (BLS area code 22900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arkansas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $60,960 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $70,966 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $52,620 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $61,257 |
| Middle School Teacher | $58,960 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $68,638 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $74,500 | AR statewide | $86,729 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $96,420 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $112,247 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $75,180 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $87,520 |
| Tutor | $29,780 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $34,668 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $66,270 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $77,148 |
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.
Fort Smith at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,496 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $52,692 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 25.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 85.9 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in Sebastian County | 618 workers, 37 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Fort Smith-Area Cities With Education Programs
- Van Buren, AR – 6.9 mi away (23,367 pop)
- Fayetteville, AR – 51.2 mi away (336,152 pop)
- Siloam Springs, AR – 58.4 mi away (21,136 pop)
- Springdale, AR – 59.3 mi away (78,557 pop)
- Muskogee, OK – 61.8 mi away (41,117 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited education schools are near Fort Smith, AR?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering education programs near Fort Smith. The closest is University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR (51.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Arkansas Tech University (69.7 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying education roles near Fort Smith?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Fort Smith are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($96,420), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($75,180), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($74,500). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arkansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Van Buren instead of Fort Smith?
Van Buren, AR is 6.9 miles from Fort Smith and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Fort Smith an affordable place to study education?
Fort Smith’s median household income of $52,692 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fort Smith 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 Education Programs
- Education accreditation: what to look for
- Education concentrations and specializations
- Is a Education degree worth it?
- Main Education degree guide
- Online Education programs in Arkansas
- Education programs by state
Other Programs Available in Fort Smith
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Fort Smith:
- Criminal Justice programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Nursing programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Business Administration programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Computer Science programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Psychology programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Engineering programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Technology programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Liberal Arts programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Healthcare programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Cybersecurity programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Accounting programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Healthcare Administration programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Social Work programs in Fort Smith, AR
- Counseling programs in Fort Smith, AR
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
Data verified: June 11, 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.