Best Nutrition Schools Near Fort Smith, AR (2026)

Fort Smith, Arkansas has 3 accredited schools offering nutrition programs, with tuition ranging from $7,810 to $29,966 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 Arkansas, the top-earning nutrition-related role is Food Scientist and Technologist at a median $84,330 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nutrition Schools to Fort Smith

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nutrition programs near Fort Smith, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR 50.9 miles from Fort Smith
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,191
Avg net price $18,209/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,104
Out‑of‑state$29,966
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton

Morrilton, AR 93.4 miles from Fort Smith
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,924
Avg net price $8,725/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, AR 109.5 miles from Fort Smith
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,938
Avg net price $16,511/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia, AR 112.9 miles from Fort Smith
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,673
Avg net price $22,409/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Little Rock, AR 123.0 miles from Fort Smith
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,827
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Harding University

Searcy, AR 149.2 miles from Fort Smith
  • 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

#7

Black River Technical College

Pocahontas, AR 201.2 miles from Fort Smith
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,818
Avg net price $5,095/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR 210.1 miles from Fort Smith
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
51.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,617
Avg net price $12,366/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,090
Out‑of‑state$14,522
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nutrition Wages Near Fort Smith

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Arkansas, statewide)
Dietitian and Nutritionist$65,540
Dietetic Technician$31,900
Health Education Specialist$62,270
Food Scientist and Technologist$84,330

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

MetricValueSource
Population89,496Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,692Census 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

Other Fort Smith-Area Cities With Nutrition Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nutrition schools are near Fort Smith, AR?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering nutrition programs near Fort Smith. The closest is University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR (50.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton (93.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nutrition roles in Arkansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying nutrition-related roles in Arkansas are: Food Scientist and Technologist ($84,330), Dietitian and Nutritionist ($65,540), Health Education Specialist ($62,270). Wages for Fort Smith workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

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 nutrition 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 nutrition?

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 Nutrition Programs

Other Programs Available in Fort Smith

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

Data verified: September 1, 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.