Online ITPrograms
2027 State Guide
Best Online IT Programs in Arkansas (2027)
Online IT programs in Arkansas come from schools in other states, because no school based here runs one we rank. Living costs work in a worker's favor in Arkansas, where a price level of 86.9 makes a $81,590 administrator median worth $93,850.
- 6online options listed
- $81,590network and computer systems administrator median
- 27,920computer jobs
Key Points
- No school based in Arkansas runs a fully online IT program we rank, so these picks come from Missouri, Alabama and Oklahoma.
- Help desk work, the usual way in, has a $46,360 median in Arkansas.
- Arkansas's largest tracked IT jobs are help desk technicians (4,390), computer systems analysts (4,100) and IT managers (3,420).
Online IT Programs in Arkansas: Best Fits for Residents
No school based in Arkansas runs a program we rank, so these six picks balance published cost, transfer credit, distance and the jobs Arkansas hires for. Compare the full field in our national rankings.
-
Missouri State University-Springfield
Master of Science in Information Technology
Budget $15,000 in tuition. Computer systems analysts earn $81,760 in Arkansas. 58% graduation rate.
- Online tuition
- $500 per credit$15,000 total for 30 credits
- Credits
- 30
- Graduation rate
- 58%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 332023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLCHigher Learning Commission
-
Columbia Southern University
B.S. Information Technology
One rate for everyone: $33,360. Arkansas's computer systems analysts earn $29,750 to $136,270. Graduates report $53,644 after a year.
- Online tuition
- $278 per credit$33,360 total for 120 credits
- Credits
- 120
- Graduation rate
- 33%school-wide
- Median earnings
- $53,6441 year after
- Graduates in this field
- 892023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- SACSCOCSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Transfer credits
- Up to 90
-
Lindenwood University
Information Technology, BS
One rate for everyone: $63,000. It leads toward Arkansas's 4,100 computer systems analysts. Self-paced, which suits a full-time job.
- Online tuition
- $525 per credit$63,000 total for 120 credits
- Credits
- 120
- Graduation rate
- 49%school-wide
- Median earnings
- $66,9651 year after
- Graduates in this field
- 42023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLCHigher Learning Commission
- Format
- Self-paced
- Transfer credits
- Up to 90
- Prepares for
- CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+
-
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Associate in Applied Science in Information Technologies
Network support specialists run 1.20 times the national share in Arkansas. 42% graduation rate.
- Online tuition
- $388.60 per credit$201.60 in state
- Graduation rate
- 42%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 612023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLCHigher Learning Commission
- Starts
- Fall, Spring, Summer
-
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Information Technology, AS
One rate for everyone: $23,100. It leads toward Arkansas's 1,470 network support specialists. 65% graduation rate.
- Online tuition
- $385 per credit$23,100 total for 60 credits
- Credits
- 60
- Graduation rate
- 65%school-wide
- Median earnings
- $52,7061 year after
- Graduates in this field
- 192023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- NECHENew England Commission of Higher Education
- Transfer credits
- Up to 36
- Starts
- October
-
East Central College
Computer Information Systems, AAS
It leads toward Arkansas's 1,470 network support specialists. 48% graduation rate.
- Online tuition
- $318 per credit$157 in state
- Graduation rate
- 48%school-wide
- Graduates in this field
- 112023-24, all formats
- Accreditation
- HLCHigher Learning Commission
Tuition Discounts for Arkansas Residents
Regional Tuition Exchanges for Arkansas Students
One exchange reaches Arkansas. Ask each school whether its online IT programs take part.
- Academic Common Market (ACM, run by SREB): in-state tuition at an out-of-state school for a program that public institutions in your home state don’t offer.
IT Jobs and Salaries in Arkansas
Arkansas’s best-paid IT role: IT managers, at $127,220; Arkansas’s lowest is $46,360, for help desk technicians. Arkansas’s largest IT group: 4,390 help desk technicians.
| Role | Median pay | vs U.S. | Typical range | Jobs | Entry education | Salary guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT Manager | $127,220 | −27% | $78,630 to $219,250 | 3,420 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network Engineer | $110,400 | −18% | $80,930 to $166,780 | 910 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Information Security Analyst | $103,490 | −20% | $59,410 to $140,900 | 1,460 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Database Administrator | $82,480 | −21% | $53,690 to $127,850 | 420 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $81,760 | −23% | $29,750 to $136,270 | 4,100 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $81,590 | −18% | $52,190 to $131,140 | 1,750 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Network Support Specialist | $59,460 | −22% | $42,340 to $102,450 | 1,470 | Associate's degree | Salary guide |
| Web Developer | $50,550 | −45% | $39,640 to $112,020 | 400 | Bachelor's degree | Salary guide |
| Help Desk Technician | $46,360 | −25% | $34,950 to $74,680 | 4,390 | Some college, no degree | Salary guide |
Median and percentile pay and local employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Arkansas statewide (Sources; BLS OEWS). Typical entry education: BLS Employment Projections. The range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile.
No Arkansas role tops the U.S. median; nearest: $110,400 for network engineers (−18%). Weakest in Arkansas: web developers, at $50,550 (−45%).
Next in Arkansas: computer systems analysts (4,100 jobs, $81,760) and IT managers (3,420 jobs, $127,220). In Arkansas, bachelor’s-level roles are 68% of IT jobs; Arkansas students can compare online IT bachelor’s degrees. Below a bachelor’s in Arkansas: help desk technicians (4,390 jobs, $46,360) and network support specialists (1,470 jobs, $59,460). For those Arkansas roles, see online IT associate degrees.
IT Pay by Metro Area in Arkansas
Memphis, TN-MS-AR is both the largest market and the best paid for administrators, at $89,250.
| Metro area | Computer jobs | Network and computer systems administrator median | Security analyst median | Help desk median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 11,710 | $89,250 | $97,370 | $59,460 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 11,070 | $86,530 | $106,200 | $47,400 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 8,040 | $83,090 | $94,070 | $56,620 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 1,180 | $73,620 | $91,020 | $48,170 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 610 | $81,370 | $64,030 | $50,220 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 550 | $76,020 | $48,520 | |
| Hot Springs, AR | 390 | $87,420 | $50,510 |
Arkansas IT Pay vs. Neighboring States
Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Oklahoma pay network and computer systems administrators more than Arkansas; Missouri and Mississippi pay less.
IT Job Concentration in Arkansas
Network support specialists stand out most in Arkansas: 1,470 jobs, 1.20 times the national share.
| IT job | Per thousand jobs | Vs. national share |
|---|---|---|
| Help Desk Technician | 3.37 | 0.73× |
| Computer Systems Analyst | 3.14 | 0.94× |
| IT Manager | 2.63 | 0.61× |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | 1.34 | 0.66× |
| Network Support Specialist | 1.13 | 1.20× |
| Information Security Analyst | 1.12 | 0.91× |
| Network Engineer | 0.69 | 0.60× |
| Database Administrator | 0.32 | 0.71× |
| Web Developer | 0.30 | 0.67× |
Employment and location quotients: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Cybersecurity Jobs in Arkansas
Arkansas’s labor market office projects the job to grow 36% from 2024 to 2034, with about 90 openings a year.
Compare online cybersecurity degrees or read the security analyst salary guide.
Tech Jobs in Arkansas: The Industries Behind Them
Industry employment, establishments and payroll: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. Average pay is annual payroll divided by employment.
IT Job Growth in Arkansas Through 2034
Arkansas’s labor market office projects information security analysts to grow fastest, by 36% from 2024 to 2034, and network and computer systems administrators to grow slowest, at -1.1%. Across the nine IT jobs below, it expects about 1,150 openings a year, from growth and from workers who retire or change fields. Nationally, the same job is projected to grow 28.5%.
| IT job | 2024 | 2034 | Growth | Openings a year | U.S. growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analyst | 970 | 1,320 | +36% | 90 | +28.5% |
| IT Manager | 3,010 | 3,640 | +20.8% | 270 | +15.2% |
| Network Engineer | 930 | 1,070 | +15.1% | 60 | +11.9% |
| Computer Systems Analyst | 3,570 | 4,030 | +12.8% | 250 | +8.7% |
| Web Developer | 470 | 510 | +9.2% | 30 | +7.6% |
| Network Support Specialist | 1,280 | 1,350 | +5.1% | 90 | +1.8% |
| Database Administrator | 650 | 660 | +2.5% | 40 | -0.6% |
| Help Desk | 4,000 | 4,010 | +0.2% | 240 | -3.7% |
| Network Administrator and Systems Administrator | 1,740 | 1,720 | -1.1% | 80 | -4.2% |
State projections, 2024 to 2034: Projections Central, from Arkansas’s labor market information office. U.S. growth is the national projection on the same basis.
How to Choose an Online IT Program in Arkansas
Arkansas students can start from $15,000 at Missouri State University-Springfield. Largest IT occupation: 4,390 computer user support specialists.
Our guide to choosing by state covers cost, residency, authorization and accreditation.
Online IT Programs in Other States
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Montana
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Online IT Programs in Arkansas FAQ
Are there online IT programs based in Arkansas?
None in our rankings. Arkansas residents enroll with schools elsewhere; our first picks are the Master of Science in Information Technology at Missouri State University-Springfield and the B.S. Information Technology at Columbia Southern University.
Which online IT program suits Arkansas residents best?
Weighing cost, transfer credit, distance and local jobs, we'd start with the Master of Science in Information Technology at Missouri State University-Springfield in Missouri, at $15,000 in published tuition.
Can Arkansas residents get a tuition discount at out-of-state schools?
Arkansas takes part in ACM. ACM offers in-state tuition at an out-of-state school for a program that public institutions in your home state don’t offer. Ask the school whether its online IT programs count.
Which IT jobs pay best in Arkansas compared with the U.S.?
Arkansas pays network architects best against U.S. medians and web developers worst.
Which IT jobs are scarce in Arkansas?
Arkansas is lightest on network architects (0.60x) and IT managers (0.61x the U.S. share).
Keep researching
Related Rankings and Guides
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state and metropolitan area estimates
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections by state (base year 2024, projected to 2034), produced by state labor market information offices
- Arkansas labor market information office, long-term occupational projections
- BEA, Regional Price Parities by state (SARPP), all items, 2024
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, by state
- SREB, Academic Common Market
- NC-SARA, State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement