A Vibrant Community: Harding University's Student Population

Harding University is a private Christian liberal arts university located in Searcy, Arkansas. Founded in 1924, the university offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional degrees at the master's, specialist, and doctoral levels. The university has a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 3,500 students, with a gender distribution of around 45% male and 55% female students. The campus size spans 350 acres, and the university is ranked #296 in National Universities by U.S. News Best Colleges for 2025.

Undergraduate enrollment

Harding University is a private Christian liberal arts university located in Searcy, Arkansas. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate majors, as well as professional and graduate degrees at the master's, specialist, and doctoral levels.

As of Fall 2023, Harding University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,497 students. The gender distribution of the undergraduate population is 45.2% male and 54.8% female. The university has a small campus of 350 acres.

Harding University offers a variety of campus housing options, including apartments for single and married students. A significant majority (81%) of the students choose to live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing, while the remaining 19% live off-campus. The university encourages undergraduate students, especially those under the age of 22, to live on campus and provides housing based on availability.

The undergraduate enrollment at Harding University reflects a diverse and vibrant community, with students representing all 50 states and 54 nations and territories. The university fosters a close-knit campus life and emphasizes its Christian background, integrating faith into daily life. The university's selective admissions result in an acceptance rate of around 45-68%.

Graduate enrollment

Harding University is a private Christian liberal arts university located in Searcy, Arkansas. The university offers a variety of graduate programs, including master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees. While the total number of graduate students enrolled at Harding University is not publicly available, we can look at other relevant information to understand the scale of graduate enrollment.

Harding University has a total undergraduate enrollment of around 3,500 students, as of Fall 2023. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and various bachelor's degree programs. In addition to its undergraduate programs, Harding University provides a diverse range of graduate and professional degree options.

The university includes a graduate school of theology, located in Memphis, Tennessee, which was previously known as the Harding Graduate School of Religion. This graduate school adds to the overall graduate enrollment at Harding University.

Harding University is structured into nine separate colleges, each with its own unique focus. These colleges include the College of Allied Health, the College of Arts & Humanities, the College of Bible & Ministry, the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration, the Cannon-Clary College of Education, the Carr College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Sciences, and the Honors College. Each college offers distinct graduate programs, contributing to the overall graduate enrollment.

The range of graduate programs available at Harding University attracts students from diverse backgrounds. The university's graduate offerings cater to those seeking advanced degrees in various fields, including theology, business, education, and health sciences, among others.

While the exact number of graduate students is not disclosed, the variety of graduate programs and the presence of a dedicated graduate school suggest that Harding University has a significant graduate enrollment, contributing to its overall academic community and reputation.

Gender distribution

Harding University, a private Christian liberal arts university in Searcy, Arkansas, had a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,497 in Fall 2023. The gender distribution of the student body is 45.2% male and 54.8% female. This works out to 1,581 male students and 1,916 female students.

The university's enrollment numbers have fluctuated over the years. In 2020, the university was reported to have a total of 3,523 undergraduate students, with 81% of the student body being white, 4.7% being Black, and 3.8% being Hispanic/Latino.

Harding University offers more than 100 undergraduate majors, as well as graduate and pre-professional programs. The university is committed to pursuing academic excellence and spiritual foundations, attracting students from diverse backgrounds across all 50 states and 54 nations and territories.

On-campus housing

Harding University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,497 students (fall 2023), with a gender distribution of 45.2% male students and 54.8% female students. 81% of the students live in college-owned, -operated or -affiliated housing, while 19% live off-campus.

The Housing Office aids undergraduate students seeking to live in on-campus student residence halls. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., and is located on the second floor of Hammon Student Center, room 207. A campus map is available online, showing where each residence hall is located.

Harding University offers a range of on-campus housing options, including traditional residence halls and apartment-style residences. Here is a detailed breakdown of the on-campus housing options:

Traditional Residence Halls:

• Allen Hall: Features suite-style rooms with two rooms connected by a bathroom. Each resident has a chest of drawers, a desk, a chair, a nightstand, and an extra-long twin bed. The lobby is furnished and includes a kitchen area. There are also study lounges and a rec room with a ping pong table.
• Armstrong Hall: Accommodates first-time freshmen and transfer students with suite-style rooms. Each resident has a chest of drawers, a desk, a chair, a nightstand, and an extra-long twin bed. The lobby includes a kitchen area, and there are study lounges on the second and third floors.
• Cathcart Hall: Designed for first-time freshmen and transfer students, with suites for four residents. Each room has a walk-in closet, and the lobby includes a kitchen. There are study lounges on the second and third floors.
• Harbin Hall: Offers suites for four residents, with each resident having a closet and movable chest of drawers. The lobby includes a kitchen, and there are study lounges and laundry facilities on the second and third floors.
• Searcy Hall: Features two-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments. The first floor includes a lobby, kitchen, and laundry facilities. The second and third floors have study lounges.
• Cone Hall: Provides two-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments, with each resident having a walk-in closet. The first floor has a lobby, community room, and laundry facilities. The second and third floors offer study lounges.
• Graduate Hall: Accommodates two residents per room, with each room having a shared bathroom, closet, and movable furniture. The first floor has a lobby and rec room, while the second and third floors have study lounges.
• Keller Hall: Houses two residents per room, with each room having a shared bathroom and movable furniture. The first floor includes a lobby and rec room, while the second and third floors provide study lounges.
• Pattie Cobb Hall: Consists mainly of suites for four residents, with some private bathrooms also available. Each resident has a movable standard twin bed, chest of drawers, desk, and chair. The first floor has a kitchen, while the second and third floors offer study lounges.
• Shores Hall: Provides two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments for women, with each resident having a closet and movable furniture. The first floor includes a lobby, community room, and laundry facilities. The second and third floors have study lounges.
• Stephens Hall: Comprises suites (two rooms with two residents per room, sharing a bathroom) and some rooms with private bathrooms. Each resident has a movable standard twin bed, chest of drawers, desk, and chair. The first floor has a formal lobby and kitchen, while the second and third floors offer study lounges and kitchens.

Apartment-Style Residences:

• Legacy Park: Harding University's newest apartment complex features 28 separate buildings with an urban town concept. One-bedroom units are approximately 900 square feet and include internet service and water/sewage/garbage fees in the rent.
• Village Apartments: Located at the corner of Benton Street and Park Avenue, about one mile from campus. These energy-efficient, two-bedroom apartments include dishwashers, garbage disposals, ceiling fans, and washer/dryer hookups.
• Center Place Apartments: Situated directly across the street from Searcy Hall, offering furnished and unfurnished apartments. Rent includes water/sewage/garbage fees.
• Stafford Apartments: Located about 3/4 mile east of campus across Park Avenue from Harding Academy Elementary School. The complex includes one- and two-bedroom apartments and townhouses, with furnished and unfurnished units available.
• Pleasure Oak Apartments: Located about 3/4 mile west of campus on East Pleasure Avenue. These one-bedroom units are available furnished or unfurnished, with the bedroom and bathroom upstairs and the living area and kitchen downstairs. Rent includes water/sewage/garbage fees.

Racial demographics

Harding University is a private Christian liberal arts university located in Searcy, Arkansas. The university has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,497 (as of fall 2023), with a gender distribution of 45.2% male students and 54.8% female students. The university attracts students from all 50 states and 54 nations and territories.

Harding University has very low racial diversity. 17% of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The student body is mostly White, with a small Foreign Resident population. The racial breakdown of the student population in the 2022-2023 academic year was as follows: 3,811 White, 317 Black, and 80 Asian students out of a total of 4,805 students.

The university has a history of racial segregation, with Black students not being admitted until 1963. Despite this, the university has taken steps towards inclusion and now offers a variety of cultural and identity groups for students, including the Black Student Association, the Chinese Club, the Hispanic American Club, and the International Club.

The university also offers a variety of academic programs and support services to promote cultural diversity and inclusion. The Office of Multicultural Services provides support and resources for minority students, and the university offers a minor in Multicultural and Diversity Studies, which explores issues of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.

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