A region rich with industry diversity, Metro Little Rock is home to roughly 1 million people and growing. Metro Little Rock’s workforce spans a spectrum of skills that are developed through a well-connected higher education system that includes 20 universities, colleges and vocation schools. For a comprehensive report on the workforce in metro Little Rock, download our Regional Workforce Overview.
People that move to Metro Little Rock annually
19346
People that move to Metro Little Rock daily
53
Total Regional Employment
520101
Total Higher Education Enrollment
50600
Millennials in the region
210417
Veterans in the region
72862
Median Age
36.5
Each year, over 3,000 high school freshmen are able to interact with 100 Central Arkansas employers at the Academies of Central Arkansas Career Expo. The Academies of Central Arkansas are exposing students to career pathways as early as the 9th grade, then guiding them through pathways to employment in the industries that make up our economy.
The Saline County Career Technical Campus offers exciting new opportunities for students to learn a variety of specialized trades. Areas of study include automotive technology, information technology, welding, construction technology, manufacturing, HVAC, cybersecurity, health sciences, and more.
Race and Ethnicity: White or Caucasian: 65% Black or African American: 24.6% Hispanic: 5.25% Asian: 1.81%
(EMSI)
Topping out at 20 schools, there’s no shortage of options for high school graduates or working professionals looking to continue their education.Metro Little Rock is host to 11 four-year colleges, including three campuses within the University of Arkansas (UA) system. UA Little Rock and UA Pine Bluff both house a College of Business centered on entrepreneurship, corporate strategies and business administration. The University of Arkansas Medical School (UAMS) develops graduates with deep knowledge of the medical and public health sciences, a boon for biotechnology employers operating in the region.Since 1984, the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway has been an accredited member of The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a recognition held by less five percent of business colleges worldwide. Two-year colleges like U of A Community Morrilton – Morrilton and Arkansas State University – Beebe-produce technically-skilled graduates ready to support a broad range of industries.