Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Schools are assigned a value from 1-100, where 100 is best for students from households earning up to $30,000. This value is multiplied by the percentage of the school’s student body that received a Pell Grant, to calculate the economic mobility score. A higher score is better. Read the full explanation
The percentage of a school’s student body that has received a Pell Grant.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
The best colleges in Arkansas include the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University. University of Arkansas is home to traditions like the historic Senior Walk, a tribute to graduates dating back to the late 1800s, and a strong reputation bolstered by strong alumni representation at Fortune 500 companies. Arkansas State University, a proud Division I Sun Belt Conference participant and home to the competitive Red Wolves team, is a favorite among sports enthusiasts. For a distinctive liberal arts experience, Lyon College pairs rigorous academic programs with a unique pet-friendly campus complete with inclusive facilities and pet training programs.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$16,050
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$58,191
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate69%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$22,780
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$60,376
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate66%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$20,404
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$53,907
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,505
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$52,876
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$23,086
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$51,673
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate59%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$11,857
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$42,617
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate58%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$13,765
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$41,766
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate50%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$15,889
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$45,938
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate48%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$18,852
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$46,789
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate44%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$16,711
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$45,265
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate43%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$10,737
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$41,102
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate39%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$16,307
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$42,386
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate46%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$18,465
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$43,459
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate38%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$25,183
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$44,232
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate46%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$10,748
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$38,484
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate40%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$12,693
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$36,902
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate37%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$17,637
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$38,427
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate33%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
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Average income based on education level
The following figures are the average salaries in Arkansas for each level of education.
Average Income
The average income of people in this state with a high-school diploma, certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, 10 years after enrollment, based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
HS Diploma$34,517
Certificate$57,948
Associate$47,740
Bachelor$53,428
Master$61,559
Cost of attending college in Arkansas
In-state-tuition$15,210
The average in-state tuition, before financial aid, of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Out-of-state-tuition$18,206
The average tuition for out-of-state students, before financial aid of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Most popular degrees in Arkansas
In Arkansas the most popular degrees are Business Administration, Registered Nursing, and Education-grades & methods. To create this list, we complied and analyzed data from IPEDS and College Scorecard.
They both provide information on how many graduates each program has annually. The list below is both undergraduate- and graduate-level programs.
Popular degrees
1Business Administration 2,106graduates
2Registered Nursing 1,465graduates
3Education-grades & methods 1,263graduates
4General Psychology 920graduates
5Health & Fitness 809graduates
6Biology 716graduates
7Education-by subject area 627graduates
8Finance 529graduates
9Accounting 527graduates
10Marketing 511graduates
Fastest growing careers
Arkansas job growth
9.1%
Nurse Practitioners
53.9%
Drafters, All Other
50%
Fundraisers
47.1%
Occupational Therapy Assistants
44.1%
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
42.1%
Speech-Language Pathologists
38.4%
Materials Engineers
37.5%
Physical Therapist Assistants
37.1%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
36.4%
Information Security Analysts
34.1%
Best bachelor’s degrees in Arkansas
These majors are most likely to pay off economically after graduation.
Higher education is supposed to act as an economic elevator that lifts students from low-income households into the middle class. But not all colleges do this: unfortunately, many of the nation’s most “prestigious” schools accept very few students from low-income backgrounds.
To determine what colleges are doing the best job at lifting students out of poverty, we have devised a Social Mobility Index (SMI).
The best colleges for social mobility in Arkansas are shown below.
Bachelor's degree holders or higher
23.4%
Filters
Arkansas
9.1%
