Best colleges in Arkansas, ranked by ROI

Name: Arkansas colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 47 Arkansas institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $12,366/yr (below the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $36,902 ten years out (below the $43,549 national median). University of Arkansas Grantham leads, clearing its cost in 2.2 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$12,366

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$36,902

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

8 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Arkansas colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	University of Arkansas Grantham	$8,370	$63,496	2.2 yrs
2	Baptist Health College Little Rock	$25,454	$62,244	7.3 yrs
3	University of Arkansas	$18,209	$58,191	7.4 yrs
4	Hendrix College	$24,149	$60,376	8 yrs
5	John Brown University	$20,397	$53,907	14.7 yrs
6	Harding University	$22,130	$52,876	19.6 yrs
7	Ouachita Baptist University	$22,409	$51,673	27.1 yrs
8	Central Baptist College	$12,287	$46,789	no payback
9	University of Central Arkansas	$16,511	$45,938	no payback
10	NorthWest Arkansas Community College	$7,196	$43,505	no payback
11	University of Arkansas at Little Rock	$17,248	$45,265	no payback
12	University of the Ozarks	$17,360	$44,384	no payback
13	Lyon College	$19,616	$44,232	no payback
14	Arkansas State University	$12,366	$42,617	no payback
15	University of Arkansas-Fort Smith	$10,574	$41,102	no payback
16	Arkansas State University-Newport	$8,444	$41,524	no payback
17	Southern Arkansas University Main Campus	$14,027	$42,386	no payback
18	Arkansas Tech University	$12,970	$41,766	no payback
19	Henderson State University	$23,405	$43,459	no payback
20	Northwest Technical Institute	$15,992	$41,513	no payback
21	Arkansas State University Three Rivers	$8,070	$37,374	no payback
22	Philander Smith University	$14,224	$38,427	no payback
23	Williams Baptist University	$15,745	$38,484	no payback
24	Southern Arkansas University Tech	$9,018	$36,376	no payback
25	Arkansas State University-Beebe	$11,698	$36,603	no payback
26	University of Arkansas at Monticello	$14,287	$36,902	no payback
27	Black River Technical College	$5,095	$34,818	no payback
28	University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton	$8,725	$34,924	no payback
29	South Arkansas College	$7,486	$34,521	no payback
30	University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	$12,653	$35,550	no payback
31	Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas	$4,385	$33,775	no payback
32	North Arkansas College	$10,180	$34,653	no payback
33	Arkansas State University-Mountain Home	$8,847	$34,238	no payback
34	University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana	$9,270	$34,162	no payback
35	University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville	$8,044	$33,706	no payback
36	Arkansas Northeastern College	$5,375	$33,169	no payback
37	University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College	$14,327	$34,722	no payback
38	Arkansas State University Mid-South	$5,427	$31,857	no payback
39	National Park College	$12,720	$32,444	no payback
40	Southeast Arkansas College	$19,038	$33,603	no payback
41	University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain	$4,842	$30,037	no payback
42	Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas	$4,848	$29,552	no payback
43	Ozarka College	$4,543	$29,314	no payback
44	University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College	$7,220	$28,471	no payback
45	Arkansas Baptist College	$10,627	$28,418	no payback
46	Paul Mitchell the School-Little Rock	$18,356	$24,765	no payback
47	Career Academy of Hair Design	$12,728	$21,567	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Arkansas: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Arkansas?

University of Arkansas Grantham. It charges $8,370/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $63,496 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 2.2 years — the fastest payback of the 47 Arkansas colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Arkansas?

The median net price across Arkansas colleges is $12,366/yr after grants and scholarships — below the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Arkansas college graduates earn?

A median $36,902 ten years after entry (Scorecard), below the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Arkansas colleges pay for themselves?

7 of the 47 Arkansas colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.