Arkansas State University Mid-South — ROI, Cost & Payback
Arkansas State University Mid-South charges a net price of $5,427/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $21,708. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,857, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Arkansas State University Mid-South does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 of 47 Arkansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,427/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $21,708 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,857 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,503/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$351,768 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Arkansas State University Mid-South's own numbers. Net price $5,427 × 4 years = $21,708 total. Median earnings $31,857 fall $16,503 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $21,708 bill in about 2.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Arkansas State University Mid-South students graduate?
58% finish their degree — 42% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $21,708 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $37,428 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Arkansas State University Mid-South expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $5,427 net price runs $6,939 below the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, and $27,756 less across the full degree.