National Park College — ROI, Cost & Payback
National Park College charges a net price of $12,720/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $50,880. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,444, 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, National Park College does not clear its cost — it ranks #39 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) | $12,720/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $50,880 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,444 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,916/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$369,200 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on National Park College's own numbers. Net price $12,720 × 4 years = $50,880 total. Median earnings $32,444 fall $15,916 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 $50,880 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do National Park College students graduate with?
A median $10,500 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $32,444 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of National Park College students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $50,880 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $145,371 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is National Park College expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $12,720 net price runs $354 above the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, or $1,416 more across the full degree.