North Arkansas College — ROI, Cost & Payback
North Arkansas College charges a net price of $10,180/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $40,720. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,653, 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, North Arkansas College does not clear its cost — it ranks #32 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) | $10,180/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $40,720 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,653 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,707/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$314,860 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North Arkansas College's own numbers. Net price $10,180 × 4 years = $40,720 total. Median earnings $34,653 fall $13,707 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 $40,720 bill in about 4.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North Arkansas College students graduate with?
A median $9,000 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $34,653 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of North Arkansas College students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $40,720 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $96,952 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is North Arkansas College expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $10,180 net price runs $2,186 below the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, and $8,744 less across the full degree.