Southeast Arkansas College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southeast Arkansas College charges a net price of $19,038/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $76,152. Median earnings ten years after entry are $33,603, 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, Southeast Arkansas College does not clear its cost — it ranks #40 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) | $19,038/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $76,152 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $33,603 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$14,757/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,600 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$371,292 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southeast Arkansas College's own numbers. Net price $19,038 × 4 years = $76,152 total. Median earnings $33,603 fall $14,757 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 $76,152 bill in about 7.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southeast Arkansas College students graduate with?
A median $8,600 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $33,603 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southeast Arkansas College students graduate?
28% finish their degree — 72% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $76,152 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $271,971 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southeast Arkansas College expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $19,038 net price runs $6,672 above the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, or $26,688 more across the full degree.