University of Arkansas at Little Rock — ROI, Cost & Payback
University of Arkansas at Little Rock charges a net price of $17,248/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $68,992. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,265, 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, University of Arkansas at Little Rock does not clear its cost — it ranks #11 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) | $17,248/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $68,992 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,265 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,095/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $22,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$130,892 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on University of Arkansas at Little Rock's own numbers. Net price $17,248 × 4 years = $68,992 total. Median earnings $45,265 fall $3,095 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 $68,992 bill in about 6.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate with?
A median $22,000 in federal loans among completers, or 49% of the $45,265 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $68,992 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $164,267 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is University of Arkansas at Little Rock expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $17,248 net price runs $4,882 above the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, or $19,528 more across the full degree.