University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff — ROI, Cost & Payback
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff charges a net price of $12,653/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $50,612. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,550, 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 Pine Bluff does not clear its cost — it ranks #30 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) | $12,653/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $50,612 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,550 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,810/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,202 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$306,812 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's own numbers. Net price $12,653 × 4 years = $50,612 total. Median earnings $35,550 fall $12,810 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 $50,612 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff students graduate with?
A median $24,202 in federal loans among completers, or 68% of the $35,550 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 Pine Bluff students graduate?
40% finish their degree — 60% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $50,612 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $126,530 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $12,653 net price runs $287 above the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, or $1,148 more across the full degree.