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Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, AR 7,994 Undergrads 55.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$22,823
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,085
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,617
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,085
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$42,617
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate55.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients40.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time66.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS65.9%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
69.7%
SAT Avg
1,119
SAT Reading
25th: 51055075th: 590
SAT Math
25th: 52056575th: 590
ACT Composite
25th: 192375th: 25
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$377k
-$20k
-$107k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$330k
-$67k
-$155k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$295k
-$102k
-$190k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-328%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-231%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-301%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-119%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
CertCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$22,806
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$13,864
Earnings (5yr)
$51,621
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,246
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,641
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$69,528
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,925
Earnings (5yr)
$54,243
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,051
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$17,949
Earnings (5yr)
$57,142
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,579
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,828
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$20,556
Earnings (5yr)
$48,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,165
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,874
Lifetime Value Added
+$108k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,603
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$44,327
Lifetime Value Added
-$133k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$18,327
Earnings (5yr)
$52,743
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$19,736
Earnings (5yr)
$81,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$40,796
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Data Processing
BachCIP: 1103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,901
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,812
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Engineering-Related Fields
BachCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,465
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,879
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$20,790
Earnings (5yr)
$56,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,374
Lifetime Value Added
-$200k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,271
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$19,697
Earnings (5yr)
$49,591
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$23,795
Earnings (5yr)
$42,203
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$283k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,620
Earnings (5yr)
$48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,276
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$73,570
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$14,716
Earnings (5yr)
$49,310
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,220
Earnings (5yr)
$40,863
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,096
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,222
Earnings (5yr)
$81,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$29,000
Earnings (5yr)
$49,629
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,995
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$18,715
Earnings (5yr)
$40,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (5yr)
$45,755
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Master's Degrees
Agricultural Business and Management
MastCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$25,501
Earnings (5yr)
$79,149
Lifetime Value Added
+$236k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$28,050
Earnings (5yr)
$55,413
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$18,365
Earnings (5yr)
$54,090
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,556
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$20,012
Earnings (5yr)
$46,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Homeland Security
MastCIP: 4303
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$31,713
Earnings (5yr)
$77,087
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$61,500
Earnings (5yr)
$163,543
Lifetime Value Added
+$956k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,708
Lifetime Value Added
+$75k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,213
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$27,700
Earnings (5yr)
$51,250
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$37,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$22,593
Earnings (5yr)
$70,989
Lifetime Value Added
+$237k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Gr-CertCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,096
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Gr-CertCIP: 1311
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,702
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$65,000
Earnings (5yr)
$87,190
Lifetime Value Added
+$156k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.