College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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North Arkansas College

Harrison, AR 1,184 Undergrads 40.4% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$16,367
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,146
After Aid
Median Earnings
$34,653
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,146
Peer Midpoint: $16,832
Earnings (10yr)$34,653
Peer Midpoint: $31,349
Graduation Rate40.4%
Peer Midpoint: 66.3%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients58.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time67.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS54.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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
+$374k
+$49k
-$111k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$364k
+$39k
-$120k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$358k
+$34k
-$126k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-1277%
Full Cost$16k/yr
Never
-830%
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-1425%

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-326%
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

Ground Transportation
CertCIP: 4902
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,626
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
CertCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$6,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,463
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,991
Lifetime Value Added
-$66k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,108
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,559
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$12,986
Earnings (5yr)
$30,514
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$29,350
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$7,075
Earnings (5yr)
$38,110
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
AssocCIP: 3099
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,492
Lifetime Value Added
-$194k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$9,215
Earnings (5yr)
$66,980
Lifetime Value Added
+$178k

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.