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University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 27,312 Undergrads 67.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,161
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,525
After Aid
Median Earnings
$58,191
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$17,525
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$58,191
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate67.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
71.7%
SAT Avg
1,174
SAT Reading
25th: 53057575th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 52056075th: 600
ACT Composite
25th: 212575th: 28
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
+$503k
+$106k
+$18k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$440k
+$43k
-$45k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$409k
+$12k
-$76k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-71%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-81%
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-47%
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-63%
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
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$24,625
Earnings (5yr)
$85,915
Lifetime Value Added
+$175k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$17,404
Earnings (5yr)
$67,154
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Agricultural Public Services
BachCIP: 0108
Median Debt
$19,134
Earnings (5yr)
$50,982
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$21,616
Earnings (5yr)
$56,539
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$22,333
Earnings (5yr)
$42,295
Lifetime Value Added
-$166k
Apparel and Textiles
BachCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$24,775
Earnings (5yr)
$65,634
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
BachCIP: 0106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$238k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$26,250
Earnings (5yr)
$67,687
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Biological/Biosystems Engineering
BachCIP: 1445
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,874
Earnings (5yr)
$62,547
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,718
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (5yr)
$79,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$19,377
Earnings (5yr)
$71,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$101,541
Lifetime Value Added
+$292k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,570
Earnings (5yr)
$62,909
Lifetime Value Added
+$2k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$80,071
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,155
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$22,421
Earnings (5yr)
$56,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$47k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$25,997
Earnings (5yr)
$108,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$25,957
Earnings (5yr)
$114,783
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$23,086
Earnings (5yr)
$54,718
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$34,120
Lifetime Value Added
-$236k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,889
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$22,495
Earnings (5yr)
$48,229
Lifetime Value Added
-$117k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$15,625
Earnings (5yr)
$92,831
Lifetime Value Added
+$227k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,652
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$86,474
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,864
Lifetime Value Added
-$153k
Food Science and Technology
BachCIP: 0110
Median Debt
$14,746
Earnings (2yr)
$49,683
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,070
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$40,467
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$56,890
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$51,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$46,816
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$59k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$25,405
Earnings (5yr)
$108,211
Lifetime Value Added
+$342k
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
$18,665
Earnings (5yr)
$72,699
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,811
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,034
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Landscape Architecture
BachCIP: 0406
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$47,260
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$86,089
Lifetime Value Added
+$176k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$20,875
Earnings (5yr)
$78,446
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (5yr)
$63,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$21,750
Earnings (5yr)
$84,481
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,256
Earnings (5yr)
$46,649
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$22,834
Earnings (5yr)
$51,225
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$65,926
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$23,574
Earnings (5yr)
$66,167
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$22,137
Earnings (5yr)
$52,402
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,977
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$78,557
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,267
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$47,137
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,622
Earnings (5yr)
$51,122
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$24,882
Earnings (5yr)
$48,313
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,446
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$99,480
Lifetime Value Added
+$403k
Agricultural Business and Management
MastCIP: 0101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$65,053
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
MastCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$42,245
Earnings (5yr)
$56,719
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$40,962
Earnings (5yr)
$147,968
Lifetime Value Added
+$815k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$39,020
Earnings (5yr)
$58,085
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
MastCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,595
Lifetime Value Added
-$270k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$25,948
Earnings (5yr)
$55,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Engineering-Related Fields
MastCIP: 1515
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$88,207
Lifetime Value Added
+$306k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
MastCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$43,426
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
MastCIP: 3103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$56,024
Lifetime Value Added
+$24k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
MastCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$26,170
Earnings (5yr)
$58,940
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$39,236
Earnings (5yr)
$58,103
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$22,926
Earnings (5yr)
$52,934
Lifetime Value Added
-$5k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$28,787
Earnings (5yr)
$67,117
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$70,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$65,000
Earnings (5yr)
$92,344
Lifetime Value Added
+$177k
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.