College ROI

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University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Fort Smith, AR 4,091 Undergrads 43.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$19,048
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,574
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,998
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,574
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$49,998
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$41,102
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate43.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age22.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients51.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time78.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
80.5%
SAT Avg
1,050
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: 18-75th: 23

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$454k
-$13k
-$31k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$416k
-$51k
-$69k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$385k
-$82k
-$99k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-181%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-145%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-151%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-80%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,027
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $52,001
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,631
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,689
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$12,491
Earnings (4yr)
$58,435
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,742
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,059
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, General
AssocCIP: 1401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,794
Natl Median: $72,916
Lifetime Value Added
+$269k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,390
Earnings (4yr)
$35,639
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,973
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,021
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,074
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$107k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$19,462
Earnings (4yr)
$48,712
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Median Debt
$16,416
Earnings (4yr)
$50,020
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,817
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$35,760
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$190k
Median Debt
$21,490
Earnings (4yr)
$82,688
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (4yr)
$43,509
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$124k
Median Debt
$24,125
Earnings (4yr)
$65,470
Natl Median: $68,061
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$36,606
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,599
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,824
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$314k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,140
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$321k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$281k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$20,189
Earnings (4yr)
$45,097
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Median Debt
$22,938
Earnings (4yr)
$37,641
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,519
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$149k
Median Debt
$20,413
Earnings (4yr)
$73,708
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$18,363
Earnings (4yr)
$45,275
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$109k
Median Debt
$19,652
Earnings (4yr)
$44,197
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Median Debt
$16,328
Earnings (4yr)
$45,378
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Other Programs

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,308
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.