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Public · 4-year

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, Arkansas

43
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Break-even
+$31,536 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.

6.4 yrs
Break-even
+55%
10-year ROI
$53,847
Median earnings as of 2024
58% of Arkansas State University students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$12,366
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$53,847
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$44,051
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$20,500
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
55%
Graduation rate as of 2024
58%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
71%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
78%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$31,536
After 10 years
$120,006
After 20 years
$208,476
After 30 years
$296,946
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$39,151
Men
$47,943

18% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$38,187
From higher-income families
$50,630

25% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$43,380
Independent students
$40,979

6% gap between the two groups

39%
First-generation students
42%
Take federal student loans
98%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 63%Hispanic 5%Asian 1%Black 15%Other 15%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$10,098
$30k–$48k$9,255
$48k–$75k$12,205
$75k–$110k$15,839
$110k+$16,444

How Arkansas State University compares

This college against the Arkansas and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Arkansas State University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Arkansas State University

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$163,543$61,500+1,549%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$69,528$15,750+1,255%Strong return
Civil EngineeringAssociate's$74,874+1,108%Strong return
Mechanical EngineeringAssociate's$73,570+1,055%Strong return
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's$81,248$19,736+1,035%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$81,485$21,222+1,024%Strong return
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsMaster's$87,190$65,000+771%Strong return
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate$55,246+729%Strong return
ChemistryAssociate's$63,165+635%Strong return
Data ProcessingAssociate's$62,901+624%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$79,149$25,501+481%Strong return
Public AdministrationCertificate$77,087$31,713+426%Strong return
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$59,828$21,500+355%Strong return
Agricultural Business and ManagementAssociate's$59,051$17,500+352%Strong return
Educational Administration and SupervisionProfessional$70,989$22,593+350%Strong return
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's$57,142$17,949+288%Strong return
Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesCertificate$51,621$13,864+280%Strong return
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsProfessional$63,096+266%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$56,547$20,790+257%Strong return
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's$53,603+248%Strong return
Educational Administration and SupervisionCertificate$63,556$20,500+226%Strong return
Social WorkCertificate$60,708+218%Strong return
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's$54,271$20,500+188%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$54,243$20,925+186%Strong return
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesAssociate's$52,743$18,327+147%Strong return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Arkansas State University

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

82%
Admission rate
1,090
Average SAT
23
Median ACT
9,110
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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