Central Baptist College
Conway, Arkansas · Private Nonprofit · 63.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 40/100 · Poor Value
Central Baptist College in Conway, AR posts an overall ROI score of 40 -- still inside our Poor Value tier but at the upper end, reflecting genuine strengths alongside the binding completion-rate weakness. Median earnings six years after entry are $34,200, climbing to $46,789 by year ten -- a real growth trajectory that beats most schools at this score level. Net price of $12,287 against a $21,330 sticker is restrained, with four-year out-of-pocket of just $49,148 making CBC one of the more affordable private-college options in Arkansas. The 0.651 debt-to-earnings ratio against $22,250 in median debt is also relatively manageable. The 77.0% three-year repayment rate is a strong signal -- borrowers are actively paying down principal, which correlates with completion among the cohort that does finish. The 16-year payback period is long but not catastrophic. The drag is the 34.1% six-year completion rate: roughly two-thirds of starters do not finish, and that risk is the single biggest factor preventing CBC from clearing into the Fair Value tier. Pell rate at 39.8% and enrollment of just 484 paint the picture of a small, modestly-priced faith-affiliated school where outcomes hinge entirely on persistence.
The data raises concerns about Central Baptist College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score40/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate34.1% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period16 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Central Baptist College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $21,330/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,330/yr |
| Average net price | $12,287/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $49,148 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,789 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $236 |
| Estimated payback period | 16 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 484 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Central Baptist College is $21,330/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $12,287/year, or roughly $49,148 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $11,750/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $11,408/year.
The median graduate leaves with $22,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $236 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $46,789 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.65 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $11,750 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,659 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,067 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,382 |
| $110,001+ | $11,408 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $11,750 net -- close to the headline figure. At this income level, that is roughly 39% of household income, but the four-year burden of about $47,000 is moderate by private-college standards. The math is workable for low-income students who complete; the completion risk is what dominates the expected-value calculation.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$30,001-48,000 pays $12,659, $48,001-75,000 pays $12,067 -- a slight inversion (middle band pays slightly more than the band above it), likely a sample-size artifact at CBC's small enrollment. $75,001-110,000 jumps to $14,382, the highest in the schedule. Middle-income families should not be deterred -- net prices remain among the lowest of any private in our dataset.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $11,408 -- the lowest of any income bracket, an inverted-bracket pattern likely reflecting heavy merit-aid stacking for high-income families with academically strong students. CBC is using merit aid to recruit upper-income students, which is unusual generosity. For high-income full-pay families this is one of the rare cases where the price is genuinely competitive.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Central Baptist College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,441 | - |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | $43,057 | - |
| Business, General | $53,451 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business, General
Business graduates 11 students with $53,451 in first-year earnings -- the strongest single-year earnings figure in CBC's small program portfolio. Median debt of $46,694 against year-one earnings produces a 0.874 ratio (D grade), which is the disconnect: earnings are decent but debt is unusually high for CBC's overall debt profile, possibly reflecting selection effects in the small sample. The four-year earnings figure is suppressed.
Bible/Biblical Studies
Biblical Studies produces 14 graduates with $36,109 first-year earnings and $43,057 by year four. Median debt is suppressed (null), so we cannot compute a formal ROI grade. Earnings reflect ministry, chaplaincy, religious-nonprofit, and seminary-bound work -- modest but stable. Students drawn to vocational ministry should weigh the qualitative call against the modest financial trajectory; many graduates pursue MDiv programs that change the picture.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the largest reported program (19 graduates) but has only a four-year earnings figure ($45,441) and no debt or one-year earnings reported. The four-year figure is a healthy mid-career number, suggesting many graduates pursue PT, OT, athletic-training, or teaching credentials that drive earnings. Treat this as a pre-professional credential rather than a terminal degree.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 60.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 63.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 410-568 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 473-553 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-23 |
| Enrollment | 484 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,523 |
CBC admits 63.5% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges (Math 410-568, Reading 473-553) and ACT 17-23 land squarely in the middle of the broad-access college spectrum. The wide bands suggest CBC is admitting a heterogeneous cohort, which interacts with the 34.1% completion rate -- prepared students at the upper end of the test range will fare meaningfully better than the median outcome implies.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Within CBC's peer cluster, Arkansas Baptist College is the closest in mission and Arkansas geography but trails on completion and earnings. Lyon College, a stronger Arkansas liberal-arts private, offers materially better completion outcomes at a higher price point. Parker University in Texas (chiropractic-focused) and College of Biblical Studies in Houston are bible-college peers with similar pipeline-major dynamics. Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion is a niche religious institution and a poor functional comp. Within this cohort, CBC's net price discipline is a real differentiator -- it costs less than most peers.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Baptist College (this school) | 40 | $12,287 | $46,789 |
| Hobe Sound Bible College | 40 | $12,074 | $39,863 |
| Eastern Nazarene College | 40 | $25,381 | $54,727 |
| Oklahoma Christian University | 40 | $21,872 | $49,203 |
| East Texas Baptist University | 40 | $23,911 | $52,788 |
| Appalachian Bible College | 40 | $11,579 | $37,467 |
Who Thrives Here
CBC's 484-student enrollment makes it one of the smaller four-year campuses in our dataset -- residential, Baptist-affiliated, in Conway near Little Rock. The 39.8% Pell rate indicates a mostly middle-income student body. The school fits students who want a small Christian environment, a faith-rooted curriculum (Biblical Studies is a real pipeline here), and a low all-in cost. Students who need rigorous academic infrastructure to push through to completion should evaluate retention services carefully -- the 34.1% completion rate is the binding constraint.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Central Baptist College. With a net cost of $12,287 per year and median graduate earnings of only $46,789 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 16 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include a 34.1% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,250 against $46,789 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.