Henderson State University
Arkadelphia, Arkansas · Public
ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas posts a 25/100 ROI score in our Below Benchmark tier - a difficult profile despite low published in-state tuition of $8,244. Earnings of $29,300 six years out climb to $43,459 by year ten, producing only a 9.0% earnings premium. Median debt of $19,500 yields a 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio. The 27.6-year payback period is steep. The biggest weakness is a 37.3% completion rate. The repayment rate trajectory is concerning: 81.7% one-year repayment drops to 50.6% by year five and 55.9% by year seven - graduates lose ground over time. With 1,456 students and a 46.2% Pell rate, Henderson serves a working-class southwest Arkansas population.
How Henderson State University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate37.3% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period27.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Henderson State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,244/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $10,620/yr |
| Average net price | $23,405/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $93,620 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,459 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $207 |
| Estimated payback period | 27.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 37.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,456 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,244/year ($10,620/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $23,405/year, or roughly $93,620 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $23,386/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,500, which works out to about $207 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($29,300) and comes to 0.67, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $23,386 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,208 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,051 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $23,386 net. Across four years that's $93,544 against $29,300 graduate earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The brackets show a near-flat pattern: $30,001 - $48,000 pays $23,208 (slightly LESS than the lowest bracket - a slight inversion), $48,001 - $75,000 pays $25,051. The $75,001 - $110,000 and $110,001-plus brackets are unreported, suggesting small samples in the upper-income tiers. Middle-income families pay $93,000-$100,000 over four years against $29,300 early-career earnings - a difficult ratio.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price brackets above $75,000 are unreported, leaving high-income families without published guidance. Use Henderson's net price calculator directly. Given the flat pattern in the lower brackets, full-pay families likely face $25,000-$28,000 per year. In our view, the ROI math at full price is weak.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Henderson State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $48,955 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $40,226 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $68,733 | B+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $46,783 | D |
| Psychology | $41,112 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $38,106 | C |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $29,307 | D |
| Accounting | $62,161 | - |
| Social Work | $42,453 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Henderson's standout: 41 graduates with first-year earnings of $72,326 (the four-year figure of $68,733 is slightly lower, an artifact of cohort variation). Median debt of $21,500 yields a 0.30 debt-to-earnings ratio (B+ grade). For Arkansas students set on BSN credentials, Henderson's nursing program delivers genuine value. Direct pipeline into Hot Springs, Texarkana, and Little Rock hospital markets.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration graduates 49 students with first-year earnings of $36,606 climbing to $48,955 by year four. Median debt of $19,500 yields a 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio (C+ grade). One of Henderson's better non-nursing program ROIs, helped by the modest debt load.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 45 students with first-year earnings of $36,511 climbing only to $40,226 by year four - a flat trajectory reflecting Arkansas's compressed teacher salary schedule. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). Suitable for students committed to Arkansas public-school teaching as a calling rather than a financial bet.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts graduates 38 students with first-year earnings of $32,875 climbing to $46,783 by year four. Median debt of $25,500 yields a 0.78 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). This catch-all major delivers weaker outcomes than credentialing tracks; students considering this path should weigh whether nursing, business, or teacher prep offers better long-term value.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Subject-specific Teacher Ed graduates 31 students with first-year earnings of $38,106 against $26,000 median debt - a 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). Slightly better trajectory than generalist teacher prep, reflecting demand for math/science/special-education teachers. For students committed to Arkansas teaching, this is one of Henderson's defensible non-nursing tracks.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 81.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 50.6% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 55.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Henderson State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 1,456 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 46.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,442 |
The 37.3% completion rate is the more useful signal: getting in is straightforward, but most students who enroll do not complete a degree.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson State University (this school) | 25 | $23,405 | $43,459 |
| University of Arkansas | 69 | $18,209 | $58,191 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 31 | $17,248 | $45,265 |
| Concord University | 30 | $9,966 | $42,703 |
| West Liberty University | 27 | $15,366 | $43,296 |
| University of the Virgin Islands | 22 | $7,469 | $38,681 |
Who Thrives Here
Henderson fits Arkansas-resident students with strong family ties to southwest Arkansas seeking the cheapest available four-year option for nursing, business, or teacher prep. With 1,456 students and a 46.2% Pell rate, the campus is small, working-class-majority, and access-oriented. Strong outcomes for the small nursing cohort ($72,326 first-year earnings, B+ grade); reasonable for accounting and business administration. Other tracks face structurally weak outcomes.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Henderson State University scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $23,405 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,459 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 27.6 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 37.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $19,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Henderson State University: Common Questions
Is Henderson State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Henderson State University scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $23,405 a year after aid against $43,459 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 27.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Henderson State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $23,405 a year, or roughly $93,620 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Henderson State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,459 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,659 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Henderson State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 27.6 years for Henderson State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Henderson State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,500, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Henderson State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 37.3%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.