University of Central Arkansas
Conway, Arkansas · Public · 89.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 38/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
The University of Central Arkansas earns an ROI score of 38 out of 100 and falls into the Below Benchmark tier, a result that is more about completion drag than runaway cost. Graduates earn $32,600 six years after enrollment and $45,938 at the ten-year mark, with a $20,346 median federal debt and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62. The 18.8-year payback period and 53.5% six-year completion rate are the two weights dragging the score down. Repayment rate sits at 75.4%. The school has strong nursing and CS pipelines that earn B-range ROI grades, but a sprawling slate of low-paying humanities and social science majors pulls the institutional average down. For an in-state Arkansas student picking the right major, UCA is a fine deal; for an out-of-state student in a soft major, the math gets ugly fast.
How University of Central Arkansas 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 Score38/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period18.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of Central Arkansas
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,523/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,023/yr |
| Average net price | $16,511/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,044 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,938 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,346 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $216 |
| Estimated payback period | 18.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,762 |
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: $10,523/year ($18,023/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 $16,511/year, or roughly $66,044 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 $14,656/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,157/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,346, which works out to about $216 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,600) and comes to 0.62, 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 | $14,656 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,988 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,203 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,318 |
| $110,001+ | $20,157 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $14,656 in net price, and the $30,001-$48,000 band actually pays slightly less at $13,988. These are workable numbers, especially when combined with Pell Grant eligibility (38% of students get Pell here). For students who pick a strong-ROI major like nursing or CS and finish in four years, this income bracket sees a defensible deal.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $16,203, close to the institutional average. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket jumps to $20,318, an unusually large step-up that effectively penalizes middle-class families. The math works only with the right major.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $20,157, slightly less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket and a minor inversion at the top. Differences between the top two brackets are small and within noise. For high-income families targeting Arkansas residency, UCA is a low-cost option that lets them save college money for graduate school or other priorities; the financial decision is barely material at this tier.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Central Arkansas with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $43,363 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $50,557 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $76,783 | B |
| Business Administration and Management | $59,641 | C+ |
| Biology | $50,742 | C |
| Teacher Education | $46,295 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $75,893 | B |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $49,129 | D |
| Marketing | $57,940 | C+ |
| Family and Consumer Sciences | $42,493 | 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 UCA's strongest program, with 106 graduates earning a $70,636 median in their first year out, jumping to $76,783 at four years. The $25,000 median debt against those earnings produces a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade. Arkansas's RN workforce shortage means new grads have substantial leverage, and UCA's clinical pipeline is well-regarded statewide. This is the cleanest financial win on campus.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS at UCA graduates 75 students with $57,912 first-year earnings, rising to $75,893 at four years. The $25,901 median debt yields a 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade. Earnings are below what students at top CS programs see. A reliable major for in-state students who can handle the coursework.
Psychology
Psychology is UCA's largest soft-major program at 150 graduates, but the financial result is weak. First-year earnings of $29,431 and four-year earnings of $43,363, paired with $24,974 median debt, produce a 0.85 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Most graduates either leverage psychology into graduate school or work in adjacent fields. Students should treat this major as a feeder to advanced training, not a terminal degree.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 111 students with $31,767 first-year earnings and $50,557 four-year earnings. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. This is a typical pre-PT or pre-OT pathway, and the financial result reflects that students who stop at the bachelor's level enter the fitness or wellness economy at modest wages. Plan on graduate school.
Teacher Education
General teacher education graduates 77 students earning $39,795 in year one and $46,295 at four years. Median debt of $25,250 produces a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. Arkansas teacher pay structurally caps the financial result. Public Service Loan Forgiveness can substantially improve the long-run picture for graduates who stay in public school systems.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 75.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 59.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 62.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Central Arkansas’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
| Acceptance rate | 89.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 430-580 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-25 |
| Enrollment | 7,762 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,499 |
UCA admits 89.5% of applicants, making it essentially open to any in-state student with a basic high school record. SAT mid-ranges run 430-580 in math and 480-590 in reading; ACT mid-range is 19-25. Selectivity correlates directly with finishing: well-prepared students at UCA have far better four-year outcomes than the institutional average suggests.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Arkansas (this school) | 38 | $16,511 | $45,938 |
| University of Arkansas | 69 | $18,209 | $58,191 |
| University of North Alabama | 38 | $12,170 | $45,415 |
| Idaho State University | 38 | $12,193 | $45,608 |
| Pennsylvania Western University | 37 | $18,256 | $47,295 |
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock | 31 | $17,248 | $45,265 |
Who Thrives Here
UCA serves about 7,762 students with a 38.0% Pell rate, marking it as a working-class access institution within Arkansas. The school fits in-state students who can hold tuition near $10,500 and target one of UCA's payoff majors, especially Nursing, Computer Science, Accounting, or Communication Disorders. Out-of-state students paying $18,023 in tuition see weaker math. Students who arrive academically prepared and finish in four years can post a strong individual result; the 53.5% completion rate signals that institutional support is uneven for marginal admits.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Central Arkansas scores 38/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $16,511 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,938 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 18.8 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, a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,346 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Central Arkansas: Common Questions
Is University of Central Arkansas worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Central Arkansas scores 38/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $16,511 a year after aid against $45,938 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 18.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of Central Arkansas 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 $16,511 a year, or roughly $66,044 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 University of Central Arkansas graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,938 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,138 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 University of Central Arkansas?
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 18.8 years for University of Central Arkansas. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Central Arkansas graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,346, against average earnings of $32,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Central Arkansas?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.5%. 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.