Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Arkansas by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Arkansas ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Arkansas

108

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$176,689

Across all Arkansas programs

Average Annual Cost

$16,271

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Jefferson Regional School of Nursing	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$491,720	$67,936	N/A	$20,000	Full ROI →
2	East Arkansas Community College Grad rate: 43.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$455,221	$66,641	$13,028	$8,550	Full ROI →
3	Black River Technical College Grad rate: 33.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$422,757	$65,875	$14,624	$18,885	Full ROI →
4	Arkansas State University Three Rivers Grad rate: 35.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$388,444	$62,697	$12,748	N/A	Full ROI →
5	Arkansas State University-Newport Grad rate: 45.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$380,439	$63,775	$15,127	$18,375	Full ROI →
6	Arkansas Northeastern College Grad rate: 32.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$355,492	$61,616	$12,037	$9,447	Full ROI →
7	Strayer University-Arkansas	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$266,245	$57,214	N/A	$28,174	Full ROI →
8	University of Arkansas at Little Rock Grad rate: 41.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$255,733	$58,844	$21,013	$28,978	Full ROI →
9	Arkansas Tech University Grad rate: 48.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$248,474	$58,602	$21,536	$29,995	Full ROI →
10	Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas Grad rate: 46.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$221,504	$54,249	$11,738	N/A	Full ROI →
11	National Park College Grad rate: 30.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$197,834	$54,788	$17,994	$16,250	Full ROI →
12	Arkansas State University Grad rate: 53.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$183,291	$55,185	$22,823	$25,750	Full ROI →
13	University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton Grad rate: 41.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$179,367	$53,956	$17,345	$18,565	Full ROI →
14	University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$167,476	$52,036	N/A	$24,625	Full ROI →
15	University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville Grad rate: 58.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$165,375	$52,782	$16,591	$12,654	Full ROI →
16	Ozarka College Grad rate: 45.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$155,620	$51,760	$11,461	$12,339	Full ROI →
17	North Arkansas College Grad rate: 30.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$143,088	$51,683	$16,367	$13,213	Full ROI →
18	South Arkansas College Grad rate: 26.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$142,076	$51,475	$12,138	$17,146	Full ROI →
19	NorthWest Arkansas Community College Grad rate: 25.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$134,541	$50,907	$10,593	$16,602	Full ROI →
20	Arkansas State University-Beebe Grad rate: 38.2%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$129,082	$49,934	$14,799	N/A	Full ROI →
21	National Park College Grad rate: 30.9%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$120,238	$50,741	$17,994	$13,773	Full ROI →
22	Arkansas State University Grad rate: 53.9%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$75,894	$48,077	$22,823	N/A	Full ROI →
23	Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Grad rate: 39.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$71,551	$48,741	$15,406	$24,042	Full ROI →
24	Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas Grad rate: 46.7%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$42,484	$45,298	$11,738	N/A	Full ROI →
25	Arkansas State University Grad rate: 53.9%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$35,723	$47,207	$22,823	$16,867	Full ROI →
26	Southern Arkansas University Tech Grad rate: 62.2%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$33,844	$45,341	$16,488	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Strayer University-Arkansas	Business/Commerce, General.	+$27,966	$45,613	N/A	$32,810	Full ROI →
28	Strayer University-Arkansas	Accounting and Related Services.	+$16,720	$42,836	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
29	South Arkansas College Grad rate: 26.7%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$24,768	$42,819	$12,138	$12,498	Full ROI →
30	University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Grad rate: 39.5%	Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.	-$52,064	$41,202	$18,052	N/A	Full ROI →
31	University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College Grad rate: 27.5%	Management Information Systems and Services.	-$53,012	$41,459	$21,096	N/A	Full ROI →
32	NorthWest Arkansas Community College Grad rate: 25.9%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$75,151	$40,348	$10,593	$15,500	Full ROI →
33	Arkansas Tech University Grad rate: 48.8%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$97,513	$40,686	$21,536	$20,860	Full ROI →
34	Arkansas State University Mid-South Grad rate: 46.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$108,992	$37,806	$12,556	N/A	Full ROI →
35	NorthWest Arkansas Community College Grad rate: 25.9%	Business/Commerce, General.	-$119,318	$37,857	$10,593	$11,313	Full ROI →
36	Strayer University-Arkansas	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$132,420	$35,379	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Strayer University-Arkansas	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	-$138,400	$35,080	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
38	South Arkansas College Grad rate: 26.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$138,796	$36,274	$12,138	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Grad rate: 39.6%	Funeral Service and Mortuary Science.	-$139,192	$36,581	$15,406	N/A	Full ROI →
40	Southern Arkansas University Tech Grad rate: 62.2%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	-$146,016	$36,348	$16,488	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Grad rate: 39.6%	Information Science/Studies.	-$157,172	$35,682	$15,406	N/A	Full ROI →
42	North Arkansas College Grad rate: 30.8%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$157,634	$35,755	$16,367	N/A	Full ROI →
43	Arkansas Tech University Grad rate: 48.8%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$161,009	$37,722	$21,536	$23,983	Full ROI →
44	Arkansas Tech University Grad rate: 48.8%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$164,171	$37,671	$21,536	$25,570	Full ROI →
45	East Arkansas Community College Grad rate: 43.1%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$172,216	$34,692	$13,028	N/A	Full ROI →
46	University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College Grad rate: 27.5%	Business Operations Support and Assistant Services.	-$175,792	$35,320	$21,096	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas Grad rate: 46.7%	Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.	-$184,136	$33,967	$11,738	N/A	Full ROI →
48	University of Arkansas Community College-Morrilton Grad rate: 41.1%	Business/Commerce, General.	-$195,050	$33,982	$17,345	N/A	Full ROI →
49	University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Grad rate: 39.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$217,606	$33,768	$18,052	$12,491	Full ROI →
50	Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas Grad rate: 46.7%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$217,956	$32,276	$11,738	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.