Head-to-head comparison
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home vs Arkansas State University Mid-South: which has better ROI?
Option A Mountain Home, AR
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home
- Net price / year
- $8,847
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,238
- Payback
- No payback
Option B West Memphis, AR
Arkansas State University Mid-South
- Net price / year
- $5,427
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,857
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Arkansas State University-Mountain Home comes closer — median earnings $34,238 against a $35,388 total, vs $31,857 at Arkansas State University Mid-South. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Arkansas State University-Mountain Home | Arkansas State University Mid-South |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,847 | $5,427 |
| Total net cost | $35,388 | $21,708 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,238 | $31,857 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$317,828 | -$351,768 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Arkansas State University-Mountain Home or Arkansas State University Mid-South?
Arkansas State University Mid-South, at $5,427 a year after aid versus $8,847 — a gap of $3,420 a year, or $13,680 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Arkansas State University-Mountain Home or Arkansas State University Mid-South graduates earn more?
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home graduates report a median $34,238 ten years after entry, $2,381 more than the $31,857 at Arkansas State University Mid-South. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
58% of students finish at Arkansas State University Mid-South, against 44% at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.