Head-to-head comparison
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home vs Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas: 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 Helena, AR
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
- Net price / year
- $4,848
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,552
- 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 $29,552 at Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Arkansas State University-Mountain Home | Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,847 | $4,848 |
| Total net cost | $35,388 | $19,392 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,238 | $29,552 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$317,828 | -$395,552 |
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 Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas?
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, at $4,848 a year after aid versus $8,847 — a gap of $3,999 a year, or $15,996 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 Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas graduates earn more?
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home graduates report a median $34,238 ten years after entry, $4,686 more than the $29,552 at Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas. 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?
55% of students finish at Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, 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.