Head-to-head comparison
Ouachita Baptist University vs Hendrix College: which has better ROI?
Option A Arkadelphia, AR
Ouachita Baptist University
- Net price / year
- $22,409
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,673
- Payback
- 27.1 yrs
Option B Conway, AR
Hendrix College
- Net price / year
- $24,149
- Earnings, 10 years
- $60,376
- Payback
- 8 yrs
Hendrix College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $96,596 in 8 years versus 27.1 years at Ouachita Baptist University, on median earnings of $60,376 vs $51,673 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Ouachita Baptist University | Hendrix College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $22,409 | $24,149 |
| Total net cost | $89,636 | $96,596 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,673 | $60,376 |
| Median debt | $21,050 | $26,688 |
| Payback | 27.1 yrs | 8 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$23,376 | $143,724 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Ouachita Baptist University or Hendrix College?
Ouachita Baptist University, at $22,409 a year after aid versus $24,149 — a gap of $1,740 a year, or $6,960 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 Ouachita Baptist University or Hendrix College graduates earn more?
Hendrix College graduates report a median $60,376 ten years after entry, $8,703 more than the $51,673 at Ouachita Baptist University. 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 leaves students with less debt, Ouachita Baptist University or Hendrix College?
Ouachita Baptist University: its completers carry a median $21,050 in federal loans versus $26,688 at Hendrix College, a difference of $5,638. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
72% of students finish at Hendrix College, against 61% at Ouachita Baptist University. 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.