Head-to-head comparison
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas vs Arkansas Baptist College: which has better ROI?
Option A Helena, AR
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
- Net price / year
- $4,848
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,552
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Little Rock, AR
Arkansas Baptist College
- Net price / year
- $10,627
- Earnings, 10 years
- $28,418
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas comes closer — median earnings $29,552 against a $19,392 total, vs $28,418 at Arkansas Baptist College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas | Arkansas Baptist College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,848 | $10,627 |
| Total net cost | $19,392 | $42,508 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $29,552 | $28,418 |
| Median debt | — | $25,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$395,552 | -$441,348 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas or Arkansas Baptist College?
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, at $4,848 a year after aid versus $10,627 — a gap of $5,779 a year, or $23,116 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 Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas or Arkansas Baptist College graduates earn more?
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas graduates report a median $29,552 ten years after entry, $1,134 more than the $28,418 at Arkansas Baptist College. 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 7% at Arkansas Baptist College. 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.