Head-to-head comparison
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus vs Arkansas Baptist College: which has better ROI?
Option A Magnolia, AR
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus
- Net price / year
- $14,027
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,386
- 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus comes closer — median earnings $42,386 against a $56,108 total, vs $28,418 at Arkansas Baptist College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southern Arkansas University Main Campus | Arkansas Baptist College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,027 | $10,627 |
| Total net cost | $56,108 | $42,508 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,386 | $28,418 |
| Median debt | $18,750 | $25,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$175,588 | -$441,348 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or Arkansas Baptist College?
Arkansas Baptist College, at $10,627 a year after aid versus $14,027 — a gap of $3,400 a year, or $13,600 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 Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or Arkansas Baptist College graduates earn more?
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus graduates report a median $42,386 ten years after entry, $13,968 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 leaves students with less debt, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus or Arkansas Baptist College?
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus: its completers carry a median $18,750 in federal loans versus $25,375 at Arkansas Baptist College, a difference of $6,625. 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?
49% of students finish at Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, 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.