Skip to content
degreedividend.
ROI calculator
Independent college researchBuilt on federal dataNo rankings for sale

Head-to-head comparison

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith vs Arkansas Northeastern College: which has better ROI?

Public, Fort Smith AR · vs · Public, Blytheville AR

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

Option A Fort Smith, AR

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Net price / year
$10,574
Earnings, 10 years
$41,102
Payback
No payback

Option B Blytheville, AR

Arkansas Northeastern College

Net price / year
$5,375
Earnings, 10 years
$33,169
Payback
No payback
The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but University of Arkansas-Fort Smith comes closer — median earnings $41,102 against a $21,148 total, vs $33,169 at Arkansas Northeastern College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

Share
Head to head
MeasureUniversity of Arkansas-Fort SmithArkansas Northeastern College
Net price / yr$10,574$5,375
Total net cost$21,148$21,500
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,102$33,169
Median debt$18,250—
Payback——
20-year net return-$166,308-$325,320

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

The short answer

Which is cheaper, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith or Arkansas Northeastern College?

Arkansas Northeastern College, at $5,375 a year after aid versus $10,574 — a gap of $5,199 a year, or $352 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith or Arkansas Northeastern College graduates earn more?

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith graduates report a median $41,102 ten years after entry, $7,933 more than the $33,169 at Arkansas Northeastern 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?

49% of students finish at Arkansas Northeastern College, against 38% at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. 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.

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith vs Arkansas Northeastern College: frequently asked questions

Is University of Arkansas-Fort Smith or Arkansas Northeastern College a better value?
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith or Arkansas Northeastern College?
Arkansas Northeastern College: $5,375/yr net price after aid versus $10,574/yr at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith — a difference of $5,199 a year, or about $352 over four years.
Do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith or Arkansas Northeastern College graduates earn more?
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith graduates earn a median $41,102 ten years after entry, versus $33,169 at Arkansas Northeastern College — a $7,933 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.