🎯 Parent/student verdict

Likely

Accessible for most applicants. Major value play for in-state residents.

✅ Best for

  • In-state residents (tuition ~$8,674 — major value play)
  • Students drawn to Business, Management, & Marketing or Education (the two biggest majors)

🎯 The reality

  • Bottom-quartile academic profile if: SAT below 940, or ACT below 17 (admitted-class quartiles; GPA floor is a calibrated heuristic where CDS not yet on file)

Verdict is composed from this college's structured data (admit rate, SAT bands, net price by income, Carnegie classification, scholarship grids) using transparent rule thresholds — not a chat-bot's opinion.

🏛️ Institutional snapshot

What kind of college is this?

Carnegie classification
M1: Master's - Larger Programs
Total enrollment
5,388
5,000 - 9,999
In-state tuition
$8,674
sticker, before aid
Out-of-state tuition
$14,668
+$5,994 vs in-state
Admit rate
96.3%
Accepts the majority
SAT middle 50%
940–1150
EBRW + Math composite
ACT middle 50%
17–24
composite
Test policy
Test-optional
2023
10-yr earnings
$41,766
median, after entry

Source: federal IPEDS Admissions 2023 for scores + admit rate; federal College Scorecard (20260606 vintage) for earnings + outcomes. SAT/ACT bands are the 25th–75th percentile of enrolled submitters.

📊 Outcomes & cost

What graduates actually earn, finish, and owe.

Federal College Scorecard data. Earnings are median annual income measured years after entering. Debt is for federal-aid borrowers only (cash-pay students aren't counted).

Earnings, 6 yrs after entry
$37,638
Earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$41,766
4-year completion
49%
Median debt (completers)
$21,000
Cost of attendance
$22,808
sticker price, not net
Pell-eligible students
34%

📚 What students study here

Most popular majors at Arkansas Tech University

Top 5 fields of study by bachelor's degrees awarded (most recent IPEDS Completions). Use this to see what Arkansas Tech University actually graduates — not just what it markets.

1. Business, Management, & Marketing
207 degrees · 33.0%
Typical career outcomes
Financial Analyst $100k Management Analyst (Consultant) $99k Marketing Manager $158k Accountant / Auditor $80k
Broad set of corporate roles. Finance + consulting pay top, accounting + HR pay middle, sales spread is wide.
2. Education
155 degrees · 24.7%
Typical career outcomes
Elementary School Teacher $64k Secondary School Teacher $65k School Principal $101k Special Education Teacher $66k
Teaching is the largest path. Salary depends heavily on district + state.
3. Health Professions
122 degrees · 19.5%
Typical career outcomes
Registered Nurse $86k Physician Assistant $130k Pharmacist $136k Physical Therapist (post-DPT) $100k
Highest-paying group on this list, but most careers require additional training beyond a 4-year degree.
4. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
73 degrees · 11.6%
Typical career outcomes
Project Manager $99k Management Analyst $99k Research Analyst $79k
Often paired with another field (data + biology, design + tech). Outcomes match the second discipline.
5. Psychology
70 degrees · 11.2%
Typical career outcomes
HR Specialist $68k Market Research Analyst $75k Clinical Psychologist (post-PhD) $93k Social Worker $58k
Most undergrad psych grads go into non-clinical roles. Clinical/counseling psych requires a master's or doctoral.

Source: IPEDS Completions (C2023_a), bachelor's-level first majors aggregated to 2-digit CIP family. Share is of these top 5 only — not all majors.

💼 Top programs by earnings

Highest-earning majors at Arkansas Tech University

Median earnings 4 years after entry, by major (CIP code). From the federal College Scorecard program-level outcomes.

Major (CIP) Credential Cohort 1-yr earnings 4-yr earnings
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. Bachelor's Degree 17 $71,878 $89,951
Mechanical Engineering. Bachelor's Degree 50 $68,765 $85,509
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Bachelor's Degree 106 $68,794 $84,719
Computer and Information Sciences, General. Bachelor's Degree 35 $45,904 $70,588
Accounting and Related Services. Bachelor's Degree 4 $60,759
Business/Managerial Economics. Bachelor's Degree 8 $44,146 $60,515
Agricultural Business and Management. Bachelor's Degree 43 $44,810 $58,493
Business Administration, Management and Operations. Bachelor's Degree 83 $39,866 $56,643
Homeland Security. Bachelor's Degree 23 $43,090 $53,142
Biology, General. Bachelor's Degree 29 $29,596 $49,840

For full college-vs-major comparison + ROI leaderboards, see /college-outcomes →

🤖 AI program signal

AI + computing education at Arkansas Tech University

CS degrees (annual)
36
CIP 11.0701 + 11.0101

Full multi-lens comparison: /ai-colleges →

⚖️ Compare side-by-side

Arkansas Tech University vs. another college

Type the college you want to compare against. We'll show admit rates, net price by your family income, top majors with career outcomes, and merit aid — all in one side-by-side view.

Alternatives to Arkansas Tech University

Matched not just by selectivity, but by strategic goal — what a family actually decides on.

🏆 Better merit-aid options
These similar-selectivity schools have published auto-merit grids that Arkansas Tech University doesnt — your kids scores could unlock real scholarship dollars.
Texas Tech University
TX · Public
31 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Louisville
KY · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Arkansas
AR · Public
15 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Mississippi
MS · Public
15 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Kentucky
KY · Public
13 auto-merit scholarships on file

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