Computer and Information Sciences at Arkansas State University Mid-South

An associate's degree in computer science with estimated debt around $12,500 and first-year earnings near $35,800 lands in solid territory—the debt load equals roughly four months of income, which is manageable by most standards. These figures come from national medians of similar programs since Arkansas State University Mid-South's graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish specific outcomes.

The challenge is that peer programs in Arkansas typically produce lower earnings. The state median sits at $32,267, about $3,500 below the national benchmark. Whether Mid-South's program tracks closer to national or state performance makes a meaningful difference—that gap represents nearly a 10% swing in starting pay. Computer science associate's degrees show significant variation across the country, with top-performing programs reaching $41,710 while others lag considerably behind.

For a two-year degree in tech, the estimated debt-to-earnings picture looks reasonable if graduates can secure positions that pay near the national median. However, the West Memphis location and the fact that even the highest-earning Arkansas program in the data sits at the state median suggests tempering expectations. The practical question is whether graduates can access higher-paying markets in Memphis or Little Rock, or if local job prospects will anchor them closer to that $32,000 state benchmark. That distinction determines whether this represents a modest but worthwhile investment or a program that barely moves the earnings needle above what many entry-level positions already offer.