Computer Science at Lyon College

With estimated first-year earnings around $75,000 and projected debt of $25,000, this computer science program appears to track with other Arkansas tech programs rather than showing the premium you might expect from a smaller private college. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 suggests manageable repayment—graduates would owe roughly four months' salary—which is reasonable for a field with strong employment prospects.

What's worth noting is how Lyon College's estimated outcomes align closely with the state median rather than exceeding it. Harding University, the state leader with reported data, posts earnings about $3,000 higher. Given that Lyon's program is too small for the Department of Education to report actual graduate outcomes, you're essentially betting that this less-established program will deliver results similar to larger, more proven state options. The 36% Pell grant enrollment suggests Lyon serves economically diverse students, but without tracked alumni data, it's harder to verify if the program successfully launches graduates into tech careers at the rates these estimates imply.

For a family willing to pay private college costs, the practical question is whether Lyon's small classes and personal attention justify choosing a program with no public outcome track record over documented performers like Harding or the University of Arkansas system. The financial math works if the estimates hold true, but you're operating on peer comparisons rather than this program's proven results.