Accounting at Ouachita Baptist University

A bachelor's in accounting from Ouachita Baptist comes with an estimated debt load of $26,588—slightly above the national median for accounting programs but in line with Arkansas norms. Based on comparable accounting programs across Arkansas, first-year earnings typically hover around $52,373, which puts the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.51. That's roughly half a year's salary in debt, which most financial advisors would consider reasonable territory for an accounting degree.

The challenge is that Arkansas's top accounting programs—places like UALR, Harding, and Arkansas State—report actual earnings in the $57,000-$58,000 range for their graduates. If Ouachita's outcomes track closer to the state median than to these higher performers, you're looking at a $6,000 annual gap that compounds over time. For a private Baptist university with a 69% admission rate, that difference matters when comparing value propositions within the state.

The good news is that accounting remains one of the more stable career paths with clear licensing requirements and predictable earnings trajectories. If your child values Ouachita's small-campus environment and Christian mission enough to justify the similar debt load, the estimated numbers don't suggest financial disaster. But if maximizing early-career earnings is the priority, ask admissions why actual data isn't available and whether placement rates justify choosing Ouachita over Arkansas schools with documented track records in the high $50,000s.