Business/Commerce at Strayer University-Arkansas

Strayer's business associate's program in Little Rock delivers exceptional earnings—outpacing 95% of similar programs nationwide and 80% in Arkansas—but comes with debt levels that demand serious financial planning. Graduates earn a median $44,154 within a year, compared to Arkansas's typical $32,334 for this degree, and that figure climbs to $47,516 by year four. This puts graduates ahead of every Arkansas comparison school except Cossatot Community College.

The complication is clear: $32,810 in debt is triple the state median and more than double the national average for associate business programs. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 remains manageable—graduates earn enough to handle payments—competing Arkansas programs typically saddle students with just $10,704 in debt. That $22,000 difference matters significantly when you're starting your career, especially since 93% of Strayer students receive Pell grants, indicating financial need.

For families who can absorb higher debt loads and value the earning premium, this program delivers measurable career acceleration. But if minimizing debt is the priority, programs like Cossatot or UA-Pulaski Technical College offer competitive salaries at a fraction of the cost. The key question: is earning $10,000-15,000 more annually worth borrowing three times as much? For students confident in their business trajectory and repayment capacity, possibly yes. For those stretching financially, probably not.