Computer and Information Sciences at Strayer University-Arkansas

Strayer University-Arkansas's Computer Science program stands out as Arkansas's top earner in the field, with graduates making $67,315 in their first year—significantly above the state median of $53,356 and ranking in the 80th percentile among Arkansas programs. This puts it ahead of traditional state universities like University of Arkansas ($59,857) and University of Central Arkansas ($57,912), suggesting strong industry connections and practical curriculum despite being a for-profit institution.

However, this performance comes with substantially higher debt costs. At $50,737, graduates carry more than double the typical debt load for computer science majors both nationally ($25,000) and in Arkansas ($22,927). The 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio means students borrow about 75 cents for every dollar they'll earn in their first year—manageable for a tech field but still concerning given the debt differential.

For parents of students who qualify for significant financial aid (93% receive Pell grants here), the higher earnings may justify the debt premium, especially since graduates see solid 15% income growth by year four. But families who can access Arkansas's public universities should seriously consider those lower-debt alternatives, as the earnings advantage may not offset the roughly $25,000-30,000 additional debt burden over a career.