Health Professions at University of Arkansas at Little Rock

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65—based on typical outcomes from similar health professions programs nationally—suggests manageable repayment if those estimates hold. With first-year earnings around $38,500 and roughly $25,000 in debt, graduates would face monthly payments of about $280 on a standard 10-year plan, consuming roughly 9% of gross income. That's workable, though not generous for someone just starting their career. The challenge is that Arkansas health professions graduates at University of Central Arkansas—the only in-state program with reported data—earn considerably less at $32,445, which would make that same debt load feel tighter.

The uncertainty here matters because "health professions" is an umbrella term covering everything from health information management to clinical exercise science. If UALR's program tilts toward lower-paying specialties common in Arkansas, actual outcomes could look more like the state median than the national figure used for this estimate. Conversely, if it trains for roles in demand regionally—respiratory therapy, diagnostic sonography—graduates might meet or exceed the estimate.

The practical takeaway: contact UALR directly for placement rates and typical job titles of recent graduates. Without program-specific data, you're betting that this particular program produces outcomes closer to the national average than the Arkansas one. That's not impossible—Little Rock's larger healthcare market could support better outcomes—but it's a bet you should verify before writing tuition checks.