Business Administration, Management and Operations at University of Arkansas at Monticello

Business programs across Arkansas show a $20,000 spread in outcomes, and peer institutions suggest University of Arkansas at Monticello lands in the middle of that pack. Similar programs in Arkansas typically produce first-year earnings around $39,000, rising to $46,000 by year four—a trajectory that lags behind the flagship campus in Fayetteville by about $10,000 annually but matches outcomes at Arkansas Tech and other regional universities.

The estimated debt load of roughly $22,000 creates a manageable 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio, well below the concerning 1.0 threshold. For a school where half the students receive Pell grants, that relatively modest borrowing matters. However, the earnings picture shows this program trailing national benchmarks for business degrees by about $6,000 in early career years. That gap persists even at the four-year mark, suggesting the Arkansas job market for general business grads—or perhaps the regional network these programs provide—simply pays less than what business majors command elsewhere.

The path forward depends on cost containment. If your student can keep actual borrowing near that $22,000 estimate through scholarships, work-study, or family support, the numbers work. But stacking additional private loans onto that baseline would quickly erode the value proposition when starting salaries hover around $39,000. Compare total cost of attendance here against Arkansas's other options before committing.