Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at University of Central Arkansas

A bachelor's degree costing an estimated $23,350 in debt to earn $38,105 in the first year creates a manageable debt burden—you're looking at about seven months of gross income. That ratio is reasonable by today's standards, though the earnings themselves sit 16% below what entrepreneurship graduates typically make nationally.

Here's the tricky part: these figures come from peer institutions since this program's graduate cohort was too small for the DOE to publish outcomes. What we do know is that among Arkansas's five entrepreneurship programs, this one sits squarely in the middle for earnings—not the strongest performer, but not trailing either. The national comparison is less flattering, landing at the 25th percentile, which means three-quarters of similar programs produce higher first-year earnings. For a program focused on business ownership, where early career earnings often understate long-term potential (many grads are building businesses rather than drawing immediate salary), this low starting point deserves consideration.

The real question is whether entrepreneurship education delivers value when you could enter business ownership without the degree. The estimated debt load isn't crushing, but at an open-access institution where 37% of students need Pell grants, that $23,350 represents a significant commitment. If your student plans to launch a business straight out of school, they'll be juggling loan payments while trying to get revenue flowing—a harder starting position than beginning debt-free.