South Arkansas College
El Dorado, AR 71731-7010
About South Arkansas College
South Arkansas College is a public certificate and vocational school in El Dorado, Arkansas, enrolling about 862 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $7,486 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $3,324. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $34,521 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- South Arkansas College charges 40% below the national public median tuition ($3,324).
- Versus the Arkansas median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
- Average net price runs below the Arkansas median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 30.23%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $34,521.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at South Arkansas College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1053% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Arkansas College | $3,324 | $7,486 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Arkansas (state median) | $7,334 | $9,144 | 51 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is South Arkansas College really?
Key findings
- South Arkansas College charges 40% below the national public median tuition ($3,324).
- Versus the Arkansas median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
- Average net price runs below the Arkansas median net price.
South Arkansas College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $3,324
Finding South Arkansas College charges 40% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $3,324. That is 40% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Arkansas median ($7,334), sticker tuition is about 0.5×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.3×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at South Arkansas College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at South Arkansas College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at South Arkansas College is $7,486.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $7,486 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,658 below the Arkansas median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $7,485 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At South Arkansas College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
South Arkansas College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for South Arkansas College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$3,324
Out-of-state tuition
$5,532
Avg. net price
$7,486
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $6,690 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $6,041 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $8,640 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $11,305 |
| $110,001+ | $12,932 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $13,296. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What South Arkansas College is known for
Top program completions
- Welding Technology/Welder147
- Health Professions and Related Programs138
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies79
- Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician53
- Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)53
See earnings & programs for more.
Is South Arkansas College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
South Arkansas College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for South Arkansas College.
Campus
Location
El Dorado, AR
City / state
- ZIP
- 71731-7010
- NCES locale
- Town remote
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.5× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Size
Enrollment
862
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,675
- Full-time share
- 45%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$11,153
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 41.09%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for South Arkansas College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at South Arkansas College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for South Arkansas College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $2,200 | $4,264 | $12,545 |
| 2014 | $2,330 | $4,442 | $10,666 |
| 2015 | $2,402 | $4,538 | $9,059 |
| 2016 | $2,508 | $4,644 | $7,238 |
| 2017 | $2,628 | $4,764 | $6,030 |
| 2018 | $2,700 | $4,812 | $7,556 |
| 2019 | $2,700 | $4,812 | $8,101 |
| 2020 | $2,700 | $4,812 | $7,293 |
| 2021 | $2,700 | $4,812 | $7,312 |
| 2022 | $3,012 | $5,124 | $5,632 |
| 2023 | $3,204 | $5,364 | $6,235 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
South Arkansas College reported total enrollment of about 862 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 24% male and 76% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (46.6%), Black or African American (40.4%), and Hispanic or Latino (6.7%). About 41.09% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 54.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
45.2% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at South Arkansas College in 2024 is 862 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,675 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
57.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
26.16% 100% Completion Time
30.23% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 26.16% of students graduating from South Arkansas College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Welding Technology/Welder: 88% male / 12% female
- Health Professions and Related Programs: 7% male / 93% female
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 49% male / 51% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
South Arkansas College graduates earn a median of $34,521 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of South Arkansas College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $34,521. Median federal loan debt: $11,153. Average net price used in cost models: $7,486.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway South Arkansas College graduates report median earnings of $34,521 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for South Arkansas College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (31 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at South Arkansas College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for South Arkansas College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for South Arkansas College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$3.2M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Arkansas median 0.50× the median ($6.5M)
- Southeast median 0.17× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.12× the median ($26.4M)
- Arkansas median 0.48× the median ($7,616)
- Southeast median 0.39× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.30× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 100.0%
- Arkansas median 37.2 pp above median (62.8%)
- Southeast median 40.6 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 42.0 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,098
- Arkansas median 0.92× the median ($5,571)
- Southeast median 0.75× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.67× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $6,947
- Arkansas median 1.1× the median ($6,294)
- Southeast median 1.1× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
South Arkansas College at a glance
South Arkansas College
South Arkansas College is a public institution in El Dorado, AR, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Welding Technology/WelderHealth Professions and Related ProgramsLiberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian46.6%Black or African American40.4%Hispanic or Latino6.7%
Schools near South Arkansas College
Other campuses in El Dorado, AR when available, plus nearby institutions in Arkansas.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade F) within Arkansas, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is South Arkansas College located?
South Arkansas College is located in El Dorado, AR.
What is South Arkansas College's tuition?
South Arkansas College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $3,324 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $7,486 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does South Arkansas College cost?
Reported tuition is $3,324 and average net price is $7,486 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $9,555 annually.
What explains South Arkansas College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($7,486), completion (30.2% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($34,521). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at South Arkansas College?
South Arkansas College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,675 students, White (46.6%), Black or African American (40.4%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend South Arkansas College?
About 54.0% of students at South Arkansas College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of South Arkansas College earn?
Median earnings are $30,240 six years after entry and $34,521 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at South Arkansas College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 30.2% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do South Arkansas College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $11,153.
Is South Arkansas College public or private?
South Arkansas College is a public institution located in El Dorado, AR.
Is South Arkansas College an HBCU?
No. South Arkansas College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is South Arkansas College a tribal college?
No. South Arkansas College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.