Arkansas Tech University vs Harding University
Side-by-side college ROI comparison from College Scorecard data
Verdict
Arkansas Tech University has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Harding University at 100.0%. Average median debt: Arkansas Tech University at $27,344 vs Harding University at $25,651. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $60,750 vs $57,600.
| Metric | Arkansas Tech University | Harding University |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation Rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| School Type | Public | Private |
| State | Ar | Ar |
| Avg Median Debt Average median debt across all tracked majors | $27,344 | $25,651* |
| Avg 1yr Earnings Average first-year earnings across all tracked majors | $60,750* | $57,600 |
| Majors Tracked | 20 | 20 |
| Best ROI Major | Computer and Information Sciences (94/100) | Computer Science (95/100)* |
| Best Major Debt | $23,477 | $21,913* |
| Best Major 1yr Earnings | $95,000 | $95,000 |
Arkansas Tech University has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Harding University at 100.0%. Average median debt: Arkansas Tech University at $27,344 vs Harding University at $25,651. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $60,750 vs $57,600.
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Arkansas Tech University and Harding University graduate students at similar rates — 100.0% and 100.0% respectively. With completion rates comparable, the comparison reduces to cost, earnings, and program mix; the institutional-effect-on-completion question essentially nets out.
Debt loads run similar between the two schools — averages of $25,651 and $27,344 respectively. With debt comparable, the financial decision essentially reduces to the earnings side: which degree, from which school, produces the better post-graduation income trajectory.
Median first-year earnings are roughly comparable between the schools — $57,600 and $60,750. With earnings close, the financial comparison turns mostly on the cost side: total debt at graduation is the lever, since the earnings denominator essentially nets out.
Both schools sit in Ar, which simplifies the in-state-vs-out-of-state tuition question and aligns the regional labor markets students will enter post-graduation. Cross-school comparisons within the same state should weight program mix and employer-pipeline depth heavily — the cost-of-living and labor-market backdrop is effectively held constant, so program-level differences are the differentiator.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2026.