2026 Best Value Economics Schools in Arkansas
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong economics education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for economics students.
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2026 Best Value Economics Schools in Arkansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Economics Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Central Arkansas the best value for a degree in economics in Arkansas. University Of Central Arkansas is a large public school located in the city of Conway. In-state tuition and fees average $10,523, compared with $18,023 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $19,835. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from University Of Central Arkansas generally make around $41,919. Set against $19,835 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Central Arkansas admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in economics will find it at University Of Arkansas, which ranked #2. University Of Arkansas is a very large public school located in the city of Fayetteville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,104, compared with $29,966 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $24,019. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from University Of Arkansas generally make around $52,555. Set against $24,019 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arkansas admits about 74% of applicants.
Hendrix College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Conway, Hendrix College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $38,200. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $27,000. Early-career economics graduates make about $40,445. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 56% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
