Black River Technical College
#1 Most Affordable Colleges in Arkansas- Graduation Rate
- 43% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $34,818 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $5,095 A
- 70% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 903
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 38.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $38.6 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Most Affordable Colleges in Arkansas.
Every $1 spent returns $38.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $767,247.
What The Data Says
-
A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
-
Graduation of 43% — 24% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $38.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
About Black River Technical College
Black River Technical College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 903
- Setting
- Town
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Precision Production, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Black River Technical College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $5,095 a year after grants and scholarships — 70% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $34,818 ten years after enrolling — 15% below the typical college, against $9,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 48% nationally for mobility. High social capital (0.88 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Over 43% of students at Black River Technical College graduate within three years, setting a solid foundation for academic success in Pocahontas, Arkansas. This public college serves 903 students, focusing on practical programs that align with local job markets.
Graduates of Black River Technical College earn a median salary of $34,818 ten years after enrollment. While the college does not have specific data on mobility or economic connectedness, the presence of programs in health professions, humanities, and technical fields suggests a pathway for upward mobility for many students.
With a net price of $5,095 and a median debt of $9,500, Black River Technical College remains an affordable option for students. Those who thrive here are often looking for hands-on training and a direct route to employment in fields like criminal justice and mechanics. The college's commitment to practical education makes it a fitting choice for students ready to enter the workforce.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Black River Technical College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Black River Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Pocahontas, Arkansas, Black River Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.
- Retention Rate
- 56%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 57%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $5,229
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 16:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.26
- First-Gen Students
- 48%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Black River Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Black River Technical College is $7,488, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,095. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,433 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,776
- Out-of-State
- $7,488
- Avg Net Price
- $5,095
- Median Debt
- $9,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 37%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 11%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $3,433
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $2,770
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,435
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,977
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Black River Technical College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Black River Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Black River Technical College report median earnings of $34,818, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $31,263
- 8 Years
- $31,569
- 10 Years
- $34,818
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.27x
- Earning > $25K
- 41%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (80)
- 26%
- 100% (80)
- 26%
- 100% (80)
- 26%
- 100% (80)
- 26%
How Black Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Black River Technical College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Black River Technical College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,095/year ($20,380 total). Graduates earn $34,818 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $787,627 in total earnings — a net gain of $767,247 (38.6× your investment). The median debt is $9,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 43% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $20,380
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $787,627
- Net Return
- $767,247
- ROI Multiple
- 38.6×
- Cost Per Year
- $5,095
- Median Debt
- $9,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 43%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Black River Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Black River Technical College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.51%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 25.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $41,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.51%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 6.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 25.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $55,841
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $143,095
- Federal Grants
- $3,108,521
- Investment Income
- $54,465
Top Programs
The fields Black River Technical College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 39% $66,000 early-career
- Humanities 19%
- Precision Production 13% $34,625 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 7% $26,531 early-career
- Criminal Justice 5%
- Business & Marketing 3% $25,962 early-career
- Transportation 3%
- Computer Science & IT 2%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Black River Technical College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Black River Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Pocahontas, Arkansas, Black River Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Black River Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Black River Technical College is $7,488, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,095. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,433 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,500 in federal student loans.
Is Black River Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Black River Technical College report median earnings of $34,818, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Black River Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Black River Technical College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.51%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 25.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $41,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Black River Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Black River Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.88, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Black River Technical College.
- Henderson Community CollegeHenderson, KY · Close peer40% grad $35,714 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Highland Community CollegeFreeport, IL · Close peer45% grad $37,928 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Coffeyville Community CollegeCoffeyville, KS · Close peer40% grad $35,246 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Arkansas State University-Mountain HomeMountain Home, AR · Close peer47% grad $34,238 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Arkansas Northeastern CollegeBlytheville, AR · Close peer34% grad $33,169 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- South Arkansas CollegeEl Dorado, AR · Close peer28% grad $34,521 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · same state
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Black River Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Black River Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.88, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note