NorthWest Arkansas Community College
#5 Most Affordable Colleges in Arkansas- Graduation Rate
- 29% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $43,505 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $7,196 A-
- 58% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 4,953
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 39.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $39.5 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Most Affordable Colleges in Arkansas.
Every $1 spent returns $39.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,107,218.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 29% — 49% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $39.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why NorthWest Arkansas Community College Matters
NorthWest Arkansas Community College is a public college in Bentonville, AR and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 4,953
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Humanities, Culinary & Personal Services, Business & Marketing
Why students choose NorthWest Arkansas Community 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 $7,196 a year after grants and scholarships — 58% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,505 ten years after enrolling — 7% above the typical college, against $9,506 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 34% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.21 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With nearly 5,000 students, NorthWest Arkansas Community College is a solid choice for those seeking a practical education close to home. The college excels in programs like Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Culinary & Personal Services, and Education. This variety allows students to explore different fields and find their niche, all while being part of a supportive community in Bentonville.
Looking at what comes after graduation, students can expect to see a median income of around $43,505 ten years down the line. That’s a decent figure that reflects the value of the skills learned here. Affordability is also a key factor, with a net price of just $7,196 after aid, making it a manageable financial choice for many. While graduation rates sit at 29%, those who do complete their programs often find themselves moving into stable careers and decent-paying jobs.
When we look at the financial side, the median debt for graduates is $9,506, which is relatively low compared to national averages. This allows graduates to enter the workforce with less financial burden, giving them a better chance to thrive. Students who succeed here tend to be those who are driven and ready to engage with the community, taking advantage of both academic and networking opportunities.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective NorthWest Arkansas Community 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 NorthWest Arkansas Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bentonville, Arkansas, NorthWest Arkansas Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.
- Retention Rate
- 62%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 28%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,872
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.62
- First-Gen Students
- 52%
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 NorthWest Arkansas Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at NorthWest Arkansas Community College is $5,238, 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 $7,196. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,722 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,506 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $3,342
- Out-of-State
- $5,238
- Avg Net Price
- $7,196
- Median Debt
- $9,506
- Pell Grant Rate
- 23%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 11%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,722
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,751
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,300
- Family Income $110K+
- $11,719
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 NorthWest Arkansas Community 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 NorthWest Arkansas Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of NorthWest Arkansas Community College report median earnings of $43,505, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $35,242
- 8 Years
- $38,347
- 10 Years
- $43,505
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 54%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (80)
- 9%
- 100% (80)
- 9%
- 100% (80)
- 9%
- 100% (80)
- 9%
How NorthWest 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 NorthWest Arkansas Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, NorthWest Arkansas Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,196/year ($28,784 total). Graduates earn $43,505 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,136,002 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,107,218 (39.5× your investment). The median debt is $9,506, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 29% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $28,784
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,136,002
- Net Return
- $1,107,218
- ROI Multiple
- 39.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $7,196
- Median Debt
- $9,506
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 29%
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 NorthWest Arkansas Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
NorthWest Arkansas Community 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 1.83%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.9% 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 14.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $65,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.83%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 14.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 12.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $89,535
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $8,759,589
- Investment Income
- $373
Top Programs
The fields NorthWest Arkansas Community 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% $59,833 early-career
- Humanities 35%
- Culinary & Personal Services 6% $23,930 early-career
- Business & Marketing 5% $40,390 early-career
- Education 2%
- Visual & Performing Arts 2% $33,980 early-career
- Criminal Justice 1%
- Computer Science & IT 1% $43,782 early-career
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 NorthWest Arkansas Community 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
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into NorthWest Arkansas Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bentonville, Arkansas, NorthWest Arkansas Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 29%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend NorthWest Arkansas Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at NorthWest Arkansas Community College is $5,238, 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 $7,196. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,722 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,506 in federal student loans.
Is NorthWest Arkansas Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of NorthWest Arkansas Community College report median earnings of $43,505, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does NorthWest Arkansas Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
NorthWest Arkansas Community 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 1.83%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 12.9% 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 14.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $65,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is NorthWest Arkansas Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at NorthWest Arkansas Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.21, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
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- Estrella Mountain Community CollegeAvondale, AZ · Close peer29% grad $44,356 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Central Arizona CollegeCoolidge, AZ · Close peer25% grad $40,513 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- McHenry County CollegeCrystal Lake, IL · Close peer38% grad $45,143 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Merritt CollegeOakland, CA · Close peer23% grad $44,392 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is NorthWest Arkansas Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at NorthWest Arkansas Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.21, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note