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Is Black River Technical College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Black River Technical, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Black River Technical sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $34,818 helps, but median debt of $9,500 plus yearly net price of $5,095 creates a tighter path. For context, Black River Technical's net price is about 15% below the typical 2-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 791 similar 2-year, public schools
This school
$6,407
/yrAverage school like this
$7,555
/yrThis helps your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $1,148 less per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $5,000 in savings.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$5,095
Median earnings 10 years out
$34,818
Median debt at graduation
$9,500
Graduation rate
43%
At Black River Technical, a typical graduate carries about $9,500 in student debt and earns roughly $34,818 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $108 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $6,982 less than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
58% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Black River Technical is a two year school in Pocahontas, AR. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
2-year
University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain
Mena, AR
Worth-It Score: 64/100
Median net price: $4,842
2-year
Ozarka
Melbourne, AR
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $4,543
2-year
NorthWest Arkansas Community
Bentonville, AR
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $7,196
2-year
University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community
Forrest City, AR
Worth-It Score: 64/100
Median net price: $7,220
2-year
South Arkansas
El Dorado, AR
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $7,486
Common questions about Black River Technical
The median net price at Black River Technical is $5,095 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at community colleges options in Arkansas? See the most affordable community colleges in Arkansas →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →