Home / Worth-It Scores / Arkansas / Henderson State
Is Henderson State University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Henderson State, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Heavy lift
Henderson State lands in the heavy lift band for a typical family. The combination of $23,405 in yearly net price and $19,500 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $43,459. For context, Henderson State's net price runs about 29% above the typical 4-year, public school. This does not make the school wrong for every student, but it does mean the price deserves a closer test.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$16,929
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $3,775 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $15,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is doing real work against the score and raises the financing burden quickly.
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
$23,405
Median earnings 10 years out
$43,459
Median debt at graduation
$19,500
Graduation rate
38%
At Henderson State, a typical graduate carries about $19,500 in student debt and earns roughly $43,459 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $222 per month, or 6% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Henderson State is a public four year school in Arkadelphia, AR. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
Worth-It Score: 71/100
Median net price: $18,209
Public 4-year
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Little Rock, AR
Worth-It Score: 50/100
Median net price: $17,248
Public 4-year
University of Central Arkansas
Conway, AR
Worth-It Score: 58/100
Median net price: $16,511
Public 4-year
Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, ME
Worth-It Score: 78/100
Median net price: $23,414
Public 4-year
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond, VA
Worth-It Score: 61/100
Median net price: $23,433
Common questions about Henderson State
The median net price at Henderson State is $23,405 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 public universities options in Arkansas? See the most affordable public universities 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 →