Home / Worth-It Scores / Arkansas / National Park
Is National Park College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for National Park, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
National Park sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $32,444 helps, but median debt of $10,500 plus yearly net price of $12,720 creates a tighter path. For context, National Park's net price runs about 63% above 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
$12,350
/yrAverage school like this
$7,555
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $4,795 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $19,000 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 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
$12,720
Median earnings 10 years out
$32,444
Median debt at graduation
$10,500
Graduation rate
36%
At National Park, a typical graduate carries about $10,500 in student debt and earns roughly $32,444 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $119 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
National Park is a two year school in Hot Springs, 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
Career Academy of Hair Design
Springdale, AR
Worth-It Score: 71/100
Median net price: $12,728
2-year
Arkansas Tech
Russellville, AR
Worth-It Score: 64/100
Median net price: $12,970
2-year
Arkansas State University-Beebe
Beebe, AR
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $11,698
2-year
Academy of Salon and Spa
Fort Smith, AR
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $14,252
2-year
Paul Mitchell the School-Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
Worth-It Score: 66/100
Median net price: $14,257
Common questions about National Park
The median net price at National Park is $12,720 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 →