Astrophysics Degree in Little Rock, AR — Salary & ROI 2026
Astrophysics degree analysis for Little Rock, AR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$72K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$106K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.2 yrs
in Little Rock
Cost of Living
85
index (100 = avg)
Astrophysics in Little Rock, AR Overview
Little Rock is one of Arkansas's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 18,659. Public tuition averages $9,312/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Astrophysics enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Cosmology and Spectroscopy. The adjusted starting salary in Little Rock is approximately $72,250.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$9,312/yr
Private Tuition
$13,320/yr
Room & Board
$13,863/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,402/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
49%
Astrophysics Salary in Little Rock (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Little Rock's cost of living index of 85 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Astrophysics salary: $85,000 starting, $125,000 mid-career, $175,000 senior level.Little Rock adjustment factor: 0.85x based on the local cost of living index.
Astrophysics ROI Calculator for Little Rock
Estimate your return on investment for a Astrophysics degree using local Little Rock tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,312 | Private avg: $13,320
Little Rock avg aid: $15,402/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,700
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$42,500
vs HS diploma in Little Rock
ROI Payback Period
2.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Little Rock
$1,182,300
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,275,000) minus total education cost ($92,700)
Student Loan Payoff for Astrophysics in Little Rock
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Little Rock for Astrophysics
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
public
$9,312/yr
$37,248 total
Philander Smith University
private
$13,320/yr
$53,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Pulaski Technical College
$3,800/yr
Top Employers for Astrophysics in Little Rock
Little Rock offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Astrophysics graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Little Rock Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Astrophysics Job Titles
Astrophysics in Nearby Arkansas Cities
Fayetteville, AR
$76K starting · COL 89
4 colleges
Fort Smith, AR
$67K starting · COL 78.5
4 colleges
Springdale, AR
$73K starting · COL 85.8
4 colleges
Jonesboro, AR
$70K starting · COL 82.5
4 colleges
Rogers, AR
$75K starting · COL 88.2
3 colleges
Conway, AR
$72K starting · COL 84.5
3 colleges
North Little Rock, AR
$74K starting · COL 86.6
3 colleges
Bentonville, AR
$79K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Little Rock
Prompt Engineering
$43K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$81K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$72K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$75K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics Degree in Little Rock — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Astrophysics ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Little Rock.