A cost -benefit analysis of the nine postsecondary technical institutes in the State of Arkansa

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the cost-benefit analysis of the nine postsecondary technical schools in the State of Arkansas. A specific focus was on the accrued long run benefits and societal payback. The following research questions were answered: (1) Are there significant differences between payback periods for the different program types in the nine postsecondary technical institutes in Arkansas? (2) Are there significant differences between the accrued long run benefits from the different vocational program types in the nine postsecondary technical institutes in Arkansas? (3) Are there significant differences in the payback periods for vocational programs in the different postsecondary technical institutes in Arkansas? and (4) Are there significant differences in the accrued long run benefits for vocational programs in the different postsecondary technical institutes in Arkansas?;The population examined in this study consisted of the full time programs in the nine postsecondary technical institutes in Arkansas. There are actually ten postsecondary technical institutes in the State of Arkansas, but because this study targets institutes that will have accrued productivity, only nine institutes were used for analysis. Independent t-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests were the statistical procedures used for this study.;The findings revealed that training in some programs conducted in the nine postsecondary institutions for the 2000--2001 fiscal year did not yield the financial benefits of similar training programs. All of the other program types paid back Arkansas' financial investment. This does not imply that those programs types that did not pay back are not a sound investment. It does imply that those programs require substantial economic investment, and are essential to Arkansas' economy (i.e. trucking...). Thus, the state must maintain these programs to be competitive in the national market.