Boricua College
New York, New York · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 37/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Boricua College earns a ROI score of 37/100, placing it in the Poor Value tier - but the underlying picture is more nuanced than that tier suggests. The strong indicators: 80.6% completion rate (90/100 sub-score) and a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.255 (96/100) - graduates leave with very low median debt of $6,733. The weak indicators that drag the score: median ten-year earnings of $35,348 produce a near-zero earnings premium of 0.6% over New York high-school-only earners (7/100), and a 577.5-year payback flag indicates earnings barely move the needle against the four-year cost of $60,980. Only 45% of borrowers are progressing on loans three years after entry (6/100 repaymentRate). Tuition is $13,025 with net price of $15,245 (net price exceeds tuition, indicating limited institutional aid). With only 391 students and an 86% Pell rate, this is a tiny Hispanic-serving institution focused on bilingual education and community-rooted programs. The completion and low-debt outcomes are real strengths; the earnings ceiling is the real constraint. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, Boricua College is a mission institution serving a high-need population where students graduate at high rates with low debt but enter relatively low-wage fields.
The data raises concerns about Boricua College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score37/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers - the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Boricua College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,025/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $13,025/yr |
| Average net price | $15,245/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $60,980 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $35,348 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $6,733 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $71 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 80.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 391 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $13,025/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $15,245/year, or roughly $60,980 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $14,809/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $6,733 in federal loans, which works out to about $71 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $35,348 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.26, comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $14,809 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,907 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,253 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $14,809 per year, or roughly $59,000 over four years. With 86% of students Pell-eligible, this is the modal income bracket. Pell + Direct Loans cover most of it, and the school's low median debt of $6,733 indicates the institutional model successfully limits borrowing. This is the income bracket where Boricua's economics actually work.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households in the $30,001-$48,000 range pay $13,907 - actually lower than the lowest bracket, an inverted pattern. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket then jumps to $23,253. These swings suggest small-sample noise; only a handful of students per income tier shape the numbers.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 and $110,001+ brackets are not reported, indicating effectively zero high-income enrollment. Boricua is designed for and serves a Pell-eligible, working-class population. High-income students would have many better-positioned alternatives in the NYC area.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Boricua College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $55,959 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $42,710 | - |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | $49,778 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher education is Boricua's flagship program: 30 graduates with $40,065 first-year earnings rising to $55,959 by year four against just $10,334 median debt. Debt-to-earnings of 0.258 yields a B+ grade. The bilingual teacher pipeline into NYC public schools is a clear pathway, and the low debt load combined with PSLF eligibility for public school teachers makes this one of the strongest niche ROI plays for the right student.
Community Organization and Advocacy
Community organization shows excellent program-level metrics: $42,155 first-year earnings rising to $49,778 by year four against just $10,650 median debt. B+ grade. The reported zero graduates this cycle suggests it's a small or wind-down track, but for students who pursue it, the combination of community-service career with low debt and PSLF eligibility is genuinely defensible.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration produces 4 graduates with $37,258 first-year earnings rising modestly to $42,710 by year four. Median debt and ratio are not reported. The small sample size limits inference, but the earnings level suggests business graduates from Boricua face a harder labor-market situation than the teacher-education track that the school is built around.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 44.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 43.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 49.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Boricua College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 391 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 86.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,110 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and no SAT or ACT mid-ranges are published. With only 391 students enrolled and an 86% Pell rate, Boricua almost certainly operates on rolling, mission-based admissions targeting bilingual Hispanic and Latino students in New York City. The 80.6% completion rate is remarkable for the student demographic served and signals the school's bilingual, culturally-rooted model genuinely works for persistence.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The peer set is unusually mismatched. Adelphi University and Albany College of Pharmacy are major NYC-area institutions with vastly stronger earnings outcomes - not really comparable. Faith Baptist Bible College and University of Fort Lauderdale are small denominational schools. Blackburn College is a small Illinois liberal arts. None are good matches. Boricua's most honest peer set would be other Hispanic-serving and minority-serving institutions in NYC - Hostos and Bronx Community College on the public side, or City College's mission-aligned programs. On those terms, Boricua's combination of high completion and low debt is genuinely distinctive.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boricua College (this school) | 37 | $15,245 | $35,348 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | 42 | $16,282 | $40,650 |
| University of Fort Lauderdale | 35 | $19,965 | $38,062 |
| Blackburn College | 34 | $18,460 | $46,802 |
Who Thrives Here
Boricua fits bilingual Spanish-English students from NYC's Puerto Rican and Hispanic communities seeking a culturally-rooted, small (391 enrolled) educational experience aimed at community-service careers. The 86% Pell rate signals a deeply working-class student body, and the school's persistence model is the standout achievement: 80.6% completion in this demographic context is far above national averages. The trade-off is the earnings ceiling - graduates enter teaching, social services, and community advocacy roles. Students who value the mission and community will thrive; students prioritizing income should look elsewhere.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Boricua College are a real concern. With a net cost of $15,245 per year and the typical graduate earning only $35,348 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What it has going for it: its 80.6% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. A median $6,733 owed against $35,348 in annual earnings is very manageable - comfortably inside the advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.