Caribbean University-Carolina
Carolina, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 18/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Caribbean University-Carolina earns an overall ROI score of 18/100, placing it in the Below Benchmark band on CampusROI's framework. Tuition runs $8,844 with an average net price of $5,791 after aid. Average earnings six years after entry land at $18,400, climbing to a median of roughly $22,842 by year ten, producing a payback period that effectively never resolves (the model caps payback at 999 years when median earnings don't exceed the high-school baseline by enough to recoup cost). Median federal debt of $10,500 works out to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, which is tight. Completion is the headline weakness at 44.4% of degree-seeking students finishing within 150% of normal time. The component scores break down as earnings premium 0/100, completion 28/100, payback 7/100, debt-to-earnings 59/100, repayment 4/100. The lowest sub-score is earnings premium over a high-school baseline at 0/100, which is the main weight pulling the overall number down; the strongest sub-score is debt-to-earnings ratio at 59/100. Data points here come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (2024-2025 vintage), and Scorecard earnings carry a 6-10 year reporting lag, so the figures describe recent graduating cohorts rather than this year's incoming class.
How Caribbean University-Carolina scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score18/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Caribbean University-Carolina
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,844/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,844/yr |
| Average net price | $5,791/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $23,164 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $22,842 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $18,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $10,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $111 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 44.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 99 |
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: $8,844/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $5,791/year, or roughly $23,164 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 N/A/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $10,500, which works out to about $111 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($18,400) and comes to 0.57, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | N/A |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $5,791 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Net price for the lowest income bracket (under $30k) is not reported by the Scorecard.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($30,001-$48,000) face a net price of about $5,791 per year. These households typically get less Pell support and partial institutional aid, so the tuition bill is more directly felt. Whether the math works depends on the major: programs with stronger early earnings can absorb this cost; lower-paying majors will produce a longer payback period.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket net price isn't reported here.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Caribbean University-Carolina with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | $26,324 | B+ |
| Accounting | $26,619 | - |
| Practical Nursing | $30,043 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $24,784 | D |
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.
Social Work
Social Work (CIP 4407) graduates 7 students per year. Reported median four-year earnings of $26,324. Median program debt is $7,500 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28, which is manageable. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of B+.
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing (CIP 5139) graduates 2 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $10,084 and four-year earnings of $30,043. Median program debt is $15,250 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.51, which is heavy. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of F. Nursing graduates typically enter clinical settings with strong wage floors and transferable licensure, which is why these programs hold up even at high cost.
Accounting
Accounting (CIP 5203) graduates 2 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $26,619.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice and Corrections (CIP 4301) graduates 1 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $15,127 and four-year earnings of $24,784. Median program debt is $13,500 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89, which is heavy. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of D. Criminal justice leads to law enforcement and corrections roles with capped wage ladders; check whether local employers are hiring before assuming the regional ROI.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 34.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 41.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 30.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 35.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Caribbean University-Carolina’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
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 | 99 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 67.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $2,100 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data for this institution. Without a public admit rate it's hard to characterize selectivity directly. What we can read off the outcomes side is the completion rate of 44.4%, which is the closest proxy: schools that admit prepared, well-matched students typically see noticeably higher completion than schools that take a wider range. Prospective applicants should treat admission as effectively open or contact the registrar for current selectivity data before assuming the school is a safety.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Caribbean University-Carolina sits at ROI 18 with >999yr.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caribbean University-Carolina (this school) | 18 | $5,791 | $22,842 |
| Universidad Central de Bayamon | 20 | $4,827 | $25,021 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Fajardo | 20 | $9,230 | $23,132 |
| University of Puerto Rico at Ponce | 19 | $10,990 | $31,394 |
| Caribbean University-Ponce | 17 | $4,964 | $22,842 |
| Universidad del Sagrado Corazon | 16 | $12,924 | $31,754 |
Who Thrives Here
This is a Caribbean institution with a small enrollment of 99 undergraduates and a Pell Grant rate of 67.7%. Strong fit profile is a focused, locally-rooted student who has a clear major in mind and needs the in-state pricing and small-campus scale to make the math work. Be honest about completion: at this rate, a meaningful share of students who enroll do not finish, and incomplete degrees produce the worst ROI of any path. Median earnings ten years out of $22,842 should be the honest yardstick for whether the price the family will actually pay (see the income-bracket breakdown below) leads to a workable post-graduation budget.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Caribbean University-Carolina scores 18/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $5,791 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $22,842 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 44.4% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 41.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $10,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $18,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Caribbean University-Carolina: Common Questions
Is Caribbean University-Carolina worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Caribbean University-Carolina scores 18/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $5,791 a year after aid against $22,842 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Caribbean University-Carolina cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $5,791 a year, or roughly $23,164 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Caribbean University-Carolina graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $22,842 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Caribbean University-Carolina?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for Caribbean University-Carolina. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Caribbean University-Carolina graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $10,500, against average earnings of $18,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Caribbean University-Carolina?
The six-year graduation rate is 44.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.