Dewey University-Hato Rey
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 33/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Dewey University-Hato Rey, a small Puerto Rican private institution, posts a 33 ROI score in the Poor Value tier - though the inputs need careful interpretation. The price is genuinely low: tuition is $8,180 and net price drops to $3,577 thanks to Pell, putting the four-year total at just $14,308. Median federal debt is also low at $5,185, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 - one of the lowest in the dataset. But the earnings outcome reveals the structural problem: ten-year median earnings are just $19,761, BELOW the six-year figure of $18,500's typical drift, and the earnings premium is NEGATIVE 106.5 percent versus a Puerto Rican high-school graduate. The payback period is reported at 999 years because the math literally never recoups. Completion rate is a relatively strong 53.7 percent for this category. Repayment data is not reported. Pell rate is 93.7 percent - nearly the entire student body is Pell-eligible. Enrollment is just 244. Dewey-Hato Rey reflects the broader Puerto Rican private-college economic environment, where tuition is intentionally kept low because regional wages are low, but the labor-market premium for a bachelor's degree is also compressed. The financial structure is sustainable; the earnings ceiling is the limiting factor.
The data raises concerns about Dewey University-Hato Rey
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score33/100 - 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.
Dewey University-Hato Rey
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,180/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,180/yr |
| Average net price | $3,577/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $14,308 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $19,761 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $18,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $5,185 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $55 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 244 |
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: $8,180/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 $3,577/year, or roughly $14,308 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 $3,192/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $5,185 in federal loans, which works out to about $55 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $19,761 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.28, 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 | $3,192 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $3,600 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $5,035 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $3,192 per year net, about $12,800 over four years. Pell ($7,395 max) covers all of this with room to spare, meaning most low-income students attend with zero borrowing. This is the cleanest financial structure in our dataset from a debt perspective - Dewey simply does not produce heavily indebted graduates.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001 to $75,000 pay $5,035 - still essentially Pell-coverable for the lower end of the bracket. The Puerto Rican income distribution is compressed relative to the mainland, so this 'middle' bracket is a small slice of the student body. Most attendees are concentrated below $48,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for households above $75,000 is not reported - meaning effectively no enrollment from higher income brackets. Affluent Puerto Rican families pursue mainland colleges or the University of Puerto Rico flagship system. Dewey serves a specific low-income vocational niche, not a broad-spectrum population.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Dewey University-Hato Rey with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $27,891 | B+ |
| Registered Nursing | $32,932 | 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 the largest program with 20 graduates. One-year earnings of $19,303 climb to $27,891 by year four against just $4,957 median debt - a 0.257 ratio and B+ grade. The earnings figures look very low by mainland US standards but are typical for Puerto Rican public-school teaching positions. Because debt is minimal, the ROI grade is actually strong: graduates are not financially trapped, they are simply earning local-market wages.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing produces 14 graduates with one-year earnings of $21,237 climbing to $32,932 by year four against $5,530 debt - a 0.26 ratio and B+ grade. Puerto Rican RN wages are far below mainland US levels (where staff RNs often earn $70K-plus), but the credential plus minimal debt structure means graduates can sustain a livelihood. Some graduates transfer to mainland US after credentialing and see substantial earnings jumps. Strong financial pathway for those staying local; even stronger for those who relocate.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Dewey University-Hato Rey’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 | 244 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 93.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $2,040 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. No SAT or ACT mid-ranges are reported either. Dewey University appears to use rolling admissions with minimal academic gatekeeping, typical of Puerto Rican proprietary-style institutions serving working adults. The 53.7 percent completion rate is actually decent for this category - many Dewey students are working part-time and enrolled in vocational tracks like nursing and teacher education that they intend to complete.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Dewey's peer set is mission-mixed: Universidad Adventista de las Antillas is a comparable Puerto Rican religious-affiliated institution; Atlantic University is another PR private; Bryn Athyn (PA), Faith International (WA), and Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef d'Spinka are all small denominational schools far outside Puerto Rico. The mainland religious peers face different economic environments and are not real comparators. The closest fair comparison is Universidad Adventista de las Antillas, which faces similar Puerto Rican wage compression. Within Puerto Rico, students should evaluate Universidad de Puerto Rico campuses for broader bachelor's pathways.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dewey University-Hato Rey (this school) | 33 | $3,577 | $19,761 |
| Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music | 32 | $7,260 | $19,474 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras | 32 | $9,175 | $35,723 |
| Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico | 31 | $5,669 | $21,790 |
| Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico | 27 | $17,540 | $47,540 |
| Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa | 27 | $6,440 | $21,410 |
Who Thrives Here
Dewey-Hato Rey fits working Puerto Rican adults pursuing vocational credentials in nursing and teacher education, often while working part-time. Enrollment of just 244 supports a small-cohort, personalized experience. The 93.7 percent Pell rate confirms an overwhelmingly low-income student population funded almost entirely through federal grants. Strongest outcomes are concentrated in nursing ($21K one-year, $33K four-year) and teaching ($19K one-year, $28K four-year) - low absolute numbers but high ROI grades (B+) given the very low debt levels. This is a path for students intending to remain in Puerto Rico's local labor market.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Dewey University-Hato Rey are a real concern. With a net cost of $3,577 per year and the typical graduate earning only $19,761 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: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a long payback period.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. A median $5,185 owed against $19,761 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.