Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
Arecibo, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit · 38.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 20/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo earns a 20 ROI score and lands in the Poor Value tier, but the numbers need Puerto Rico context. Median 10-year earnings of $24,539 reflect the island's substantially lower wage scale, not graduate underperformance per se - the same dollar nominal earnings represent very different real income than mainland equivalents. The 999-year payback period signals that under the scorecard's national-wage methodology, earnings never recoup full cost. Tuition is low at $5,780, and net price is $9,217, but the net price exceeds tuition because mandatory fees, books, and living costs are folded in. Completion is 38.9%, debt is modest at $9,000 median, and repayment data is not reported (imputed at 50). The earnings premium is actually negative - graduates earn less than the high-school-only national reference. For prospective students this is a cost-modest local option whose value depends entirely on staying in Puerto Rico's labor market; mainland comparisons distort the picture.
The data raises concerns about Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score20/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate38.9% - Well below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022). Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers - the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,780/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $5,780/yr |
| Average net price | $9,217/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $36,868 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $24,539 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $9,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $95 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 38.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,220 |
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: $5,780/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 $9,217/year, or roughly $36,868 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 $8,897/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $9,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $95 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $24,539 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to N/A, which we can't fully judge without more data.
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 | $8,897 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,892 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,216 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,497 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 - the majority here given 77% Pell - pay $8,897 net, almost identical to the $9,217 overall average. Four-year cost is roughly $35,600, against $24,539 in 10-year median earnings. The math is tight but the absolute debt ($9,000 median) is small enough that even modest local wages can service it.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $11,216 net, with four-year cost around $44,900. This is the squeezed-middle bracket - too high for max Pell but with the same earnings ceiling. The income brackets march upward cleanly, suggesting aid is need-based and well-targeted.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $14,497; the $110,000+ bracket is not reported - likely because too few high-income families enroll to produce a published figure. At higher incomes the four-year cost approaches $58,000, but given the low PR wage base the value calculus is purely about cost containment and staying local.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $37,522 | C |
| Biology | $41,681 | C |
| Teacher Education | $42,795 | C+ |
| Social Work | $27,638 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $13,072 | D |
| Computer Science | $38,420 | A |
| Accounting | $34,159 | - |
| Entrepreneurship | $28,461 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $22,424 | - |
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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the flagship with 98 graduates - by far the largest program. First-year earnings of $15,731 grow sharply to $37,522 by year four, reflecting the licensure delay and pay scale ramp common in healthcare. Median debt is only $10,000 and the four-year debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.636 (C grade). For local nursing labor demand, this is a solid pipeline; nurses who relocate to mainland can capture substantially higher mainland wages.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 41 graduates earning $29,491 in year one and $42,795 by year four, against $13,687 in median debt for a 0.464 debt-to-earnings ratio (C+ grade). These earnings actually outperform the school's overall average, reflecting Puerto Rico Department of Education pay scales. Modest debt makes this a manageable path for local teachers.
Biology
Biology produces 65 graduates - the second-largest program - with $15,569 year-one earnings rising to $41,681 by year four (C grade, 0.642 ratio on $10,000 debt). Like most biology programs, this is a pre-professional pipeline: graduates feeding medical, dental, and graduate programs. Bachelor's-only outcomes are modest; the program's real value sits with students who continue.
Social Work
Social Work shows a strong B grade despite $27,638 four-year earnings, because median debt is only $10,500 (0.380 ratio). Thirty-six graduates feed local nonprofit and government social-service jobs. This is a textbook example of low-cost regional public-service training where the debt-to-earnings math works even on modest pay.
Computer Science
Computer Science is the standout on paper: $38,420 four-year earnings against just $5,500 median debt produces a 0.143 ratio and A grade. Only 19 graduates, so sample is small, but the program clearly outperforms on cost-to-earnings. Graduates with strong English and remote-work skills can capture mainland wages while based in Puerto Rico - the asymmetric upside this program offers.
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 Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo’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
| Acceptance rate | 38.2% |
| Enrollment | 2,220 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 77.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,468 |
Inter American Arecibo admits 38.2% of applicants - selectivity figures are reported but SAT and ACT scores are not, since Puerto Rico institutions typically use the College Board's Spanish-language PAA test rather than SAT/ACT. The admit rate alone is a thin signal: it likely reflects program-specific capacity (nursing especially) rather than overall academic gating. The 38.9% completion rate is the more telling number - many admitted students do not finish in six years.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The peer set mixes a true island peer - Universidad Adventista de las Antillas - with mainland small private-nonprofits (Atlantic University, Indiana Tech CPS, Lindsey Wilson) and a yeshiva (United Talmudical Seminary). Comparing Inter American Arecibo to Antillas is meaningful; the others are apples-to-oranges given the wage and currency-context differences. Within Puerto Rico, Inter American is part of a multi-campus system with established nursing and education pipelines and competes mainly with sister UPR and Universidad Ana G. Méndez campuses.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo (this school) | 20 | $9,217 | $24,539 |
| United Talmudical Seminary | 36 | $6,640 | $25,113 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies | 24 | $20,473 | $47,327 |
| Lindsey Wilson College | 23 | $15,070 | $41,129 |
| Universidad Adventista de las Antillas | 11 | $9,919 | $28,465 |
Who Thrives Here
This is a high-Pell (77.1%) institution serving 2,220 mostly local Puerto Rican students. The fit is straightforward: residents of north-central PR seeking nursing, teaching, or social-work credentials at low absolute cost, planning to stay on the island. Median debt of $9,000 is among the lowest on the scorecard, which limits the downside. Mainland-bound students would face the same low PR-context earnings ceiling without local labor-market familiarity.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo are a real concern. With a net cost of $9,217 per year and the typical graduate earning only $24,539 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 to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 38.9% graduation rate, a long payback period.
Median debt of $9,000 against $24,539 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo: Common Questions
Is Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo worth it?
In our view, the numbers are a real concern - for most students the financial return does not justify the cost. Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo scores 20/100 on our ROI scale. At $9,217 a year after aid against $24,539 in typical earnings ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years.
How much does Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo cost after financial aid?
The average net price - what students actually pay after grants and scholarships - is about $9,217 a year, or roughly $36,868 over four years. That is the number to plan around, not the sticker price. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $24,539 ten years after enrolling, near 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 Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about >50 years for Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo. Most four-year schools we track land between 4 and 10 years.
How much debt do Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo graduates take on?
Median debt at graduation is about $9,000, against $24,539 in typical earnings a decade out. That is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo?
The six-year graduation rate is 38.9%, below the 64% national average (NCES, 2022) - and not finishing is the fastest route to a poor return. 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.