Universidad Adventista de las Antillas
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit · 100.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 11/100 · Poor Value
Universidad Adventista de las Antillas scores 11/100, deep in the Poor Value red tier. The defining metric is a negative -0.165 earnings premium meaning graduates earn less than typical high-school workers in the local market, paired with a 999-year payback period (a placeholder meaning earnings never recoup cost on a normal timeline). Median 6-year earnings are just $22,200, rising to $28,465 by year 10 - both at PR-local wage levels. Completion rate is 36.4%, and only 55.5% of borrowers reduce principal at three years. Tuition is $8,350 against a net price of $9,919 (net price exceeds tuition because the calculation includes living costs and fees), with four-year total cost of $39,676. Median debt is $15,750 against a 0.709 debt-to-earnings ratio (27/100). UAA is a small (830 students) Seventh-day Adventist university in Mayaguez PR with a 79.1% Pell rate. The school's poor financial outcomes reflect PR's depressed wage environment more than program failure, but the math for individual students is genuinely tough. Even the nursing program (the school's largest) produces a D grade.
The data raises concerns about Universidad Adventista de las Antillas
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score11/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate36.4% - Well below the 60% national average. 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.
Universidad Adventista de las Antillas
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,350/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,350/yr |
| Average net price | $9,919/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $39,676 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $28,465 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $22,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $15,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $167 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 36.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 830 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Universidad Adventista de las Antillas is $8,350/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $9,919/year, or roughly $39,676 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $9,519/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $15,750 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $167 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $28,465 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.71 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $9,519 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,903 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,494 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,334 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $9,519 net, or $38,076 over four years. Heavy Pell layering keeps cash debt under $16,000, but the negative earnings premium and 999-year payback mean the math fails even at this low cash price. PR community college options offer credentials at meaningfully lower cost.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households earning $48,001-$75,000 pay $12,494 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $13,334 net. Middle-income PR families face $50,000-$53,336 over four years against $28,465 in 10-year earnings; the math only works for nursing-track students continuing to mainland licensure-based careers. Higher brackets are not reported.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110,001+ bracket is not reported in current data, likely because too few high-income students enroll for reliable reporting. The absence itself is informative: this is a school for low-income local SDA students.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Universidad Adventista de las Antillas with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $40,267 | D |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $23,365 | F |
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 school's largest program with 77 graduates, but produces a D grade: $19,725 first-year and $40,267 four-year earnings against $19,065 debt for a 0.967 debt-to-earnings ratio. The earnings figures reflect PR local hospital wages, well below mainland norms. The licensure is portable - graduates who relocate to mainland markets typically see earnings double or triple, which dramatically improves real-world ROI. For mainland-bound nursing students, UAA is functional if cash-low; locked to PR, the math is tight.
Theological and Ministerial Studies
Theology has 4 graduates with $23,365 first-year earnings against $31,000 debt for a 1.327 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. The major prepares students for SDA denominational ministry, where economic returns are modest by design and the calling is the primary motivation. The F grade is structurally true for any ministry-track program, but should be interpreted as 'this is not an economic decision' rather than 'something is wrong here.'
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 48.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 55.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 45.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 53.5% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 100.0% |
| Enrollment | 830 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 79.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $3,531 |
UAA admits 100% of applicants - this is fully open enrollment. No SAT or ACT mid-ranges are reported. The 36.4% completion rate is the consequence of no academic screen, with most students leaving without a degree. The university's denominational mission is the primary admission filter, not academic preparation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Atlantic University and Universidad Central de Bayamon are direct PR private-nonprofit peers with similar Poor Value scoring driven by the same depressed-wage environment. Philander Smith University is a mainland HBCU with different demographics but comparable Poor Value scoring. Brewton-Parker College is a small Georgia Baptist school. Maharishi International University is a niche transcendental-meditation school. Across this set, UAA's $15,750 median debt is among the lowest, which softens absolute downside; the negative earnings premium is among the worst.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad Adventista de las Antillas (this school) | 11 | $9,919 | $28,465 |
| Caribbean University-Ponce | 17 | $4,964 | $22,842 |
| Universidad del Sagrado Corazon | 16 | $12,924 | $31,754 |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | 12 | $11,117 | $24,908 |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce | 10 | $13,192 | $24,908 |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus | 9 | $7,761 | $24,328 |
Who Thrives Here
UAA serves a heavily Pell-eligible (79.1%) Seventh-day Adventist student population of 830 students, most local to western Puerto Rico. The school fits SDA students seeking a denominational college experience, pursuing nursing or theology, and able to keep cash debt minimal through aggressive aid layering. Students with mainland mobility, graduate-school aspirations, or career goals beyond PR public-sector employment should benchmark mainland SDA options (Andrews, Southern Adventist) which produce dramatically better outcomes.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Universidad Adventista de las Antillas. With a net cost of $9,919 per year and median graduate earnings of only $28,465 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 36.4% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $15,750 against $28,465 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.