Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus
Carolina, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 9/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus earns a CampusROI score of 9 out of 100. The financial picture has to be read in light of Puerto Rico's distinct labor market, where wage levels run dramatically below mainland US benchmarks. The 999-year payback period is the model's flag for situations where median earnings never recoup cost. Tuition is low at $7,750 and net price after aid is essentially the same at $7,761, so four-year cost lands at just $31,044. Median federal debt of $14,500 is also low. The cost side is genuinely manageable; the earnings side is where the math breaks. The 34.3% completion rate and 52.1% repayment rate are weak. Roughly 90% of students are Pell-eligible, and the school plays an important access-mission role on the island.
How Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus 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 Score9/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate34.3% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- 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.
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,750/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $7,750/yr |
| Average net price | $7,761/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $31,044 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $24,328 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $19,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $154 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,468 |
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: $7,750/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $7,761/year, or roughly $31,044 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 $7,401/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 $14,500, which works out to about $154 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($19,300) and comes to 0.75, 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 | $7,401 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,506 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,546 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,745 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face an average net price of $7,401 per year, totaling roughly $29,600 across four years. With Pell aid stacking, low-income students often see this further reduced. The four-year cost is genuinely manageable, and for students who finish a credential and find local PR employment, the math works on the cost side even when earnings are modest.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001 to $75,000 bracket pays $10,546 per year and the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket pays $10,745. Four-year totals are $42,200 to $43,000. Middle-income PR families pay an above-low-income but still modest absolute price, with limited institutional aid to deploy.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for the $110,001-plus bracket is not reported, suggesting very few families at this income level enroll.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $29,719 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $36,078 | C |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | $32,489 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $32,708 | F |
| Social Work | $29,026 | F |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $26,561 | F |
| Psychology | $26,574 | F |
| Hospitality Administration | $30,004 | D |
| Accounting | $35,180 | D |
| Business Operations Support | $22,986 | 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.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 100 students per cohort, the largest reported program. Year-one earnings of $19,052 climb to $29,719 by year four. With $15,250 in median debt, the 0.80 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. Outcomes track the PR public-sector law-enforcement and corrections salary structure, which is dramatically lower than mainland equivalents. Graduates entering municipal or commonwealth police roles see meaningful pension benefits not visible in earnings.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business graduates 67 students with year-one earnings of $26,810 rising to $36,078 by year four. Median debt of $18,404 produces a 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade, the strongest grade among reported high-volume programs. This is the program where the cost-versus-earnings math best supports borrowing for PR labor-market employment.
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Culinary Arts graduates 66 students with year-one earnings of just $14,017 climbing to $32,489 by year four; the steep four-year growth suggests graduates progress from line-cook entry roles into supervisory positions in PR's substantial hospitality and tourism sector. Median debt of $13,000 produces a 0.93 ratio and a D ROI grade. The four-year trajectory tells a more optimistic story than year-one numbers suggest.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing graduates 55 students with notably weak year-one earnings of just $12,503 (well below mainland RN benchmarks). Year-four earnings reach $32,708. With $18,000 in median debt, the 1.44 debt-to-earnings ratio against year-one earnings earns an F ROI grade. PR nursing wages are structurally far below mainland levels, which means many graduates eventually migrate to Florida or East-Coast US for higher-paying RN roles, a pattern this earnings data does not capture.
Social Work
Social Work graduates 51 students with year-one earnings of $15,258 and four-year earnings of $29,026. Median debt of $19,000 produces a 1.25 ratio and an F ROI grade. The PR public-sector social-services pay structure is the binding constraint, and the data reflects that. Mainland-licensed transfers can dramatically improve earnings.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 47.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 52.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 39.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 39.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus’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 | 4,468 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 90.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,084 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data for UAGM Carolina, and SAT/ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The school operates with broad accessibility consistent with its access-mission profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus (this school) | 9 | $7,761 | $24,328 |
| 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 |
| Universidad Adventista de las Antillas | 11 | $9,919 | $28,465 |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce | 10 | $13,192 | $24,908 |
Who Thrives Here
UAGM Carolina serves about 4,468 students, with a 90.5% Pell rate. The fit case is for Spanish-speaking, Pell-eligible Puerto Rico residents who want bilingual instruction at a low absolute price and intend to work locally on the island. Cost is genuinely accessible, and graduates entering local healthcare, education, and government careers in PR see earnings consistent with PR-market norms. Students who plan to migrate to the mainland for work face the additional risk that PR-market earnings outcomes may not translate.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus scores 9/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $7,761 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $24,328 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 34.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 52.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $14,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $19,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus: Common Questions
Is Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus scores 9/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $7,761 a year after aid against $24,328 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 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus 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 $7,761 a year, or roughly $31,044 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 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $24,328 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 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus?
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 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $14,500, against average earnings of $19,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus?
The six-year graduation rate is 34.3%. 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.