Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus
Carolina, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 9/100 · Poor Value
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus earns a CampusROI score of 9 out of 100, near the absolute bottom of the dataset. 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; comparing PR institutions to mainland US peers using the same methodology systematically penalizes them. That said, the absolute numbers are difficult: median earnings six years after entry are $19,300 and reach only $24,328 by year ten, both below the mainland high-school-only baseline used in the earnings-premium calculation, which produces a -34.4% earnings premium and a sub-score of 1. 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 by any standard. Roughly 90% of students are Pell-eligible, and the school plays an important access-mission role on the island.
The data raises concerns about Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score9/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate34.3% - 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 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 |
| Median 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 sticker price at Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus is $7,750/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $7,761/year, or roughly $31,044 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $7,401/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $14,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $154 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $24,328 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.75 - 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 | $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. This is consistent with PR's income-distribution profile, where the highest-income families typically enroll children at mainland US institutions or at the most selective PR universities.
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 | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 47.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 52.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 39.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 39.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
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. Like most Puerto Rico institutions, this school operates on a College Board PR-administered exam track (PEAU) rather than mainland SAT/ACT, which is why standard test-score data appears empty in Scorecard. The school operates with broad accessibility consistent with its access-mission profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer schools include Universidad Adventista de las Antillas, Atlantic University, Baker College, Clark Atlanta University, and Bethune-Cookman University. Universidad Adventista and Atlantic University (also Puerto Rico institutions) are the closest meaningful comparables; both produce similar earnings outcomes constrained by the PR labor market. Baker College, Clark Atlanta, and Bethune-Cookman are mainland HBCUs and access-mission privates and are not directly comparable due to labor-market and cost-of-living differences. Among true PR peers, UAGM Carolina sits roughly in the middle on outcomes.
| 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, the largest enrollment in this batch, with a remarkable 90.5% Pell rate, the highest in this group. 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: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus. With a net cost of $7,761 per year and median graduate earnings of only $24,328 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 34.3% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $14,500 against $24,328 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.