Universidad del Sagrado Corazon
Santurce, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit · 58.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 16/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Universidad del Sagrado Corazon scores 16 (Below Benchmark). The earnings premium is NEGATIVE (-6.3%) - meaning median graduates earn less than the high school baseline used in federal models - and the payback period registers as 999 years, the system's way of saying tuition costs are never recouped through the earnings premium. Average earnings 6 years out are just $23,000, climbing to a median $31,754 at 10 years. The 58.4% three-year repayment rate is weak. The 0.707 debt-to-earnings ratio reflects modest $16,250 median debt against thin earnings. In-state tuition is just $6,410 and net price is $12,924 - genuinely affordable in absolute dollars - but Puerto Rico's labor market produces earnings that are below the high-school-equivalent baseline used in federal calculations. Sagrado Corazon is a 4,442-student private Catholic university in Santurce (San Juan metro), with 71.5% Pell. Despite the affordability, the institutional ROI is limited by regional earnings. Strong students in nursing or hospitality programs see better outcomes; the institutional median is dragged down by the school's heavy emphasis on communication and media programs where earnings are particularly thin.
How Universidad del Sagrado Corazon 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 Score16/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 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 del Sagrado Corazon
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $6,410/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $6,410/yr |
| Average net price | $12,924/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $51,696 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $31,754 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $23,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $172 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,442 |
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: $6,410/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 $12,924/year, or roughly $51,696 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 $12,027/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,478/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,250, which works out to about $172 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($23,000) and comes to 0.71, 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 | $12,027 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,671 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,196 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,990 |
| $110,001+ | $19,478 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,027 net annually - and with 71.5% of students on Pell, this is the modal Sagrado family. Over four years that's $48K, against $31,754 median 10-year earnings - the math is cash-tight even in absolute dollars given the regional earnings ceiling. Federal aid plus institutional discount do meaningful work, but the underlying earnings constraint is the binding issue.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $15,196 net per year.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket families ($110,001+) pay $19,478.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Universidad del Sagrado Corazon with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $66,971 | C |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $31,189 | D |
| Journalism | $29,511 | B |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $23,283 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $32,023 | F |
| Marketing | $30,178 | - |
| Natural Sciences | $23,655 | C+ |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $23,261 | D |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $21,459 | - |
| Hospitality Administration | $30,051 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing (137 graduates - the largest cohort) is Sagrado's strongest financial track in absolute terms: $36,836 first-year and $66,971 four-year earnings against $23,000 median debt produce a 0.624 ratio (C grade). Nursing earnings climb steeply over four years as graduates gain hospital experience and credentials. By PR labor market standards, this is a strong outcome; by mainland comparison the four-year figure is competitive.
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
PR/Advertising/Communication (65 graduates) shows the structural weakness in Sagrado's signature media programs: $13,085 first-year earnings against $12,375 median debt produce a 0.946 ratio (D grade). Four-year earnings of $31,189 improve the picture but the early-career squeeze is severe. Puerto Rico's media labor market is small and competitive; mainland-targeted graduates would see meaningfully different outcomes.
Journalism
Journalism (61 graduates) earns a B grade despite modest $29,511 four-year earnings, because median debt is just $12,250 yielding a 0.415 ratio. Sagrado's journalism program is well-regarded in Puerto Rico, and the low debt level keeps the math defensible even in a thin labor market. First-year earnings aren't reported but typical journalism outcomes lag the four-year figure significantly.
Hospitality Administration
Hospitality (23 graduates) earns a B+ grade - the highest on campus - with $30,051 four-year earnings against $10,500 median debt (0.349 ratio). The clean ratio reflects unusually low debt for the program. Puerto Rico's tourism and hospitality industry is meaningful; Sagrado's program connects students to that pipeline at low borrowing levels.
Communication and Media Studies
Communication and Media Studies (44 graduates) shows the program-level worst-case: $8,558 first-year earnings against $15,500 median debt yields a 1.811 ratio - debt is nearly double first-year income - and an F grade. Four-year earnings of $32,023 only partially redeem the picture. This is a passion-driven program where students must plan for graduate study or alternate income paths to make the financial picture work.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 54.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 58.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 47.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 47.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Universidad del Sagrado Corazon’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 | 58.0% |
| Enrollment | 4,442 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 71.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,546 |
Sagrado Corazon admits 58.0% of applicants - moderately selective. The 58% admit rate paired with a 52.1% completion rate is roughly aligned: selectivity does some work in matching admitted students to the institution.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad del Sagrado Corazon (this school) | 16 | $12,924 | $31,754 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Fajardo | 20 | $9,230 | $23,132 |
| University of Puerto Rico at Ponce | 19 | $10,990 | $31,394 |
| Caribbean University-Carolina | 18 | $5,791 | $22,842 |
| Caribbean University-Ponce | 17 | $4,964 | $22,842 |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | 12 | $11,117 | $24,908 |
Who Thrives Here
Sagrado Corazon's 4,442 enrollment, 71.5% Pell rate, and Catholic identity define a heavily lower-income, Spanish-language Puerto Rican student body. Best fit: students drawn to the bilingual liberal arts identity, planning to enter Puerto Rico's nursing, hospitality, communications, or social services workforce, and committed to staying on the island. The school's communication and media programs are nationally recognized within Puerto Rico but produce earnings outcomes that are challenging on the island's labor market.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Universidad del Sagrado Corazon scores 16/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $12,924 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $31,754 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 52.1% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 58.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $16,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $23,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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 del Sagrado Corazon: Common Questions
Is Universidad del Sagrado Corazon worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Universidad del Sagrado Corazon scores 16/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $12,924 a year after aid against $31,754 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 del Sagrado Corazon 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 $12,924 a year, or roughly $51,696 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 del Sagrado Corazon graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $31,754 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 del Sagrado Corazon?
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 del Sagrado Corazon. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Universidad del Sagrado Corazon graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,250, against average earnings of $23,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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 del Sagrado Corazon?
The six-year graduation rate is 52.1%. 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.