Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico
Hato Rey, Puerto Rico · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 27/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico (PUPR) earns a 27 overall ROI score, deep in the Poor Value (red) tier. The story is one of cost mismatched against outcomes in a depressed local labor market. Sticker tuition is $9,870 but net price runs $17,540 - meaning aid does not offset costs and the average student actually pays more than tuition because of fees and living expenses. Notably, net price exceeds tuition, which is unusual and signals a very-low-aid environment where institutional discounting is minimal even for needy students. Four-year cost lands at $70,160. Median debt of $22,564 against six-year earnings of just $26,600 produces a 0.848 debt-to-earnings ratio that is very high. The ten-year earnings figure of $47,540 reflects modest wage growth, and the 16.8-year payback period is among the longest at any private institution. Completion rate is just 28.1% - one of the most challenging persistence environments in the dataset, consistent with PUPR's commuter-engineering profile. Repayment behavior is weak, with only 71.6% of borrowers reducing principal three years out, and that figure actually drops to 62.8% by year five before rebounding - a sign of payment instability. The Puerto Rico labor market constrains earnings ceilings even for engineering graduates.
The data raises concerns about Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score27/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate28.1% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period16.8 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,870/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $9,870/yr |
| Average net price | $17,540/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $70,160 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,540 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,564 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $239 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 28.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,594 |
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: $9,870/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 $17,540/year, or roughly $70,160 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 $16,406/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,588/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $22,564 in federal loans, which works out to about $239 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $47,540 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.85, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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 | $16,406 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,013 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,884 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,687 |
| $110,001+ | $22,588 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $16,406 per year - a heavy load for the lowest-income bracket. The aid structure here does not provide significant relief at the bottom of the income distribution, and four-year cost of roughly $66,000 against $26,600 of expected post-graduation earnings is structurally unworkable for many families. The 62.2% Pell rate confirms most of the student body falls in this range.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$110,000) pay $19,884 to $21,687 per year. Four-year cost lands in the $79,000-$87,000 range, which is more than three times typical six-year graduate earnings. The math is hard at any income level here, and middle-income Puerto Rico families specifically should weigh University of Puerto Rico (UPR) flagship campuses, which offer comparable engineering programs at far lower cost.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households over $110,000 pay $22,588 - close to the highest-bracket figure for many mainland privates with much stronger outcomes. Four-year cost of approximately $90,000 against the earnings outcomes reported is difficult to defend financially. High-income Puerto Rico families have substantially better mainland and UPR options.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $38,213 | - |
| Architecture | $20,080 | - |
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.
Computer Engineering
Computer engineering is PUPR's flagship program with 60 graduates per year - by far the largest cohort. Median first-year earnings of $38,213 are reasonable for a Puerto Rico-based start but well below mainland engineering equivalents. Median debt and ROI grade are not reported. Graduates who relocate to the mainland (common in this field) see substantial wage premiums; those who stay in Puerto Rico face a more constrained earnings ceiling. The program is the school's strongest pipeline.
Architecture
Architecture produces 30 graduates yearly with $20,080 median first-year earnings - very low even by Puerto Rico standards. Median debt and ROI grade are not reported. The architectural job market in Puerto Rico is small and the early-career wage data reflects that. Graduates typically need licensure (typically 4-6 additional years post-graduation) before earnings climb meaningfully. Students in this track should plan a long runway and consider mainland licensure portability.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 63.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.6% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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 | 3,594 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 62.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,359 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. SAT and ACT scores are also not reported, which is typical for Puerto Rico institutions where applicants generally take the College Board's Spanish-language PAA rather than US-mainland SAT. The institution serves Puerto Rico students seeking technical degrees, with admission practices oriented toward access rather than selectivity. The 28.1% completion rate suggests the bigger challenge is persistence rather than entry.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
PUPR's peer set includes one direct Puerto Rico peer - Universidad Adventista de las Antillas - which serves a smaller faith-based population. Atlantic University is a small Florida private. Johnson and Wales University Providence is a hospitality-focused mainland private with a different program mix. Oral Roberts University is a mid-size Christian university with notably stronger ROI numbers. Davenport University in Michigan is a career-focused private with comparable enrollment. Across this set, PUPR's combination of high cost-to-earnings ratio and very low completion rate places it at the bottom; the closest geographic peer (Adventista) is the most relevant comparison for prospective students.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico (this school) | 27 | $17,540 | $47,540 |
| Escuela de Artes Plasticas y Diseno de Puerto Rico | 31 | $5,669 | $21,790 |
| Universidad Pentecostal Mizpa | 27 | $6,440 | $21,410 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| University of Puerto Rico at Cayey | 24 | $10,176 | $30,958 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Humacao | 23 | $12,675 | $29,521 |
Who Thrives Here
PUPR fits Puerto Rico residents committed to engineering or architecture careers and who can navigate a long, often-interrupted timeline given the 28% completion rate. Pell rate is 62.2%, very high, reflecting a heavily working and first-generation student body. Enrollment is 3,594. Outcomes are constrained by the Puerto Rico labor market itself - graduates who relocate to the mainland (a common pattern) see substantially better wages than those who stay on the island. Self-discipline and a clear path to completion are the single biggest predictors of ROI working out.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico are a real concern. With a net cost of $17,540 per year and the typical graduate earning only $47,540 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 16.8 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 28.1% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,564 against $47,540 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.