University of Guam
Mangilao, Guam · Public
ROI Score: 20/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Guam scores 20 (Below Benchmark) on CampusROI, driven by a 184.3-year payback period, $25,700 average 6-year earnings, and a 36.9% completion rate. The payback figure is mathematically extreme and reflects the combination of high net price ($8,598) relative to very low median earnings in Guam's labor market, not a conventional signal of poor institutional quality. The University of Guam is the only four-year public institution on the island and serves a distinctive population: CHamoru and Pacific Islander students for whom off-island alternatives have cultural, family, and financial barriers. In-state tuition of $6,110 is very low, but total cost of attendance including room, board, and living expenses drives net price to $8,598. Median debt of $16,786 is moderate. The 36.9% completion rate is the most significant structural concern. Only one program has Scorecard data: Business Administration (70 graduates, $26,880 year-one, C grade, debt-to-earnings 0.582). The CampusROI score of 20 reflects Guam's constrained local labor market.
How University of Guam 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 Score20/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate36.9% - 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.
University of Guam
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $6,110/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $11,414/yr |
| Average net price | $8,598/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $34,392 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $35,946 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,786 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $178 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 36.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,515 |
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: $6,110/year ($11,414/year out-of-state), 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 $8,598/year, or roughly $34,392 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 $7,105/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $14,692/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,786, which works out to about $178 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($25,700) and comes to 0.65, 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 | $7,105 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,468 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,639 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $11,272 |
| $110,001+ | $14,692 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $7,105 per year at UOG - $28,420 over four years. The 45.3% Pell rate confirms this is the primary demographic at the institution. Against $25,700 average 6-year earnings, the cost structure is low in absolute terms, but earnings are constrained by Guam's local economy. Low-income students who complete and remain on Guam will service debt adequately; those who relocate to the mainland will find the cost-to-earnings structure dramatically improved.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $9,639 per year and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $11,272. The four-year cost of $38,556-$45,088 is low in absolute terms. The 36.9% completion rate creates risk across income brackets - students who do not finish incur debt without the degree credential.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $14,692 per year - approximately $58,768 over four years. Students from higher-income Guam families who complete UOG and enter professional careers on Guam or relocate to the mainland will find the cost-to-outcome ratio favorable.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at University of Guam with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $26,880 | C |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (70 graduates) is the only program with Scorecard data at UOG: $26,880 year-one (no four-year data), with median debt of $15,650 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.582 (ROI grade C). The C grade reflects Guam's constrained private sector employment market rather than a weak program design. Graduates entering government, military-adjacent, or hospitality employment in Guam face salary compression relative to mainland benchmarks. Business administration is the most common degree path at UOG and provides foundational preparation for Guam's commercial sector.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 61.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 60.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Guam’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 | 2,515 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 45.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,400 |
The institution's relevant evaluation framework is not selectivity but program quality and completion support, given the 36.9% completion rate. Students considering UOG should assess available student support, transfer pathways to four-year completion, and the specific labor market they plan to enter upon graduation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Guam (this school) | 20 | $8,598 | $35,946 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Humacao | 23 | $12,675 | $29,521 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | 22 | $10,680 | $30,512 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Carolina | 22 | $12,945 | $30,626 |
| Cameron University | 20 | $10,912 | $40,118 |
| University of Puerto Rico at Ponce | 19 | $10,990 | $31,394 |
Who Thrives Here
University of Guam operates with no reported admission rate or test score data, indicating it functions as an open-access institution. Enrollment is 2,515. Pell rate of 45.3% indicates that many students come from low-income backgrounds. UOG is the educational anchor for Guam and Micronesia, serving students for whom the university provides critical access to higher education that would otherwise require migration. Students considering UOG should understand that outcomes data reflects Guam's local labor market and that graduates who relocate to the mainland or Hawaii will likely achieve earnings significantly above the Scorecard median.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Guam scores 20/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $8,598 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $35,946 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 36.9% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $16,786 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $25,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. 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.
University of Guam: Common Questions
Is University of Guam worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Guam scores 20/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $8,598 a year after aid against $35,946 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 University of Guam 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 $8,598 a year, or roughly $34,392 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 University of Guam graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $35,946 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 University of Guam?
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 University of Guam. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Guam graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,786, against average earnings of $25,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. 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 University of Guam?
The six-year graduation rate is 36.9%. 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.