University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico · Public · 81.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 21/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla scores 21 (Below Benchmark tier) on our model, but the score badly mischaracterizes the actual situation and reflects how mainland-calibrated ROI math collapses on Puerto Rico's economy. Tuition is exceptionally low at $5,954 in-state-only, with an average net price of just $7,765 and a four-year total cost of $31,060. Median federal debt is only $5,500. The earnings figures are where the model breaks: 10-year median earnings of $27,997 and a payback period flagged at 999 years (meaning earnings never recoup costs against the federal benchmark) reflect Puerto Rico's structurally lower wage levels, not poor program quality. The earnings premium sub-score of 2 essentially says graduates earn less than the typical high-school-only worker on the U.S. mainland - a comparison that's economically meaningless when most graduates remain on the island. Completion rate of 46.3% is genuinely weak and is a real institutional issue. Repayment rate of 70.6% (1-year) and 53% (5-year) suggests a meaningful share of borrowers struggle. The honest read: very low cost, very low debt, but real completion challenges and an economy that constrains earnings. ROI math designed for mainland labor markets shouldn't drive enrollment decisions here.
How University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla 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 Score21/100 - 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.
University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,954/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $5,954/yr |
| Average net price | $7,765/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $31,060 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $27,997 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $5,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $58 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,883 |
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: $5,954/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 $7,765/year, or roughly $31,060 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 $7,200/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $14,498/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $5,500, which works out to about $58 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. We do not have the six-year earnings figure needed to work out a debt-to-earnings ratio for this school.
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 | $7,200 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,993 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,454 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $9,266 |
| $110,001+ | $14,498 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 - the dominant cohort here - pay just $7,200 net annually, totaling $28,800 over four years. With Pell aid covering nearly all of tuition, low-income students borrow minimally. The cost side of the ledger genuinely works. The risk is the 46.3% completion rate: students who don't finish carry small debt but also no degree.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $9,454 per year, about $37,816 over four years. Note: this bracket pays slightly more than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket ($9,266), a mild inversion in the published net-price grid suggesting aid distribution is non-monotonic at this campus.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,001+) pay $14,498 per year, totaling $57,992 across four years. That's roughly double what low-income families pay, but still extraordinarily low by mainland standards. For Puerto Rico high-earning families considering this campus, the earnings ceiling is the key consideration.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | $27,076 | A |
| Accounting | $29,500 | D |
| Human Resources Management | $28,488 | A |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $34,657 | - |
| Teacher Education | $29,455 | D |
| Management Information Systems | $35,212 | - |
| Finance and Financial Management | $26,438 | - |
| Business Administration and Management | $25,817 | - |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | $29,899 | - |
| Business Operations Support | $20,209 | 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.
Human Resources Management
Human Resources Management posts $28,488 in 4-year median earnings against just $5,500 in median debt for an A grade and a 0.19 debt-to-earnings ratio. With 27 graduates per year, this is a real program at this campus. The earnings figure is appropriate to the Puerto Rico labor market, and the debt is so low that the math works locally. Students staying in Puerto Rico and entering HR, public-sector administrative, or local-business operations roles can recoup the investment quickly.
Marketing
Marketing graduates 31 students per year and posts $27,076 in 4-year earnings against $5,500 median debt for an A grade and 0.20 debt-to-earnings ratio. Like HR, the earnings figure is low but the cost is so contained that the ROI math works for island-based careers. Marketing graduates targeting tourism, retail, and Puerto Rico-based small business sectors should clear the local payback quickly.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 30 students per year but posts a weak profile: $7,035 in 1-year earnings (likely capturing students still in school or part-time work), $29,500 at 4 years, and a 0.78 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. The 4-year figure suggests the program produces credentialed workers but they enter a constrained local accounting market. CPA-track students who relocate to mainland markets see materially different outcomes than the data shows.
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies graduates 19 per year with 4-year earnings of $34,657. Debt and 1-year earnings data are not reported, leaving the ROI grade uncomputed, but the tuition is so low that any reasonable debt assumption yields a workable payback. Graduates entering manufacturing, utilities, or telecom roles in Puerto Rico or relocating to mainland markets see meaningful upside.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 15 graduates with $29,455 in 4-year earnings, $7,250 in median debt, and a 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. Teaching wages in Puerto Rico are constrained. Graduates committed to public-school teaching on the island should view this as mission work with manageable but not strong ROI.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 52.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla’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 | 81.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 398-513 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 393-510 |
| Enrollment | 1,883 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 82.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,687 |
UPR-Aguadilla admits 81.4% of applicants. SAT mid-range Math 398-513 and Reading 393-510 reflect a Puerto Rico-based admissions pool with bilingual testing dynamics that make direct mainland comparisons unreliable. ACT data is not reported (most island applicants take SAT). The 46.3% completion rate is the real selectivity story: open-access admissions plus an economically pressured student body produce the high attrition pattern visible in the data.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla (this school) | 21 | $7,765 | $27,997 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | 22 | $10,680 | $30,512 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon | 22 | $8,484 | $34,409 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Carolina | 22 | $12,945 | $30,626 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla | 21 | $8,742 | $24,776 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce | 21 | $9,026 | $26,721 |
Who Thrives Here
Aguadilla fits the local Puerto Rico-resident student seeking the lowest-cost path to a bachelor's degree near home. Pell rate is 82.6%, meaning federal aid covers most or all of the modest tuition for the median student. Enrollment of 1,883 keeps it small. The strongest fit is for students who plan to remain on-island and value low debt (median $5,500) over earnings ceiling, or who plan to use the degree as a credential before moving to higher-wage mainland markets where earnings change dramatically.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla scores 21/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $7,765 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $27,997 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 46.3% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla: Common Questions
Is University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla scores 21/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $7,765 a year after aid against $27,997 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 Puerto Rico-Aguadilla 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 $7,765 a year, or roughly $31,060 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 Puerto Rico-Aguadilla graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $27,997 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 Puerto Rico-Aguadilla?
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 Puerto Rico-Aguadilla. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.3%. 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.