University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
Arecibo, Puerto Rico · Public · 59.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 22/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo lands in the Below Benchmark tier with an overall ROI score of 22 out of 100, a reflection of how Scorecard's federal-cohort earnings numbers treat the Puerto Rico labor market more than a verdict on the school itself. Median earnings 10 years after entry sit at just $30,512, the earnings premium is negative (-10.5%), and the model flags the payback period as effectively never (999 years) because graduates do not appear to out-earn the high-school baseline used in the calculation. That weighs heavily despite genuinely modest costs: in-state tuition is only $5,354 and the net price after aid runs about $10,680 per year, or roughly $42,720 over four years. Median student debt at graduation is exceptionally low at $4,500, producing tiny monthly payments under $50. The story here is simple: students borrow very little and finish at a fair clip, but local wage levels in Puerto Rico produce a low federal ROI score. For families who plan to live and work on the island, the modest sticker price and low debt load matter more than the national earnings premium suggests.
How University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo 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 Score22/100 - 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-Arecibo
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,354/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $5,354/yr |
| Average net price | $10,680/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $42,720 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $30,512 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $4,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $48 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,669 |
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: $5,354/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 $10,680/year, or roughly $42,720 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 $10,332/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $4,500, which works out to about $48 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 | $10,332 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,033 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,065 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,960 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 face a net price of $10,332 per year. That is still a serious stretch even after Pell. Over four years that totals roughly $41,328 in out-of-pocket costs, against eventual median earnings of $30,512. The math only works if the student keeps borrowing very low (the school median debt is $4,500) and graduates on time.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-48,000 bracket pays $11,033 and the $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $12,065. Aid tapers steadily as income rises, which is normal. Middle-income Puerto Rico families essentially pay close to sticker, since federal grant aid drops off above roughly $50,000. A $48,000 cost over four years against $30,512 in median earnings is a tight return profile.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-110,000 net price is $12,960, and the $110,001-plus bracket is not reported. Higher-income families pay near full freight on a low sticker, so absolute dollars stay modest. For these families the question is less about affordability and more about whether their student would earn more attending a mainland public with stronger graduate-earnings outcomes.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $37,027 | B+ |
| Registered Nursing | $38,478 | B+ |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $36,328 | A |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | $22,550 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $30,948 | - |
| Clinical Psychology | $25,528 | D |
| Accounting | $34,294 | B+ |
| Marketing | $32,259 | - |
| Teacher Education | $25,502 | - |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | $23,659 | - |
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.
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
The largest program by graduates (116) and a workhorse pipeline into Puerto Rico's pharmaceutical and medical-device cluster. Median debt is $5,250 against 4-year median earnings of $37,027, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.335 and a B+ ROI grade. Graduates often continue to medical, dental, or graduate programs, so reported wage data understates lifetime earnings. For students aiming at the island's bio/pharma employers (Pfizer, AbbVie, Lilly, etc.) this is the school's strongest value play.
Registered Nursing
Nursing produces 91 graduates with 4-year median earnings of $38,478 and median debt of $4,500, yielding a 0.348 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ grade. Local RN wages in Puerto Rico run well below mainland levels, but the credential is portable; many UPR-Arecibo nurses migrate to Florida, Texas, or the Northeast where compensation roughly doubles. As a stay-on-island ROI play it is solid; as a mainland-bound credential it is excellent.
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
Smaller program (63 graduates) but the only A-graded major on the list. Median 4-year earnings of $36,328 against just $5,500 of median debt produces a 0.151 debt-to-earnings ratio - the most favorable on campus. Feeds directly into Arecibo-area manufacturing and pharma plants, which value the technical skill set. For a student who knows they want to stay on the island and enter manufacturing, this is the highest-leverage degree UPR-Arecibo offers.
Accounting
Twenty-two graduates with median 4-year earnings of $34,294 and $5,300 in median debt, a 0.338 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ grade. Locally, salaries are modest, but the pathway to mainland or Big Four work is real for top students.
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
Sixty-two graduates with median 4-year earnings of just $22,550 and $5,500 of median debt - a 0.871 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Students drawn to media work should weigh whether the program's portfolio output is strong enough to compete for off-island freelance work.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 63.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 58.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo’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 | 59.2% |
| Enrollment | 2,669 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 89.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,301 |
UPR-Arecibo reports an admission rate of 59.2%. SAT and ACT 25th/75th percentile bands are not reported in current Scorecard data.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo (this school) | 22 | $10,680 | $30,512 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Humacao | 23 | $12,675 | $29,521 |
| 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 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla | 21 | $7,765 | $27,997 |
Who Thrives Here
This is a small regional public, enrollment around 2,669, with a Pell Grant rate of 88.96%. It fits commuter students from the Arecibo region who need a low-debt path, plan to live and work in Puerto Rico, and can self-fund the roughly $10,680 annual net price through Pell and family contribution. Strongest programs by graduates are Microbiological Sciences (116 grads), Registered Nursing (91), and Industrial Production Technologies (63), all of which post local earnings well above the school median.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo scores 22/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,680 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $30,512 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 52.0% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo: Common Questions
Is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo scores 22/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,680 a year after aid against $30,512 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-Arecibo 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 $10,680 a year, or roughly $42,720 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-Arecibo graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $30,512 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-Arecibo?
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-Arecibo. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo?
The six-year graduation rate is 52.0%. 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.