University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
Cayey, Puerto Rico · Public · 53.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 24/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Puerto Rico at Cayey lands at an ROI score of 24 (Below Benchmark tier) - a number driven almost entirely by the earnings side of the ledger rather than the cost side. In-state tuition of $5,354 and a net price of $10,176 are genuinely affordable, and median student debt is just $5,000. The problem is what happens after graduation: median earnings 10 years out land at only $30,958, the earnings premium versus a high school graduate is negative (-9.9%), and the payback period registers as 999 years - the system's way of saying tuition costs are never recouped through the earnings premium. A 49.8% completion rate means roughly half of entering students leave without a credential, and the 75.6% three-year repayment rate is mediocre. The takeaway: students do not borrow much here, but the regional Puerto Rico labor market produces earnings that are below the typical high school baseline used in federal models, so the ROI score is low despite the low sticker price. For students who plan to stay in Puerto Rico and value the academic culture, the low out-of-pocket cost cushions the risk; for anyone weighing this purely as a financial investment, the earnings ceiling is the dominant fact.
How University of Puerto Rico at Cayey 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 Score24/100 - 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 at Cayey
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,354/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $5,354/yr |
| Average net price | $10,176/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $40,704 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $30,958 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $5,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $53 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,069 |
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 $10,176/year, or roughly $40,704 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 $9,495/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $13,433/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $5,000, which works out to about $53 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 | $9,495 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,682 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,897 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,913 |
| $110,001+ | $13,433 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $9,495 net annually - close to the school's published net price. With three-quarters of students on Pell, this bracket is the modal Cayey family.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001-$75,000 pay $11,897 - meaningfully more than the lowest bracket, which is expected. The absolute outlay is roughly $48K over four years. The completion-rate risk (50%) matters more than price here: a non-finishing middle-income family carries debt without the credential.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket families ($110,001+) pay $13,433 net per year, the highest tier on campus but still below most mainland public-college net prices.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $41,763 | B+ |
| Natural Sciences | $42,313 | C+ |
| Accounting | $35,981 | - |
| Psychology, Other | $25,313 | A |
| Psychology | $23,168 | - |
| Chemistry | $50,128 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $30,850 | - |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $35,474 | A |
| Sociology | $26,901 | - |
| Business Operations Support | $24,112 | - |
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.
Biology
Biology is Cayey's flagship program by graduate count (78 per year) and earns a B+ ROI grade. Median 4-year earnings of $41,763 are the school's strongest mainstream outcome, and median debt of $5,500 yields a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.312 - elevated but workable. Career paths typically run through healthcare professional schools (med/dental/PA) and lab tech roles; students planning to terminate at the bachelor's should expect tighter outcomes than those continuing to graduate study.
Natural Sciences
Natural Sciences (70 graduates) is a sibling track to Biology with similar 4-year earnings ($42,313) but a weaker C+ ROI grade because debt-to-earnings climbs to 0.465. Same career patterns: graduate school is largely the path to higher earnings. The C+ grade signals that students borrowing the typical $5,500 here may feel debt pressure if they enter the workforce directly rather than continuing into a professional program.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 40 students per year with $35,981 median 4-year earnings - solid for the PR labor market, though debt and ROI grade are not reported. Accounting is one of the more portable credentials Cayey offers.
Psychology, Other
Psychology (Other) earns an A ROI grade despite modest $25,313 4-year earnings, because median debt is just $5,000 and debt-to-earnings sits at 0.198 - a clean ratio. With 36 graduates per year, this is a high-volume track. The honest read: low debt makes the math work, but $25K earnings four years post-grad is genuinely thin, and most career growth here requires graduate study.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Subject-specific teacher education graduates 17 students annually with $35,474 median 4-year earnings, $5,050 median debt, and a 0.142 debt-to-earnings ratio - the cleanest ratio on campus and an A ROI grade. PR teacher salaries are modest but stable, and the low debt load makes this one of the more defensible financial paths at Cayey for students committed to staying in education on the island.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 69.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 75.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 54.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Puerto Rico at Cayey’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 | 53.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 422-542 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 421-531 |
| Enrollment | 2,069 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 75.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,701 |
UPR Cayey admits 53% of applicants, putting it in the moderately selective range. ACT scores are not reported. The 53% admit rate paired with a 49.8% completion rate suggests admitted students face real academic and financial headwinds in finishing on time - selectivity here is not strongly predictive of degree completion.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico at Cayey (this school) | 24 | $10,176 | $30,958 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Humacao | 23 | $12,675 | $29,521 |
| 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 |
Who Thrives Here
This is a Pell-heavy campus: 75.9% of students receive Pell grants, signaling a predominantly lower-income student body. The strongest fit is a Puerto Rico-based student planning to enter teaching, healthcare support, or biology/natural sciences - fields where Cayey's program ROI grades cluster around A and B+ despite the low absolute earnings. Students seeking high-paying mainland-style outcomes will find the local labor market a constraint regardless of what they study.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey scores 24/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,176 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $30,958 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 49.8% graduation rate, a long payback period.
University of Puerto Rico at Cayey: Common Questions
Is University of Puerto Rico at Cayey worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Puerto Rico at Cayey scores 24/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,176 a year after aid against $30,958 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 at Cayey 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 $10,176 a year, or roughly $40,704 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 at Cayey graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $30,958 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 at Cayey?
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 at Cayey. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey?
The six-year graduation rate is 49.8%. 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.