University of Puerto Rico at Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico · Public · 52.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 19/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Puerto Rico at Ponce posts a 19 ROI score, sitting in the Below Benchmark tier. UPR-Ponce is a public regional campus, serving a heavily Pell-eligible Puerto Rican student population. The cost story is favorable: in-state tuition is just $5,354, net price is $10,990, and median debt is only $5,500. The four-year total cost is $43,960. The score is dragged down by earnings, not cost: $31,394 median earnings ten years out generate a negative 8.2 percent earnings premium against the high-school baseline used in the model, which produces the 999-year payback flag (meaning earnings never recoup cost in the model). Completion is moderate at 46.2 percent. Repayment is weak at 62 percent at three years declining to 51 percent at five. The model's earnings comparison does not capture local Puerto Rico labor-market conditions, where wages are systematically lower than mainland US benchmarks. Read in that context, UPR-Ponce delivers what regional publics in Puerto Rico typically deliver: low-cost access to a degree that pays modestly in the local economy.
How University of Puerto Rico at Ponce 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 Score19/100 - 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 Ponce
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,354/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $5,354/yr |
| Average net price | $10,990/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $43,960 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $31,394 |
| 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 | 46.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,278 |
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 $10,990/year, or roughly $43,960 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 $10,114/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $12,404/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 | $10,114 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,534 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,017 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,600 |
| $110,001+ | $12,404 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $10,114. With Pell at 83 percent, this is the dominant student bracket. Four-year cost lands around $40,000, which is a substantial commitment relative to family income. Combined with median debt of just $5,500, the absolute financial damage is contained even for non-completers.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Notable inversion: the $48,001 to $75,000 bracket pays $13,017, but the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket pays $13,600, and then the $110,001-plus bracket drops back to $12,404. The top-bracket inversion is worth flagging as a small-sample anomaly. Middle-income families pay $10,534 to $13,017. The math works for families who can stretch to cover the four-year total.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Striking anomaly: families above $110,000 pay $12,404, less than middle-income brackets. That is highly inverted and likely reflects either a very small high-income sample at the school or a data reporting issue. High-income Puerto Rican families weighing this school are likely doing so for cultural and proximity reasons rather than financial optimization.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Puerto Rico at Ponce with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | $33,568 | D |
| Psychology, Other | $23,999 | A |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $22,339 | - |
| Accounting | $35,275 | - |
| Clinical Psychology | $31,751 | B |
| Biology | $33,896 | - |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $35,882 | - |
| Marketing | $31,600 | - |
| Business Operations Support | $22,930 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $26,878 | - |
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.
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Biological and Biomedical Sciences is the largest cohort at 47 graduates with D grade. First-year earnings of just $7,145 climb to $33,568 by year four, against $5,500 in median debt and a 0.77 debt-to-earnings ratio. The very low first-year figure suggests many graduates pursue advanced training or face delayed entry into the local labor market. The low absolute debt level keeps the financial risk contained even with weak earnings.
Psychology, Other
Psychology, Other produces 44 graduates and posts an unusual A grade. Year-four median earnings of $23,999 against just $5,500 in median debt produce a remarkably low 0.229 debt-to-earnings ratio. The A grade reflects the favorable debt-to-earnings math even at very modest absolute earnings, a function of UPR-Ponce's deeply subsidized in-state cost structure. The earnings figure is low in absolute terms but reasonable given local labor markets.
Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment
Allied Health produces 29 graduates. Year-four median earnings of $22,339 are modest but reflect Puerto Rico's healthcare labor market. Debt and ROI grade are not reported. Career pathways into local hospital systems and clinical services exist, though many graduates eventually relocate to mainland US healthcare markets for substantially better pay.
Accounting
Accounting produces 26 graduates. Year-four median earnings of $35,275 are among the higher figures at UPR-Ponce. Debt and ROI grade are not reported, but given the school's low debt levels institution-wide, this is likely a defensible program for students seeking a stable professional credential in Puerto Rico's commercial sector.
Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychology shows 25 graduates with B grade. Year-four median earnings of $31,751 against $5,000 in median debt yield a 0.405 debt-to-earnings ratio. The B grade reflects strong debt-to-earnings math given the low cost structure. Career pathways into community mental health, school counseling, and graduate-level training programs exist locally.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 58.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 61.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 51.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Puerto Rico at Ponce’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 | 52.4% |
| Enrollment | 2,278 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 82.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,915 |
UPR-Ponce admits 52.5 percent of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The relatively selective admit rate combined with the 46.2 percent completion rate suggests that even with academic screening, retention is a significant challenge, likely reflecting the economic pressures facing Puerto Rican families. Prepared students should expect a reasonable shot at admission and should plan financially for the realistic prospect of completion delays.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico at Ponce (this school) | 19 | $10,990 | $31,394 |
| Universidad Central de Bayamon | 20 | $4,827 | $25,021 |
| Universidad Teologica del Caribe | 20 | $9,045 | $23,536 |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Fajardo | 20 | $9,230 | $23,132 |
| Caribbean University-Vega Baja | 20 | $5,235 | $22,842 |
| Caribbean University-Carolina | 18 | $5,791 | $22,842 |
Who Thrives Here
UPR-Ponce fits a Puerto Rico student seeking an affordable Spanish-language public university experience close to home, particularly in psychology, business operations, or the biomedical/allied health programs. Pell rate is 82.6 percent, indicating an overwhelmingly low-income student population. Enrollment is 2,278. Strong fits are students with stable family support who can complete despite economic pressures and who plan to work locally. Students considering mainland US labor markets may find their degree pays better there, though the cultural and family considerations of leaving Puerto Rico are real.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Puerto Rico at Ponce scores 19/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,990 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $31,394 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 46.2% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 61.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
University of Puerto Rico at Ponce: Common Questions
Is University of Puerto Rico at Ponce worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Puerto Rico at Ponce scores 19/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,990 a year after aid against $31,394 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 Ponce 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 $10,990 a year, or roughly $43,960 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 Ponce graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $31,394 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 Ponce?
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 Ponce. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
What is the graduation rate at University of Puerto Rico at Ponce?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.2%. 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.