University of Puerto Rico-Carolina
Carolina, Puerto Rico · Public · 54.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 22/100 · Poor Value
University of Puerto Rico-Carolina is a public regional campus serving 2,404 students in the San Juan metro area. The overall ROI score of 22 reflects a fundamentally different cost-and-earnings environment than mainland US institutions. In-state tuition is just $7,986 -- one of the lowest figures in the entire CampusROI dataset -- but median net price runs $12,945 (which exceeds tuition because of room/board/fees), and four-year out-of-pocket totals $51,780. The structural challenge is the Puerto Rico labor market: median earnings ten years after entry are $30,626, well below mainland baselines, and the six-year earnings figure is unreported. Median federal debt is just $5,500 -- remarkably restrained -- and the 78.4% three-year repayment rate is a relative strength. Debt-to-earnings is unreported (imputed score 50) because the debt sample is too thin. The paybackPeriodYears value of 999 means earnings, measured against the cost of attendance and US median high-school earnings, never recoup -- but this metric is somewhat distorted for Puerto Rico because the comparison baseline assumes a mainland labor market. The 37.3% completion rate is the binding outcome constraint. Pell rate is 76.0%, meaning federal aid heavily underwrites attendance.
The data raises concerns about University of Puerto Rico-Carolina
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score22/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate37.3% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
University of Puerto Rico-Carolina
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,986/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $7,986/yr |
| Average net price | $12,945/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $51,780 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $30,626 |
| Median 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 | 37.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,404 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at University of Puerto Rico-Carolina is $7,986/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $12,945/year, or roughly $51,780 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $12,287/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,229/year.
The median graduate leaves with $5,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $58 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $30,626 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is N/A - (insufficient data to assess).
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 | $12,287 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,001 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,267 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,900 |
| $110,001+ | $18,229 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $12,287 net -- modestly below the headline. For Puerto Rico households at this income level (where median household income is roughly $24,000), this represents a heavy ongoing cost even with Pell. The flat institutional aid curve across income brackets means the school does not heavily price-discriminate.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
$30,001-48,000 pays $13,001 and $48,001-75,000 pays $15,267. The bracket structure escalates predictably, but the absolute costs remain modest by mainland US standards. Middle-income Puerto Rico families face a real tradeoff between UPR-Carolina and the more selective UPR-Rio Piedras flagship; the flagship typically delivers stronger earnings outcomes for the same student profile.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $18,229 -- the highest of the brackets, with the curve escalating monotonically. At UPR-Carolina's earnings outcomes, full-pay attendance from a high-income family is poor ROI; this segment should consider mainland public flagships or stronger Puerto Rico privates instead.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at University of Puerto Rico-Carolina with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitality Administration | $36,742 | - |
| Clinical Psychology | $26,214 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $32,928 | - |
| Finance and Financial Management | $22,039 | - |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $21,492 | - |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $18,739 | - |
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.
Hospitality Administration
Hospitality Administration is the largest reported program (66 graduates), with $36,742 four-year median earnings. Debt and one-year earnings are unreported. San Juan's tourism and hospitality sector is the dominant employer for this credential, and earnings reflect Puerto Rico hospitality wage scales rather than mainland resort markets. Graduates who relocate to mainland US hospitality hubs typically see meaningful earnings step-ups.
Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychology produces 64 graduates with $26,214 four-year median earnings. With no debt or one-year earnings reported, the picture is incomplete. The earnings figure is consistent with bachelor-level psychology work in a Puerto Rico labor market that is structurally lower-paying than mainland equivalents; most clinical psych careers require graduate study.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 60 students with $32,928 four-year earnings -- the second-strongest in the portfolio. Public-safety roles in Puerto Rico (police, corrections, federal placement) offer stable employment, and earnings reflect island wage scales. Graduates pursuing federal CJ paths (FBI, DEA, Customs) often relocate and see significant earnings gains.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business produces only 15 graduates with $21,492 four-year earnings -- among the weaker outcomes in the portfolio. The small graduate count suggests Business is not a flagship program here, and the earnings figure reflects the constrained Puerto Rico business labor market. Students serious about business careers should evaluate the UPR-Rio Piedras flagship instead.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance graduates 15 students with $22,039 four-year earnings -- a soft signal for what is normally one of the higher-earning bachelor-level credentials. Puerto Rico's financial services sector is small, and graduates typically need to relocate to drive earnings. The credential is portable to mainland markets, but on-island ROI is weak.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 70.6% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 54.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 398-519 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 411-538 |
| Enrollment | 2,404 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 76.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,539 |
UPR-Carolina admits 54.5% of applicants -- moderately selective, more so than most US public regionals. SAT mid-ranges (Math 398-519, Reading 411-538) reflect a Spanish-dominant student population for whom the College Board scores understate academic readiness in Spanish-medium coursework. The selectivity-to-completion gap (54.5% admit, 37.3% completion) suggests persistence challenges driven by the broader Puerto Rico economic context as much as academic preparation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UPR-Carolina's peer set spans Puerto Rico specialty schools (Conservatorio de Musica, Escuela de Artes Plasticas) and small US public regionals (Cameron University in Oklahoma, University of Guam, University of Montevallo in Alabama). The Puerto Rico peers operate in the same low-tuition, low-earnings labor market and are not directly comparable on ROI math. Cameron and Montevallo offer a US mainland comparison -- both deliver materially stronger earnings outcomes at modestly higher costs. University of Guam, like UPR-Carolina, operates in a distant US territory labor market with comparable structural constraints.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico-Carolina (this school) | 22 | $12,945 | $30,626 |
| 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 |
| 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
UPR-Carolina serves 2,404 students in a heavily local, Spanish-medium environment with a 76.0% Pell rate. The school fits Puerto Rico residents seeking a low-cost public-university credential who plan to remain in the island labor market or who are positioned to relocate to the mainland after graduation (where their earnings trajectory typically improves substantially). Mainland US students should not view this as a substitute for a stateside public regional -- the labor-market context fundamentally changes the ROI calculation.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about University of Puerto Rico-Carolina. With a net cost of $12,945 per year and median graduate earnings of only $30,626 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 37.3% graduation rate and a long payback period.
Median debt of $5,500 is very manageable against $30,626 in annual earnings - well within the financial advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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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.