University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
Arecibo, PR 00614-4010
About University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is a public four-year university in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, serving roughly 2,669 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 59.18% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $30,512 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo charges 3% below the national public median tuition ($5,354).
- Versus the Puerto Rico median, sticker tuition is 37% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 52.00%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $30,512.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 614% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo | $5,354 | $10,680 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Puerto Rico (state median) | $8,562 | $8,830 | 104 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo really?
Key findings
- University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo charges 3% below the national public median tuition ($5,354).
- Versus the Puerto Rico median, sticker tuition is 37% below.
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $5,354
Finding University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo charges 3% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $5,354. That is 3% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Puerto Rico median ($8,562), sticker tuition is 37% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.4×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is $10,680.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $10,680 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,850 above the Puerto Rico median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $4,291 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$5,354
Avg. net price
$10,680
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $10,332 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $11,033 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $12,065 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $12,960 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $21,416. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is known for
Top program completions
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse112
- Microbiology, General73
- Radio and Television Broadcasting Technology/Technician58
- Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Other46
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology45
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 78% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo.
Campus
Location
Arecibo, PR
City / state
- ZIP
- 00614-4010
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 29% below the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Outlying Areas
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions
Size
Enrollment
2,669
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 3,081
- Graduate
- 15
- Full-time share
- 95%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$4,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 88.96%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $2,014 | $4,036 | $6,324 |
| 2014 | $2,019 | $4,041 | $5,878 |
| 2015 | $2,049 | $4,070 | $5,942 |
| 2016 | $2,083 | $4,105 | $5,953 |
| 2017 | $2,117 | $4,139 | $7,914 |
| 2018 | $4,094 | $6,049 | $9,665 |
| 2019 | $4,178 | $6,162 | $13,231 |
| 2020 | $4,178 | $4,178 | $10,366 |
| 2021 | $4,940 | $4,940 | $7,561 |
| 2022 | $5,324 | $5,324 | $9,455 |
| 2023 | $5,324 | $5,324 | $11,759 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo reported total enrollment of about 2,669 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 41% male and 59% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (100.0%), White (0.0%), and Black or African American (0.0%). About 88.96% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 22.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
94.6% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo in 2024 is 2,669 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,081 students. Graduate enrollment is about 15 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
76.1%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
14.78% 100% Completion Time
52.00% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 14.78% of students graduating from University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 24% male / 76% female
- Microbiology, General: 23% male / 77% female
- Radio and Television Broadcasting Technology/Technician: 33% male / 67% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo graduates earn a median of $30,512 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $30,512. Median federal loan debt: $4,500. Average net price used in cost models: $10,680.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo graduates report median earnings of $30,512 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (16 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 77.7%
- Puerto Rico median 9.3 pp below median (87.0%)
- Outlying Areas median 9.3 pp below median (87.0%)
- U.S. median 19.7 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,301
- Puerto Rico median 1.8× the median ($4,084)
- Outlying Areas median 1.8× the median ($4,084)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $6,846
- Puerto Rico median 2.0× the median ($3,469)
- Outlying Areas median 2.0× the median ($3,501)
- U.S. median 0.94× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo at a glance
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is a public institution in Arecibo, PR, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related Institutions.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Registered Nursing/Registered NurseMicrobiology, GeneralRadio and Television Broadcasting Technology/Technician
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino100.0%White or Caucasian0.0%Black or African American0.0%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
Other campuses in Arecibo, PR when available, plus nearby institutions in Puerto Rico.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Puerto Rico, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo located?
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is located in Arecibo, PR.
What is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is 59.2% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,423 applicants and 886 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo's tuition?
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $5,354 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $10,680 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo cost?
Reported tuition is $5,354 and average net price is $10,680 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,613 annually.
What explains University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($10,680), completion (52.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($30,512). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo?
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,081 students, Hispanic or Latino (100.0%), White (0.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo?
About 22.4% of students at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo earn?
Median earnings are $19,546 six years after entry and $30,512 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo?
The 150%-time completion rate is 52.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $4,500.
Is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo public or private?
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is a public institution located in Arecibo, PR.
Is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo an HBCU?
No. University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.