Columbia Central University-Caguas
Caguas, PR 00726
About Columbia Central University-Caguas
Columbia Central University-Caguas is a private for-profit trade school in Caguas, Puerto Rico, enrolling about 2,360 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $7,215 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $8,400. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $23,134 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Columbia Central University-Caguas charges about 0.5× the national private for-profit median tuition ($8,400).
- Versus the Puerto Rico median, sticker tuition is 2% below.
- Average net price runs below the Puerto Rico median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 56.39%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $23,134.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Columbia Central University-Caguas is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 702% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Central University-Caguas | $8,400 | $7,215 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| 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.
Average net price is 14% below published tuition at Columbia Central University-Caguas
Key findings
- Columbia Central University-Caguas's average net price ($7,215) is 14% below published tuition ($8,400).
- Columbia Central University-Caguas charges about 0.5× the national private for-profit median tuition ($8,400).
- Versus the Puerto Rico median, sticker tuition is 2% below.
- Average net price runs below the Puerto Rico median net price.
Columbia Central University-Caguas tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $8,400
Finding Columbia Central University-Caguas charges about 0.5× the national private for-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $8,400. That is about 0.5× the national private for-profit median ($16,637). Versus the Puerto Rico median ($8,562), sticker tuition is 2% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 29% below.
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 private for-profit 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Columbia Central University-Caguas versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Columbia Central University-Caguas is $7,215.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $7,215 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,614 below the Puerto Rico median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $7,756 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 14% lower after grants and scholarships.
Columbia Central University-Caguas: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Columbia Central University-Caguas—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
$8,400
Avg. net price
$7,215
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $7,052 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $7,079 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $9,319 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $11,135 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $33,600. 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas is known for
Top program completions
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant216
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse209
- Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming191
- Health Professions and Related Programs106
- Nursing Education90
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Columbia Central University-Caguas a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Columbia Central University-Caguas 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas.
Campus
Location
Caguas, PR
City / state
- ZIP
- 00726
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.5× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Outlying Areas
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Business and Management
Size
Enrollment
2,360
Total enrollment
- Full-time share
- 73%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$6,148
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 80.99%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional where not shown.
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Columbia Central University-Caguas.
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 Columbia Central University-Caguas 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas 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 | $6,390 | $6,390 | $4,480 |
| 2014 | $6,390 | $6,390 | $4,600 |
| 2015 | $6,520 | $6,520 | $4,292 |
| 2016 | $6,520 | $6,520 | $4,313 |
| 2017 | $6,480 | $6,480 | $3,666 |
| 2018 | $6,600 | $6,600 | $3,484 |
| 2019 | $6,600 | $6,600 | $2,489 |
| 2020 | $7,180 | $7,180 | $3,490 |
| 2021 | $7,370 | $7,370 | $4,661 |
| 2022 | $7,830 | $7,830 | $4,407 |
| 2023 | $7,314 | $7,314 | $4,181 |
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
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
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
Columbia Central University-Caguas reported total enrollment of about 2,360 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 27% male and 73% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (99.4%), American Indian or Alaska Native (0.2%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (0.2%). About 80.99% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 39.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
73.2% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Columbia Central University-Caguas in 2024 is 2,360 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
63.1%
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
52.94% 100% Completion Time
56.39% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 52.94% of students graduating from Columbia Central University-Caguas completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant: 18% male / 82% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 14% male / 86% female
- Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming: 13% male / 87% 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.
Columbia Central University-Caguas graduates earn a median of $23,134 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Columbia Central University-Caguas.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $23,134. Median federal loan debt: $6,148. Average net price used in cost models: $7,215.
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 Columbia Central University-Caguas graduates report median earnings of $23,134 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (25 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Columbia Central University-Caguas.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Columbia Central University-Caguas graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Columbia Central University-Caguas—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 56.8%
- Puerto Rico median 30.2 pp below median (87.0%)
- Outlying Areas median 30.2 pp below median (87.0%)
- U.S. median 1.2 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $2,500
- Puerto Rico median 0.61× the median ($4,084)
- Outlying Areas median 0.61× the median ($4,084)
- U.S. median 0.33× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $1,455
- Puerto Rico median 0.42× the median ($3,469)
- Outlying Areas median 0.42× the median ($3,501)
- U.S. median 0.20× 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.
Columbia Central University-Caguas at a glance
Columbia Central University-Caguas
Columbia Central University-Caguas is a private for-profit institution in Caguas, PR, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Business and Management.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary AssistantRegistered Nursing/Registered NurseDog/Pet/Animal Grooming
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino99.4%American Indian or Alaska Native0.2%Race/ethnicity unknown0.2%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Columbia Central University-Caguas
Other campuses in Caguas, 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas located?
Columbia Central University-Caguas is located in Caguas, PR.
What is Columbia Central University-Caguas's tuition?
Columbia Central University-Caguas tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $8,400 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $7,215 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Columbia Central University-Caguas cost?
Reported tuition is $8,400 and average net price is $7,215 in the latest College Scorecard data.
Why is Columbia Central University-Caguas's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Columbia Central University-Caguas, published tuition is $8,400 while average net price is $7,215—about 14% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Columbia Central University-Caguas's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($7,215), completion (56.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($23,134). 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 Columbia Central University-Caguas?
Columbia Central University-Caguas reports total enrollment of about 2,360 students, Hispanic or Latino (99.4%), American Indian or Alaska Native (0.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Columbia Central University-Caguas?
About 39.5% of students at Columbia Central University-Caguas are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Columbia Central University-Caguas earn?
Median earnings are $19,591 six years after entry and $23,134 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia Central University-Caguas?
The 150%-time completion rate is 56.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Columbia Central University-Caguas students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $6,148.
Is Columbia Central University-Caguas public or private?
Columbia Central University-Caguas is a private for-profit institution located in Caguas, PR.
Is Columbia Central University-Caguas an HBCU?
No. Columbia Central University-Caguas 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
- Puerto Rico college profile
- Puerto Rico college costs
- Puerto Rico colleges by ROI
- Puerto Rico trade schools profile
- Caguas, Puerto Rico city profile
- Outlying Areas regional profile
- Town college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Puerto Rico
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.