Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce
Ponce, PR 00717-9997
About Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is a private research university in Ponce, Puerto Rico, serving roughly 3,874 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 98.08% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $24,908 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Versus the Puerto Rico median, sticker tuition is 22% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 48.59%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $24,908.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 372% 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.
Finding
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 71 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce | $6,650 | $13,192 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Puerto Rico (state median) | $8,562 | $8,830 | 104 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce really?
Key findings
- Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce charges about 0.2× the national private non-profit median tuition ($6,650).
- Versus the Puerto Rico median, sticker tuition is 22% below.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $6,650
Finding Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce charges about 0.2× the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $6,650. That is about 0.2× the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Puerto Rico median ($8,562), sticker tuition is 22% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.6×.
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 non-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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is $13,192.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $13,192 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $4,362 above the Puerto Rico median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $4,856 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce—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
$6,650
Avg. net price
$13,192
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $12,384 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $13,341 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $15,812 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $18,329 |
| $110,001+ | $20,122 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $26,600. 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is known for
Top program completions
- Biomedical Sciences, General125
- Law114
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse75
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies51
- Psychology, General40
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 28% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1300
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce.
Campus
Location
Ponce, PR
City / state
- ZIP
- 00717-9997
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 27% below the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Outlying Areas
- Carnegie
- Doctoral/Professional Universities
Size
Enrollment
3,874
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 4,273
- Graduate
- 1,562
- Full-time share
- 88%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$15,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 80.65%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce.
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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce 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 | $4,840 | $4,840 | $6,506 |
| 2014 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,076 |
| 2015 | $5,130 | $5,130 | $5,659 |
| 2016 | $5,250 | $5,250 | $7,465 |
| 2017 | $5,370 | $5,370 | $9,947 |
| 2018 | $5,490 | $5,490 | $9,594 |
| 2019 | $5,580 | $5,580 | $9,304 |
| 2020 | $5,510 | $5,510 | $10,167 |
| 2021 | $5,545 | $5,545 | $9,550 |
| 2022 | $5,920 | $5,920 | $10,283 |
| 2023 | $6,340 | $6,340 | $10,082 |
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 has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1300 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.60
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce reported total enrollment of about 3,874 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 36% male and 64% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (99.6%), Non-Resident Alien (0.3%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (0.1%). About 80.65% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 30.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
87.6% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce in 2024 is 3,874 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 4,273 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,562 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
83.1%
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
19.01% 100% Completion Time
48.59% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 19.01% of students graduating from Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Biomedical Sciences, General: 28% male / 72% female
- Law: 38% male / 62% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 27% male / 73% 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.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce graduates earn a median of $24,908 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $24,908. Median federal loan debt: $15,500. Average net price used in cost models: $13,192.
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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce graduates report median earnings of $24,908 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (71 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$19.1M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Puerto Rico median 12× the median ($1.6M)
- Outlying Areas median 7.2× the median ($2.6M)
- U.S. median 0.72× the median ($26.4M)
- Puerto Rico median near the median ($2,336)
- Outlying Areas median 0.62× the median ($3,664)
- U.S. median 0.19× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 69.1%
- Puerto Rico median 17.8 pp below median (87.0%)
- Outlying Areas median 17.8 pp below median (87.0%)
- U.S. median 11.2 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $4,545
- Puerto Rico median 1.1× the median ($4,084)
- Outlying Areas median 1.1× the median ($4,084)
- U.S. median 0.60× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $4,692
- Puerto Rico median 1.4× the median ($3,469)
- Outlying Areas median 1.3× the median ($3,501)
- U.S. median 0.64× 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.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce at a glance
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is a private non-profit institution in Ponce, PR, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Biomedical Sciences, GeneralLawRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino99.6%Non-Resident Alien0.3%Race/ethnicity unknown0.1%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce
Other campuses in Ponce, 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce located?
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is located in Ponce, PR.
What is Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is 98.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 3,020 applicants and 2,728 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce's tuition?
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $6,650 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $13,192 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce cost?
Reported tuition is $6,650 and average net price is $13,192 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $6,791 annually.
What explains Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($13,192), completion (48.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($24,908). 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 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce?
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce reports undergraduate enrollment of about 4,273 students, Hispanic or Latino (99.6%), Non-Resident Alien (0.3%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce?
About 30.8% of students at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce reports midpoint SAT about 1300.
What do graduates of Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce earn?
Median earnings are $20,637 six years after entry and $24,908 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce?
The 150%-time completion rate is 48.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $15,500.
Is Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce public or private?
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is a private nonprofit institution located in Ponce, PR.
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.