Private Nonprofit Graduate Strong 80/100

Caribbean University-Vega Baja

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

About Caribbean University-Vega Baja

Thinking about Caribbean University-Vega Baja, a college in Puerto Rico where more students graduate in Business than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Caribbean University-Vega Baja is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. It enrolls 152 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
21%
Net Price
$5,235
Median Earnings (10yr)
$22,842
Enrollment
152
Student : Faculty
11:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
80/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 66
Value 69
Affordability 90
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Caribbean University-Vega Baja does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $5,235 a year on average, it sits well below what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$5,235
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
76%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
22%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$8,844
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,250
Books & Supplies
$2,250
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,995
Total Cost of Attendance
$9,936

Application fee: $30 (one-time, due at submission)


Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$1,850
10% percentile
$3,500
25% percentile
$10,500
Median percentile
$13,600
75% percentile
$22,250
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,000 ↓ $3,500
No Pell $8,500 ↓ $2,000
Dependent students $5,500 ↓ $5,000
Independent students $9,650 ↓ $850
Female students $7,125 ↓ $3,375
Male students $6,502 ↓ $3,998
Pell recipients: 15.8% (1,660 students)No Pell: 19.2% (2,016 students)Dependent students: 12.4% (1,304 students)Independent students: 21.8% (2,288 students)Female students: 16.1% (1,690 students)Male students: 14.7% (1,542 students)Overall Median$10,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

21% of students who start here finish within six years, and 67% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
21%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $22,842 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$22,842
Earning > $25K
37%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$18,000$19,000$21,000$22,000$24,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$18,000

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$25,600

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $7,600, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 10.7 pts across 6 years
34.7%1yr41%3yr38.7%5yr45.4%7yr
What this signals: Concerning. Only 45% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 152 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 50% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
152
Part-Time
26%
First-Generation
50%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 100.0% 152
Hispanic: 100.0% (152 students)Total152

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Caribbean University-Vega Baja. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
53% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Designation
Branch campus

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Education graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Caribbean University-Vega Baja offers a varied set of programs: 12 distinct programs across 5 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

3 Programs
3 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$1.4M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$19,668
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Pros & Cons of Caribbean University-Vega Baja

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Caribbean University-Vega Baja is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • Low typical debt at graduation
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Best for: Based on the data, Caribbean University-Vega Baja is a fit for families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Caribbean University-Vega Baja

The questions families ask most about Caribbean University-Vega Baja, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Caribbean University-Vega Baja cost?
Budget around $5,235 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Caribbean University-Vega Baja worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $22,842 a year against a net price of $5,235, about 4.4 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Caribbean University-Vega Baja known for?
Mostly Special Education, Business Administration, Marketing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Caribbean University-Vega Baja graduates earn?
About $22,842 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Caribbean University-Vega Baja accredited?
Yes. Caribbean University-Vega Baja is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Caribbean University-Vega Baja?
152 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Caribbean University-Vega Baja?
21% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Caribbean University-Vega Baja a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Caribbean University-Vega Baja located?
Caribbean University-Vega Baja is located in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.
What programs does Caribbean University-Vega Baja offer?
12 different programs, most commonly Special Education, Business Administration, Marketing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Caribbean University-Vega Baja?
11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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