Public Bachelor's Strong 71/100

University of Puerto Rico at Cayey

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

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Cayey, Puerto Rico

About University of Puerto Rico at Cayey

Thinking about University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, a college in Puerto Rico where more students graduate in Biology 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.

University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Cayey, Puerto Rico. It enrolls 2,069 students (a mid-sized 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
53%
Graduation
51%
Net Price
$10,176
Median Earnings (10yr)
$30,958
Enrollment
2,069
Student : Faculty
19:1

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 Selective), 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
71/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 43
Value 63
Affordability 95
Selectivity 42

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

University of Puerto Rico at Cayey admits 53% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
53%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
843 – 1073
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Required SAT or ACT scores must be submitted with the application.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 8.1 pts since 2019
87.8%201989.4%202048%202149.3%202295.8%2023

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 $10,176 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. 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
$10,176
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
76%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
0%
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
$5,354
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,613
Books & Supplies
$4,168
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,072
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,909

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


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $9,495
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $9,682
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $11,897
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $12,913
  • Over $110,000
    $13,433

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.

$2,599
10% percentile
$3,500
25% percentile
$5,000
Median percentile
$5,500
75% percentile
$9,000
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
Female students $5,000 —
Male students $5,000 —
Female students: 50.0% (2,500 students)Male students: 50.0% (2,500 students)Overall Median$5,000
What this means: Aid reaches the majority of students: 76% receive Pell grants. If your family qualifies for Pell, the actual cost to you is likely far below the average.

Graduation Rate & Retention

51% of students who start here finish within six years, and 77% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. 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
51%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $30,958 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)
$30,958
Earning > $25K
52%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$20,000$23,000$26,000$29,000$32,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs
What this means: Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$3.0 of median earnings 10 years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,069 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled
2,069
Part-Time
9%
First-Generation
19%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 100.0% 2,069
Hispanic: 100.0% (2,069 students)Total2,069

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb Cayey, Puerto Rico
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
4% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

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

University of Puerto Rico at Cayey offers a varied set of programs: 17 distinct programs across 11 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.

1 Program
1 Program
4 Programs
1 Program
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 19 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,877
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$4,732
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$51,343
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

101 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 32 32% $61,315
Associate Professors 34 34% $44,706
Assistant Professors 29 29% $51,257
Instructors 6 6% $36,195

Pros & Cons of University of Puerto Rico at Cayey

No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of Puerto Rico at Cayey 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
  • Below-average net price
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
  • Class sizes are on the higher side
  • Below-average completion rate
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution

Frequently Asked Questions about University of Puerto Rico at Cayey

The questions families ask most about University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is University of Puerto Rico at Cayey hard to get into?
Admissions at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 53%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey?
53% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for University of Puerto Rico at Cayey?
Aim for 1073 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 843 and 1073 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does University of Puerto Rico at Cayey cost?
Budget around $10,176 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 University of Puerto Rico at Cayey worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $30,958 a year against a net price of $10,176, about 3.0 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 University of Puerto Rico at Cayey known for?
Mostly Biology, Natural Sciences, Accounting. 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 University of Puerto Rico at Cayey graduates earn?
About $30,958 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 University of Puerto Rico at Cayey accredited?
Yes. University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend University of Puerto Rico at Cayey?
2,069 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey?
51% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is University of Puerto Rico at Cayey a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is University of Puerto Rico at Cayey located?
University of Puerto Rico at Cayey is located in Cayey, Puerto Rico.
What programs does University of Puerto Rico at Cayey offer?
17 different programs, most commonly Biology, Natural Sciences, Accounting. 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 University of Puerto Rico at Cayey?
19 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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