Public Bachelor's Strong 73/100

University of Puerto Rico at Ponce

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

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Ponce, Puerto Rico

About University of Puerto Rico at Ponce

Thinking about University of Puerto Rico at Ponce, 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.

University of Puerto Rico at Ponce is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It enrolls 2,278 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
52.5%
Graduation
45.8%
Net Price
$10,990
Median Earnings (10yr)
$31,394
Enrollment
2,278
Student : Faculty
21:1

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
73/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 37
Value 56
Affordability 94
Selectivity 82

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

University of Puerto Rico at Ponce admits 52.5% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
52.5%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

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

Becoming less selective ↑ 19.9 pts since 2019
36.3%201950.3%202048.6%202154%202256.1%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 $10,990 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
$10,990
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
83%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
8%
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)
$4,154
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,193

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
    $10,114
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $10,534
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $13,017
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $13,600
  • Over $110,000
    $12,404

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.

$2,300
10% percentile
$3,500
25% percentile
$5,500
Median percentile
$7,100
75% percentile
$11,000
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 $5,500 —
Male students $7,750 ↑ $2,250
Female students: 41.5% (2,283 students)Male students: 58.5% (3,217 students)Overall Median$5,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $2,600, less than completers ($5,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

46% of students who start here finish within six years, and 76% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. 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
46%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
76%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $31,394 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)
$31,394
Earning > $25K
52%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$21,000$24,000$27,000$30,000$33,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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 ↑ 11.6 pts across 6 years
58.2%1yr61.8%3yr69.8%5yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 70% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,278 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled
2,278
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
21%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 100.0% 2,278
Hispanic: 100.0% (2,278 students)Total2,278

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Midsize City Ponce, Puerto Rico
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
6% 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 Psychology graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

University of Puerto Rico at Ponce offers a varied set of programs: 17 distinct programs across 7 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.

5 Programs
3 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 21 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty
21:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,286
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$51,604
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

80 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 27 34% $60,416
Associate Professors 19 24% $51,570
Assistant Professors 21 26% $46,297
Instructors 13 16% $41,925

Pros & Cons of University of Puerto Rico at Ponce

No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of Puerto Rico at Ponce 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
  • Larger class sizes than typical
  • 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 Ponce

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

Is University of Puerto Rico at Ponce hard to get into?
Admissions at University of Puerto Rico at Ponce are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 52.5%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Puerto Rico at Ponce?
52.5% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does University of Puerto Rico at Ponce cost?
Budget around $10,990 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 Ponce worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $31,394 a year against a net price of $10,990, about 2.9 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 Ponce known for?
Mostly Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Allied Health Diagnostic. 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 Ponce graduates earn?
About $31,394 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 Ponce accredited?
Yes. University of Puerto Rico at Ponce is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend University of Puerto Rico at Ponce?
2,278 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 Ponce?
46% 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 University of Puerto Rico at Ponce 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 Ponce located?
University of Puerto Rico at Ponce is located in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
What programs does University of Puerto Rico at Ponce offer?
17 different programs, most commonly Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Allied Health Diagnostic. 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 Ponce?
21 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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