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University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

Public Graduate Strong 80/100

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

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

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San Juan, Puerto Rico

About University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It enrolls 8,572 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Official website: uprrp.edu

Acceptance: 54.6%
Graduation: 48.5%
Net Price: $9,175
Median Earnings (10yr): $35,723
Enrollment: 8,572
Student : Faculty: 12:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Strong

80/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 46

Value 82

Affordability 94

Selectivity 80

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 54.6%, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is moderately selective.

Acceptance Rate

54.6%

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-Rio Piedras is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Stable ↑ 4.4 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,175 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$9,175

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

66%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

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: $15,118

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

$8,018
$30,001 – $48,000

$8,553
$48,001 – $75,000

$11,002
$75,001 – $110,000

$11,925
Over $110,000

$13,018

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.

$2,750

10% percentile

$4,316

25% percentile

$5,500

Median percentile

$8,800

75% percentile

$12,953

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 $5,500 —

No Pell $5,500 —

Dependent students $5,500 —

Independent students $5,500 —

Female students $5,500 —

Male students $5,500 —

What this means: Aid reaches a meaningful share of the student body: 66% of students receive Pell grants. If your family qualifies for Pell, the real cost to you could be substantially lower than the average.

Graduation Rate & Retention

48% of full-time students who enrolled at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

48%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

78%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras earn a median of $35,723 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$35,723

Earning > $25K

59%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

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.

Declining: debt management worsening over time ↓ 7.7 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Concerning. Only 45% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.

Who Studies Here

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is home to 8,572 students, a large student community.

Total Enrolled

8,572

Part-Time

12%

First-Generation

16%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents

Hispanic 94.1% 8,070

Black 3.2% 271

White 0.7% 62

Other 0.7% 57

Asian 0.1% 5

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting

Large City San Juan, Puerto Rico

Housing

Commuter campus No on-campus housing

Adult Learners

5% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

Designation

Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras offers an extensive catalog of programs: 93 distinct programs across 23 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.

13 Programs

Business

Accounting $76K ($56K–$97K)
Marketing $69K ($50K–$93K)
Human Resources $68K ($50K–$91K)

3 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)

3 Programs

Legal Studies

Law $143K ($74K–$297K)
Non-Professional Legal Studies $62K ($43K–$83K)
Legal Research $63K ($47K–$84K)

4 Programs

Languages

Linguistics $50K ($33K–$70K)
Linguistics $50K ($33K–$70K)
Romance Languages $55K ($38K–$73K)

4 Programs

Communication

Public Relations $64K ($46K–$84K)
Radio, Television & Digital Media $50K ($34K–$70K)
Journalism $56K ($41K–$74K)

4 Programs

Public Administration

Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Social Work $52K ($39K–$64K)
Public Administration $65K ($47K–$87K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is 12:1, close to the national average.

Student : Faculty

12:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$11,022

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Endowment

$1.9M

Modest endowment

Avg Faculty Salary

$54,887

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

730 instructional faculty across 5 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	342	47%	$62,735
Associate Professors	71	10%	$52,498
Assistant Professors	215	29%	$48,577
Instructors	81	11%	$38,775
No Rank	21	3%	$61,917

Pros & Cons of University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

A quick at-a-glance summary of how University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Very affordable net price after aid
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
Low typical debt at graduation

CONS

Below-average completion rate
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side

Best for: Based on the data, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is a fit for families focused on keeping net cost low.

Frequently Asked Questions about University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras.

Is University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras hard to get into?

Admissions at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 54.6%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.

What is the acceptance rate at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras?

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras has an acceptance rate of 54.6%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

How much does University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras cost?

The average net price after aid at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is $9,175 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras worth it?

Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $35,723 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,175 per year. That's roughly 3.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras known for?

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is best known for its programs in Biology, Law, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras are $35,723, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras accredited?

Yes. University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How many students attend University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras?

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras enrolls 8,572 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras?

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras graduates 48% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras a public or private college?

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is a Public institution.

Where is University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras located?

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

What programs does University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras offer?

University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras offers 93 distinct programs. The most popular include Biology, Law, Psychology.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras?

The student-to-faculty ratio at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.