Automeca Technical College-Ponce — ROI, Cost & Payback
Automeca Technical College-Ponce charges a net price of $4,834/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $19,336. Median earnings ten years after entry are $24,632, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Automeca Technical College-Ponce does not clear its cost — it ranks #29 of 71 Puerto Rico colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $4,834/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $19,336 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $24,632 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$23,728/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $3,030 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$493,896 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Automeca Technical College-Ponce's own numbers. Net price $4,834 × 4 years = $19,336 total. Median earnings $24,632 fall $23,728 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $19,336 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Automeca Technical College-Ponce students graduate with?
A median $3,030 in federal loans among completers, or 12% of the $24,632 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Automeca Technical College-Ponce students graduate?
73% finish their degree. Spread the $19,336 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $26,488 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Automeca Technical College-Ponce expensive compared with other Puerto Rico colleges?
Its $4,834 net price runs $2,931 below the $7,765 median across the 71 Puerto Rico colleges we profile, and $11,724 less across the full degree.