Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo — ROI, Cost & Payback
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo charges a net price of $11,117/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $44,468. Median earnings ten years after entry are $24,908, 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, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo does not clear its cost — it ranks #39 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) | $11,117/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $44,468 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $24,908 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$23,452/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $15,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$513,508 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo's own numbers. Net price $11,117 × 4 years = $44,468 total. Median earnings $24,908 fall $23,452 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 $44,468 bill in about 4.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo students graduate with?
A median $15,500 in federal loans among completers, or 62% of the $24,908 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo students graduate?
54% finish their degree — 46% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $44,468 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $82,348 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo expensive compared with other Puerto Rico colleges?
Its $11,117 net price runs $3,352 above the $7,765 median across the 71 Puerto Rico colleges we profile, or $13,408 more across the full degree.