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Is University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $33,308 helps, but median debt of $5,500 plus yearly net price of $13,088 creates a tighter path. For context, University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo's net price is about 11% below the typical 4-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$11,759
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis helps your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $1,396 less per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $6,000 in savings.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$13,088
Median earnings 10 years out
$33,308
Median debt at graduation
$5,500
Graduation rate
52%
At University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo, a typical graduate carries about $5,500 in student debt and earns roughly $33,308 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $63 per month, or 2% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $2,039 more than the typical working high school graduate nationally ($31,269) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
47% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 nationally ($31,269).
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate degree · 20 working graduates counted
$19,620
$11,649 below the benchmark
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
Bachelor's degree · 122 working graduates counted
$22,550
$8,719 below the benchmark
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
Bachelor's degree · 16 working graduates counted
$23,659
$7,610 below the benchmark
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor's degree · 28 working graduates counted
$25,502
$5,767 below the benchmark
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Bachelor's degree · 59 working graduates counted
$25,528
$5,741 below the benchmark
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Bachelor's degree · 30 working graduates counted
$30,948
$321 below the benchmark
Marketing
Bachelor's degree · 24 working graduates counted
$32,259
$990 above the benchmark
Accounting and Related Services
Bachelor's degree · 68 working graduates counted
$34,294
$3,025 above the benchmark
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
Bachelor's degree · 42 working graduates counted
$36,328
$5,059 above the benchmark
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
Bachelor's degree · 60 working graduates counted
$37,027
$5,758 above the benchmark
6 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is a public four year school in Arecibo, PR. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Humacao, PR
Worth-It Score: 55/100
Median net price: $12,577
Public 4-year
University of Puerto Rico-Carolina
Carolina, PR
Worth-It Score: 52/100
Median net price: $12,472
Public 4-year
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $11,860
Public 4-year
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
Worth-It Score: 59/100
Median net price: $14,997
Public 4-year
University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
Cayey, PR
Worth-It Score: 58/100
Median net price: $10,880
Common questions about University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo
The median net price at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is $13,088 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Puerto Rico? See the most affordable public universities in Puerto Rico →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$13,088a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →