Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce #702 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $27,811, placing Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce in the 0.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce #1456 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. ---
Azimuth ranks Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce #702 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private university located in Ponce, PR, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce enrolls approximately 3,874 undergraduates. The institution maintains a 83.1% freshman retention rate and a 48.6% six-year graduation rate, reflecting solid student persistence through degree completion. Where Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce #1456 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $27,811, and Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce sits in the 72.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. This performance reflects the institution's strength in Biological Sciences, a field with consistent labor-market demand and strong early-career earnings trajectories. Access and affordability represent areas where the composite is pulled down. Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce sits in the 96.2 percentile for access and the 93.0 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. As a private institution, the sticker price is higher than at public universities, though need-based aid reshapes net cost for families that qualify. Mobility outcomes sit in the 38.3 percentile, reflecting the institution's ability to support students into sustainable career pathways despite the smaller scale typical of regional private colleges.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico–Ponce's published cost of attendance is $20,508. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $12,384, middle-income families pay around $15,812, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,122. Azimuth ranks Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce #101 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. The university participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages. The gap between published cost of attendance and actual net price can be substantial, particularly for lower-income families — understanding this distinction is important when evaluating affordability across institutions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $15,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $5,711; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $27,811, median federal debt of $15,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $175 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce is a strong fit for students drawn to the biological sciences and related fields who want a private nonprofit university experience in Ponce, PR. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $27,811, placing Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce in the 0.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They also earn about $3,487 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 72.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 80.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 30.8% are first-generation — and delivers mobility outcomes that place Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce in the 3.9 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix favors biological sciences and related fields, and the PR labor market shapes post-graduation earnings trajectories. Students whose interests align with those areas will find the earnings trajectory and aid package among the strongest in the region.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Pontifical Catholic University Of Puerto Rico-Ponce hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico–Ponce's published cost of attendance is $20,508. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $12,384, middle-income families pay around $15,812, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,122.
Azimuth ranks Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce #101 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
The university participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside institutional aid. Families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility and aid packages.
The gap between published cost of attendance and actual net price can be substantial, particularly for lower-income families — understanding this distinction is important when evaluating affordability across institutions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $15,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $5,711; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $27,811, median federal debt of $15,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $175 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico–Ponce earn median 4-year earnings of $27,811, placing the institution in the 0.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $3,487 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce in the 72.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce #1456 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's concentration in biological sciences and health-related fields.
Biology, General is the largest program with 189 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $27,205, representing 0.5× the national benchmark for the field. The Nursing program graduates 110 students with median 4-year earnings of $36,764, while Psychology, General and General Studies round out the top programs with 62 and 60 graduates respectively.
These programs anchor the institution's economic profile in fields where employers actively recruit and career pathways remain stable across the region.
Architecture
27 graduates
Chemistry
11 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
110 graduates
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
10 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
25 graduates
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce's program mix is anchored in biological sciences and health-related fields, reflecting the institution's mission as a Catholic university in Puerto Rico. Biology, General is the largest program with 189 graduates, followed by Nursing with 110 graduates, Psychology, General with 62 graduates, General Studies with 60 graduates, and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions with 47 graduates.
Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 779 students annually, several deliver solid four-year earnings outcomes aligned with the institution's health-sciences focus. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in health and applied-sciences fields.
Architecture leads with median 4-year earnings of $45,710 for 27 graduates, followed by Nursing with median 4-year earnings of $36,764 for 110 graduates, and Accounting with median 4-year earnings of $31,158 for 25 graduates. General Studies and Biology, General round out the highest-earning programs with median 4-year earnings of $28,523 and $27,205 respectively.
This pattern reflects Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce's concentration in Biological Sciences, where graduates move directly into healthcare and related professional roles with stable labor-market demand. The institution's program portfolio emphasizes fields where four-year earnings reflect direct workforce entry rather than graduate-school pathways.
Health-sciences programs like those listed above position graduates for immediate employment in Puerto Rico's healthcare sector and related industries. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these health-focused program families align with regional and national labor-market demand.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mount Holyoke College Similar quality tier (#26014 ranked) | MA | 36% | $58,418 | #26014 | Compare |
Mid-America Christian University Similar quality tier (#26016 ranked) | OK | 92% | $46,116 | #26016 | Compare |
Iona University Similar quality tier (#26008 ranked) | NY | 87% | $73,595 | #26008 | Compare |
George Fox University Similar quality tier (#26007 ranked) | OR | 94% | $59,761 | #26007 | Compare |
Augustana University Similar quality tier (#26004 ranked) | SD | 68% | $59,217 | #26004 | Compare |
