Research brief & institution hub

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico

PRMedium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #153 nationally

Data snapshot September 27, 2026Updated October 1, 2026

Azimuth ranks Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico #153 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions.

Who it’s a good fit for

The strongest case for Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico rests on access. Mobility outcomes are the least favorable dimension for Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico, and Pell Grant recipients face particular challenges.

The strong access figure alone does not capture the experience of a student who arrives with a Pell Grant.

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico at a glance

Admissions and outcomes

Admission rate^[1]: Not reported
Six-year completion^[2]: 28.1%
Four-year earnings^[3]: $69,903

Cost and family borrowing

Average annual net price · $48–75K family income^[6]: $19,884
Median student debt^[4]: $22,564
Median Parent PLUS debt^[7]: $9,461

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico rankings: how Azimuth assesses value^[5]

3,594 undergraduates attend Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico, a private nonprofit university in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, the university sits near the top of the composite ranking (90th percentile).

The first-year retention rate measures the share of full-time first-year students who return for a second year. That rate is 78.3%, below the 83.4% median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

The six-year graduation rate counts only students who started full time and finished within six years. For this cohort, 28.1% complete within that window, against a peer median of 68.8%.

At Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico, the four sit far apart. Access is the strongest (97th percentile), while mobility is the weakest (13th percentile).

Return and affordability fall between them (91st and 69th percentiles, respectively).

The four Azimuth pillars sit far apart at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico. Access is the strongest, at the 97th percentile, while mobility is the weakest, at the 13th percentile.

Return is in the 91st percentile and affordability in the 69th percentile. The spread between the strongest and weakest pillars is wide, with access and mobility at opposite ends of the profile.

62.2% of undergraduates at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico #42 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks the university #1,283 for mobility. Graduates earn about $30,766 more than expects for similar students.

How value-added outcomes are assessed · How to interpret program rankings

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico rankings in context
Geography	Rank
National	#153

Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group.

National pillar percentiles

Economic mobility: National percentile: 13

Access & reach: National percentile: 97

Affordability: National percentile: 69

Return on investment: National percentile: 91

01 / Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico briefing

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico cost & financial aid^[6]^[7]

The published cost of attendance at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico is $23,368. Tuition and fees are $9,870 and room and board are $11,085.

After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients is $17,540. That is $9,831 below the peer median of $27,371 for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Aid reduces the published cost by $5,828 on average for aid recipients. Azimuth ranks the university #435 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The published cost of attendance is $23,368. Azimuth ranks Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico #435 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $16,406, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $19,884, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $22,588. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $6,182.

Aid covers about 25% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The across all aid recipients is $17,540, which is $9,831 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $22,564 in federal student loans. That is $1,635 below the $24,199 peer median.

62.6% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow through Parent PLUS hold a separate median of $9,461.

The median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month if repaid over ten years.

Your family income

Choose a household income range to see estimated net price.

Reported average annual net price · $48–75K$19,884

After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ.

Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary.

Borrowing and repayment at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico

Completing borrowers at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico leave with a median of $22,564 in federal student debt. That figure covers federal-loan borrowers who finished a degree and excludes Parent PLUS and private loans.

62.6% of federal aid recipients take out a federal loan. The peer median is the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size).

For this group it is $24,199, and the university's median is $1,635 below. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $9,461.

Graduates of Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico earn about $30,766 more than the model expects for similar students. That result falls in the 99th percentile.

At the four-year mark, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled show a median of $69,903, in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That amount sits $1,653 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Borrowers who complete hold a median of $22,564 in federal loans, a level $1,635 below the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month.

For the separate population of parent borrowers, median Parent PLUS borrowing is $9,461. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month if repaid over ten years.

How Financial GPS measures payment burden · The four risk-and-reward zones

Financial GPS

What does repayment look like?

Institution median student debt: $22,564
Institution Parent PLUS debt: $9,461

Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.

Estimated student payment · monthly: $256/mo
Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly: $120/mo

Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s.

Payment assumptions

Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates.

Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS

Read the full cost & aid brief

02 / Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico briefing

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico career outcomes & earnings^[3]^[8]^[9]

Graduates earn about $30,766 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that sits in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That gap is the headline of the return pillar, which Azimuth ranks in the 91st percentile.

Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $69,903. That figure lands in the 76th percentile.

The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $68,250, placing the university $1,653 above it. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,940.

The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $23,826. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $11,884.

Federally aided graduates of Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $69,903 four years after completion. The figure reflects 54 federally aided completers in that population.

The median sits in the 76th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $30,766 more than the model expects for similar students.

That gap ranks at the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The typical earnings scenario lands at $69,903.

Based on the program mix, an estimated 24.3% of graduates continue to graduate study.

Graduates of Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $69,903 four years after completion, placing them at the 76th percentile. The median sits $1,653 above the $68,250 figure for comparable institutions (same type and size).

Azimuth ranks the university #138 on return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $30,766 more than the model expects for similar students.

Earnings beyond expectations measure the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for students with similar backgrounds. That outcome falls in the 99th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,940. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $23,826.

Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $11,884. The program mix is concentrated in engineering and related technical fields.

An estimated 24.3% of graduates continue on to graduate study, based on the program mix.

These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. Two years after completion, Electrical Engineering graduates earn a median of $40,467, the highest among the university's programs.

Mechanical Engineering follows at $33,993 two years after completion, and Industrial Engineering at $25,194 two years after completion. The spread between the top and bottom of the program list is substantial.

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico lists a published cost of attendance of $23,368. Aid recipients in the lowest income band pay $16,406 on average after grants and scholarships, while those in the highest band pay $22,588.

The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $6,182. The median federal debt for borrowers who finish is $22,564, which is $1,635 below the $24,199 median at comparable institutions (same type and size).

If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $256 a month. Separate from student loans, the median for Parent PLUS borrowers is $9,461. Graduates earn about $30,766 more than the model expects for similar students.

What explains value-added earnings?

Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.: +$6,940
Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.: +$23,826
Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.: +$30,766

These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.

Read the full outcomes brief

Read the full admissions brief

04 / Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico briefing

What are the largest majors at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico?^[12]

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico is an engineering school. Electrical Engineering leads two years after completion at $40,467, with 64 degrees awarded.

Mechanical Engineering, the largest program at 80 degrees, follows two years after completion at $33,993. The spread between the highest- and lowest-earning programs among the largest five is wide.

Business Administration and Management is the lowest-earning program among the largest five, with $21,508 two years after completion and 18 degrees awarded. Industrial Engineering and Civil Engineering fall in between, at $25,194 and $24,615 two years after completion respectively.

The program mix is concentrated: Engineering accounts for 83.3% of degrees awarded, and 81.8% of bachelor's degrees are in STEM fields. A student considering the university is choosing among engineering and technical programs almost entirely, and the earnings variation within that set is worth weighing against the specific field.

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico is an engineering school by design. Engineering accounts for 83.3% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Computer & Information Sciences a distant second at 7.8%.

Mechanical Engineering is the largest single program at 80 degrees a year. Two years after completion, its graduates earn a median of $33,993.

The highest-earning program is Electrical Engineering, at $40,467 two years after completion, from 64 degrees awarded. Across all fields, 6 programs have published earnings data.

Read the full majors brief

Data scope & methodology

Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026Governed hub narrative September 30, 2026Governed spoke corpus September 30, 2026

Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection.

Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them.

Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects.

Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.

Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations · About College Azimuth

Read the analysis behind value-added earnings and the change to four-year graduate earnings. These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com.

Data notes & source fields

Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation; notes with a different source link it below.

Admission rate. Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability.
Source fields: ADM_RATE
Six-year completion. First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree.
Source fields: C150_4
Four-year institutional earnings. Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion.
Source fields: MD_EARN_WNE_4YR
Median federal student debt. Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students.
Source fields: GRAD_DEBT_MDN
National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks. Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ.
Source fields: Azimuth rankings
College Azimuth · Ranking methodology
Annual net price by family income. Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers.
Source fields: NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV
Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration. Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations.
Source fields: PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations
College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology
Downside and upside earnings; yellow band. The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median.
Source fields: Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios
College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology
Value added and its components. Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality.
Source fields: Azimuth statistical model
College Azimuth · Value-added methodology
SAT score range and reported midpoint. Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range.
Source fields: SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG
First-year retention. Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions.
Source fields: RET_FT4
Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots. Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity.
Source fields: EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE
College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation
Pell recipients. Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year.
Source fields: PCTPELL
Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group. This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns.
Source fields: 1 − PFTFTUG1_EF
Peer earnings and signed differences. Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure.
Source fields: Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR
College Azimuth · Comparison methodology

How to interpret program rankings