Accounting at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo

The warning signs here are hard to ignore: accounting graduates earning just $15,925 in their first year places this program in the bottom 10% statewide and the bottom 5% nationally. Even after four years, median earnings reach only $24,130—roughly matching the state median for first-year accounting graduates and less than half the national benchmark. With $18,750 in debt (significantly above Puerto Rico's typical $12,262), graduates face an immediate debt burden that exceeds their entire first-year salary.

Context matters: 76% of students here receive Pell grants, indicating this serves a predominantly low-income population, and Puerto Rico's broader economic challenges mean all island programs show lower earnings than mainland counterparts. Still, other Puerto Rico accounting programs achieve substantially better outcomes—EDP University programs place graduates earning $31,705, nearly double this institution's results. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift with more data, but the gap is too large to dismiss.

For families considering this program, the math is stark: you're taking on above-average debt for below-average Puerto Rico outcomes in a field that typically offers reliable employment. Unless there are compelling geographic or personal reasons to attend this specific campus, the EDP University system or Inter American University-Metro offer accounting degrees with significantly stronger earning potential for similar or lower debt.