Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas at Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus

The numbers here tell two conflicting stories—one about Puerto Rico's teaching market, another about debt burden. At $14,715 in first-year earnings, this program sits squarely at the PR median for subject-specific teacher education, actually placing in the 60th percentile among island programs. The problem isn't performance relative to local alternatives; it's the economic reality of teaching in Puerto Rico, where educator salaries run about two-thirds below mainland figures.

What makes this challenging is the debt load. While $14,000 might sound modest compared to the $26,221 national median, it represents nearly a full year's starting salary—a 0.95 debt-to-earnings ratio that places this program in the 95th percentile nationally for debt burden. Even with 31% earnings growth to $19,265 by year four, graduates face a tougher repayment path than peers at Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo, who start at similar earnings but with potentially less debt. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty to these figures.

For families committed to teaching in Puerto Rico, this program delivers typical outcomes for the island. But with 69% of students receiving Pell grants, the debt burden hits hardest for those least able to manage it. If mainland opportunities are an option post-graduation, the credential won't command mainland salaries. This is less about program quality than about whether a four-year degree makes financial sense for entering Puerto Rico's teaching profession.