Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods at University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla

The $10,256 first-year salary here is shockingly low—less than half the Puerto Rico median for education programs ($20,494) and just one-quarter of the national benchmark. Even accounting for Puerto Rico's different economic context, this program ranks in the 10th percentile statewide, meaning 90% of teaching programs in PR deliver substantially better outcomes. The top programs in Puerto Rico show that education graduates can earn $20,000-$29,000 in their first year, nearly triple what we see here.

The debt burden is relatively manageable at $7,250, but that doesn't offset the fundamental problem: these earnings suggest graduates are working part-time, in substitute positions, or struggling to find teaching jobs at all. A 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio looks reasonable mathematically, but only because both numbers are extremely low. For context, the program serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population (82%), yet delivers outcomes that fall far behind comparable institutions serving similar students.

The sample size warning matters here—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, this could reflect unusual circumstances rather than typical outcomes. However, even treating these numbers as preliminary, they raise serious red flags. If you're considering this program, demand updated placement data and compare carefully against the stronger Puerto Rico alternatives listed above, which demonstrate that teacher education can lead to viable careers even within the island's economy.