The Best Schools in Puerto Rico of 2023

Puerto Rico is home to nearly 60 four-year public and private, not-for-profit colleges and universities that award bachelor’s degrees. So, if you’re looking to go to college in Puerto Rico, you’ll have plenty of institutions to choose from. 

In this BrokeScholar study, we focused on identifying the best schools in Puerto Rico. In order to do this, we analyzed every four-year public and four-year private, not-for-profit college and university in Puerto Rico that awards bachelor’s degrees (at a minimum). The methodology for determining the best schools in Puerto Rico is based on a combination of factors, including graduation rate, admission rate, number of bachelor’s degrees awarded, and other key factors. All data was sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). 

Read on to find out the best schools in Puerto Rico of 2023.

The Best Schools in Puerto Rico

The best colleges in Puerto Rico tend to combine solid academic records and educational programs, with generally high graduation rates, as well as competitive rates of admissions. The result of this study is a mix of private, not-for-profit, and public universities and colleges, though it is the public institutions that dominated the top of the list of the best schools in Puerto Rico. 

With the exception of the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, the other 14 best schools in Puerto Rico offer a wide range of academic programs, which is a good thing, but it can also make choosing a major very tough with so many interesting paths to pursue. Let’s take a deeper dive into the top 15 best schools in Puerto Rico.

1. Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Bachelor's degree
• Postbaccalaureate certificate
• Master's degree

Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico is home to over 30 unique university music programs in Puerto Rico. The most popular bachelor’s degree program is in Jazz/Jazz Studies, with 15 bachelor’s degrees being awarded in the 2020-2021 academic year. The second most popular bachelor’s degree program is in Music Teacher Education, with 11 bachelor’s degrees being conferred. The graduation rate at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico is 54%, the highest rate out of the top 15 best schools in Puerto Rico. It also has a competitive admission rate of 51%.

With a total student population of approximately 346 students, the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico still manages to have one of the most robust series of academic programs for such a small school. Some of the fascinating programs students can pursue at the Conservatory include:

• Bachelor of Music in Performance with concentration in Singing
• Bachelor of Music in Performance with a concentration in Composition
• Bachelor of Music in Performance with concentration in Guitar
• Bachelor of Music in Performance with concentration in Piano
• Bachelor of Music in Performance with concentration in Orchestral Instruments
• Bachelor of Music in Music Education
• Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance and Caribbean Music
• Master's Degree in Performing Music with a specialty in Singing
• Master of Music in Performance with a specialty in Guitar
• Master of Music in Performance with a specialty in Piano
• Master's Degree in Music in Performance with a specialty in Orchestral Instruments

According to NCES data, the estimated cost of tuition and required fees per academic year is $3,370. This, of course, can vary depending on changes in fees charged and what degree you’re pursuing.

2. University of Puerto Rico-Carolina

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree

The University of Puerto Rico-Carolina is one of the most selective schools in Puerto Rico, with an admission rate of only 45%. Its graduation rate of 48% is also among the highest of the 57 colleges in Puerto Rico analyzed in our study. The University of Puerto Rico-Carolina offers degrees on the associate-level and bachelor-level.

The most popular bachelor’s degree program is Forensic Psychology, with 125 degrees conferred in the 2020-2021 academic year. This is followed by Hotel/Motel Administration/Management, with 93 degrees awarded in the same academic year. And the third most popular bachelor’s degree program is in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration, with 90 bachelor’s degrees conferred in the academic year. According to NCES data, the cost of tuition and required fees is approximately $7,410, which makes it one of the most expensive colleges in our study of the best schools in Puerto Rico.

3. University of Puerto Rico-Humacao

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree

University of Puerto Rico-Humacao boasts impressive graduation rates and competitive admission rates. Its graduation rate for the 2021-2022 academic year was 51%, behind only the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico’s graduation rate. Its admission rate of 50% is also far more selective than most of the 57 colleges in Puerto Rico analyzed in our study.

The University of Puerto Rico-Humacao offers a broad selection of academic programs and departments. The most popular bachelor’s degree program is in Accounting, which conferred 64 degrees in the 2020-2021 academic year. Biological and Biomedical Sciences is another crucial area of study at the University of Puerto Rico-Humacao, with 59 bachelor’s degrees awarded for studies in Microbiology, General, and 58 bachelor’s degrees awarded for studies in Biology/Biological Sciences, General. Based on NCES data, the cost of tuition and required fees is an estimated $4,980 per academic year, which is actually more affordable than most of the best schools in Puerto Rico.

4. University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Bachelor's degree
• Postbaccalaureate certificate
• Master's degree
• Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
• Doctor's degree - professional practice

The University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is the largest of the colleges to make our list of the best schools in Puerto Rico. It has an estimated undergraduate population of over 10,000 students, and more than 13,000 students in total. Despite its size, the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras maintains an impressively high graduation rate of 50% and a comparatively selective admission rate of 50%. 

Its size likely contributes to the university’s robust academic program, which awards degrees ranging from the bachelor’s level up to doctoral degrees in research and scholarship as well as professional practice. The University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras includes several faculties and schools, including:

• School of Architecture
• Law School
• Graduate School of Planning
• Faculty of Business Administration
• Faculty of Social Sciences
• Faculty of Natural Sciences
• Faculty of Communication and Information
• Education Faculty
• Faculty of General Studies
• Faculty of Humanities

With an estimated cost of tuition and fees of $4,940 per academic year, according to NCES data, the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras is slightly cheaper than the average cost of college among the top 10 best schools in Puerto Rico (the average being $5,176).

5. University of Puerto Rico-Cayey

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Bachelor's degree

Considering the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey only awards bachelor’s degrees, it makes sense that its entire student population is made up of undergraduates, roughly 2,559 of them. With an admission rate of 48%, the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey is definitely on the more competitive end of the spectrum when it comes to applicants getting accepted. Its graduation rate of 47% is also better than most of the 57 colleges in Puerto Rico analyzed in our study.

Though the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey only awards bachelor’s degrees, it still maintains a vast array of academic departments and schools. These include:

• The Department of Business Administration, offering programs that lead to a bachelor's degree in General Business Administration, with concentrations in various fields available.
• The Biology Department, which provides courses that lead students to attain a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology.
• The Natural Sciences Program, which combines a curriculum in natural sciences and mathematics to provide graduates with the skills they need to perform successfully on the personal level, professional level, and in their graduate studies.
• The Department of Social Sciences
• The Hispanic Studies Program
• The Department of Humanities
• The English Department
• The Mathematics and Physics Department
• Teacher Preparation Program
• The Department of Chemistry
• The Honors Studies Program

With an estimated cost of tuition and fees of $4,790 per academic year, according to NCES data, the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey is also a bit more affordable than the average cost of tuition for the top 10 best schools in Puerto Rico.

6. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Doctor's degree - research/scholarship

The University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez has a smaller total student population — roughly 12,126 students — than the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, but its undergraduate population is larger than the latter, at roughly 11,246 undergraduates. Though one of the larger colleges among the top 10 best schools in Puerto Rico, the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez still manages to have a very selective acceptance rate of 49%. With degrees available from the bachelor’s level up to the doctoral level, the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is certainly a major player when it comes to the best colleges in Puerto Rico. 

The University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is comprised of four main colleges, including:

• College of Business Administration
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Agricultural Sciences
• College of Engineering

And each one of these subsidiary colleges offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Mechanical Engineering was the most popular bachelor’s degree program of the 2020-2021 academic year, with 185 degrees conferred that year. Bachelor’s degrees in Biology/Biological Sciences, General, was the second most popular, with 158 degrees awarded. And the third most popular bachelor’s degree program was in  Animal Sciences, General, with 117 degrees awarded.

7. University of Puerto Rico at Ponce

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree

The University of Puerto Rico at Ponce awards degrees on the associate’s level and the bachelor’s level. Among the top 10 best schools in Puerto Rico, its admission rate of 49% makes it one of the more competitive colleges to get into. And its graduation rate of 46% is better than more than half of the 57 colleges in Puerto Rico analyzed in this study. 

The University of Puerto Rico at Ponce boasts a wide range of academic programs and departments. These include:

• The Department of Business Administration and Computer Science
• The Department of Biology
• The Department of Social Sciences
• The Department of Education and Physical Education
• The Department of Spanish
• The Department of Allied Health Studies
• The Department of Humanities
• The Department of Engineering Technologies
• The Department of English
• The Department of Mathematics
• The Department of Chemistry and Physics
• The Department of Administration of Office Systems and Technology

The most popular bachelor’s degree program is in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other, with 91 degrees conferred in this field in the 2020-2021 academic year; 55 were awarded in Forensic Psychology; and 54 were awarded in Psychology, Other. According to NCES data, the cost of tuition and required fees is an estimated $4,970 per academic year.

8. University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo

4-year, public institution

Types of degrees:

• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree

The University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo also only awards degrees on the associate’s and bachelor’s level. But that doesn’t mean this school doesn’t offer an impressive range of academic programs for students to pursue. The university’s admission rate of 56% is the highest acceptance rate among the top 10 best schools in Puerto Rico, but it is still more selective than the majority of the 57 colleges in the study. 

The University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo offers 14 four-year programs leading to a bachelor's degree. These include: 

• Accounting
• Management
• Finance
• Marketing
• Microbiology
• Computer Science
• Iberoamerican Studies
• Organizational Industrial Psychology
• Tele-Radio Communication Technology
• Elementary Education
• Physical Education for Elementary Level
• Nursing Sciences
• Management of Information Technologies and Administrative Processes
• Technology in Industrial Chemical Processes

Plus, several of these bachelor’s degree programs include minor concentrations and emphasis areas for students to tailor their degree as they see fit. With an estimated cost of tuition and fees of $4,940 per academic year, according to NCES data, the University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo is just around the average in terms of affordability.

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

• One but less than two years certificate
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Postbaccalaureate certificate
• Master's degree
• Post-master's certificate
• Doctor's degree - research/scholarship

The Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German is another one of the best schools in Puerto Rico that offers academic programs that span the full range of degrees, from less-than-two-years-certificates, all the way up to doctoral degrees for research and scholarship.

On the bachelor’s level, the most popular degree program is in Biology/Biological Sciences, General, with 122 degrees conferred in the 2020-2021 academic year; 61 bachelor’s degrees were awarded in Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse programs; and 28 bachelor’s degrees were awarded in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management. In terms of doctoral degrees, a big area of study at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German is in Education, with seven doctoral degrees conferred in Curriculum and Instruction in the 2020-2021 academic year, six doctoral degrees were awarded in Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Other; and another four doctoral degrees were awarded in Educational Leadership and Administration, General.

The admission rate at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German is 55%, which is on the higher end among the top 10 best schools in Puerto Rico, but still far more selective than the majority of the 57 colleges in our study. One factor that kept the Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German from ranking higher than No. 9 was its cost of tuition and fees. According to NCES data, the cost is an estimated $5,292 per academic year, which is higher than the average tuition for the top 10 best schools in Puerto Rico.

10. EDP University of Puerto Rico Inc-San Juan

4-year, private not-for-profit institution

Types of degrees:

• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Postbaccalaureate certificate
• Master's degree

Although EDP University of Puerto Rico Inc-San Juan is primarily a college for pursuing an associate’s degree, the school offers levels of degrees from associate’s up to a master’s. While its graduation rate is on the lower side (25%), it still maintains a very selective admission rate of 43%. What’s more, EDP University of Puerto Rico Inc-San Juan offers a very wide range of fields of study for its students. The university is comprised of several underlying schools, including:

• School of Nursing
• School of Management
• School of Science and Health
• School of Technology
• School of Criminal Justice

There’s also its Graduate School, which offers professional certificates in Information Security and Digital Fraud Investigation; Project Management; Relational Database Administration; and Audit In Information Systems. In terms of associate’s degrees, the most popular program is Nursing Science, which conferred 259 degrees in the 2020-2021 academic year. One of the main factors, though, that kept EDP University of Puerto Rico Inc-San Juan from ranking higher is its slightly pricier cost of tuition and required fees, which is an estimated $6,200 per academic year, according to NCES data.