Colleges in Puerto Rico: Full List of 31 Schools

Puerto Rico offers many educational opportunities for English- and Spanish-speaking students. Colleges in Puerto Rico charge lower tuition rates than many other schools in the U.S., and some admit 100% of applicants.

Students who attend a university in Puerto Rico can earn a degree from an accredited institution while taking advantage of the island’s relatively low cost of living, which falls well below the national U.S. average.

Recent college graduates can work toward well-paying management jobs in Puerto Rico across a variety of fields, including engineering, advertising, and computer and information systems.

Here are some of the most popular colleges in Puerto Rico you can attend. We chose these based on factors like overall reputation, academic quality, and number of applicants.

We’ve created a complete list of all four-year nonprofit universities in Puerto Rico. You can use the table below to compare data on student population, average net cost, acceptance rate, and number of applicants. Colleges with less than 500 students enrolled were not included.

The following school data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All enrollment data is from 2021, while the data for net price, acceptance rate, and number of applicants is from 2022-2023.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the median monthly rent in Puerto Rico barely exceeded $500 in 2017-2021 — less than half the median rent for the U.S. as a whole during the same time. Puerto Ricans also paid much less for daily essentials than those in the U.S. on average.

The lower cost of living makes researching colleges in Puerto Rico a wise choice if you need to save money on your education, whether you’re based in Puerto Rico already or the broader U.S.

When it comes to jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree, management positions dominate the highest-paying jobs in Puerto Rico, a trend typical in the U.S.

Managers in different fields, like advertising and engineering, can earn an average annual salary of around $100,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That said, you’ll typically need several years of relevant work experience to qualify for these positions and salaries.

Bachelor’s degrees in fields like marketing, communication, business, and computer and information systems can help you get there.

A 2021 report from Excelencia in Education ranks the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras; the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez; and National University College as the top-three bachelor’s degree-granting institutions on the island. Excelencia in Education used U.S. Department of Education and NCES data to make its determinations.

This data also shows that universities in Puerto Rico have improved student outcomes significantly since 1990.

With 120 years of history and an enrollment of more than 11,000 students, the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, ranks highest among all universities in Puerto Rico. Here, you can select from more than 100 degrees, and the school boasts up-to-date facilities and equipment.

The university’s accreditation also means you can transfer credits you earn here to other U.S. schools.

Keep other factors besides prestige in mind when researching Puerto Rico colleges. Another school may offer programs better aligned with your academic needs and career goals.

Colleges in Puerto Rico do not consider U.S. citizens international students. As a result, you do not need any special documentation or permission to apply. In fact, Puerto Ricans hold U.S. citizenship as a result of the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917.

Despite fewer barriers to entry for U.S. citizens, pay close attention to Puerto Rico colleges’ application requirements. You may need Spanish language fluency to qualify for some programs.