Inter American University of Puerto Rico

What Inter American University of Puerto Rico does

Inter American University of Puerto Rico – Ponce Campus (Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico – Recinto de Ponce) is a private, non-profit regional university campus established in August 1962 as an extension of the San Germán campus and now operating at 104 Turpeaux Industrial Park in Mercedita, Puerto Rico. The campus offers more than 200 academic programs spanning technical certificates (InterTec), associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral programs across four academic departments (DIMM1–DIMM4), with specialized schools in Optometry and Law. Healthcare programs include a CCNE-accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a JRCERT-accredited (8-year award) Radiologic Technology program reporting 94.7% nursing graduate employment and 100% radiologic technology placement over multi-year windows.

The institution operates a multi-modal delivery model through the Division de Educación en Línea (DAEL) for online and hybrid courses, the AVANCE program (established 1985) for adult learners with flexible admission and competency-based credit validation, and a CRECE tutoring center for academic support. Its underlying technology stack is composed of standard, vendor-provided educational systems — Ellucian Banner Web for student information, Navigate 360 for retention, and EvaluationKIT for course and faculty evaluation — without any disclosed proprietary AI/ML capabilities. Revenue is generated through per-credit tuition at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, supplemented by federal Title IV financial aid (Pell Grants), GI Bill benefits for veterans, and a continuing education (Educación Continua) catalog with course fees ranging from $25 to $185. The institution is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (reaffirmed June 22, 2023), licensed by the Puerto Rico Board of Postsecondary Institutions, and holds NC-SARA membership for cross-state distance-education reciprocity. Customer segments include traditional undergraduates, adult learners, graduate students, continuing-education professionals, and military veterans/dependents, served through direct-to-consumer recruitment via the institutional website, high school outreach, and community engagement.

Name

Inter American University of Puerto Rico

Legal name

Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico

Website

https://ponce.inter.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Inter American University of Puerto Rico – Ponce Campus is a private, non-profit regional university offering 200+ academic programs (associate through doctoral) plus specialized healthcare tracks in nursing and radiologic technology, serving traditional students, adult learners, and veterans in southern Puerto Rico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Junior Colleges (6112), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD), Undergraduate Teacher Education Colleges (EDAHAFAA), Online Teacher Education Universities (Licensure & M.Ed.) (EDAHALAG), Education & Training (Teaching/Instructional Design) Certifications (EDAAANAM)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Professional licensure programs
• Online distance learning
• Adult continuing education
• Undergraduate graduate degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Mercedita

HQ country

Puerto Rico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition and fees at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Students pay per credit or per program with costs varying by academic level.
2. Federal Student Aid: Participation in Title IV federal student aid programs including Pell Grants and student loans, as well as veterans education benefits under GI Bill programs.
3. Continuing Education Programs: Non-credit professional development courses, workshops, seminars, and certifications offered through the Education Continua program with course fees ranging from $25 to $185.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ponce Campus of Inter American University of Puerto Rico delivers accredited higher education across more than 200 academic options: technical certificates (InterTec), associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, including specialized CCNE-accredited nursing and JRCERT-accredited radiologic technology programs. Education is delivered on-campus in Mercedita, fully online, or hybrid through the DAEL division, supported by adult learner flexibility via AVANCE, IACET-accredited Educación Continua, and the NSF-funded RISE in STEM research experiences.

Product overview

The Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus operates as a comprehensive multi-level educational institution offering a diverse portfolio of programs and services. The core academic offerings span from technical certificates (InterTec) through associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's, and doctoral programs. The institution provides specialized schools including the Nursing Program and Radiologic Technology Program, both with professional accreditations. Student support services include the CRECE tutoring center, the AVANCE program for adult learners with flexible admission options, and a Division de Educación en Línea for distance education. Continuing education through the Educación Continua program offers professional development courses and certifications. Research initiatives such as RISE in STEM complement the academic portfolio. The institution utilizes enterprise systems including Banner Web for student administration and Navigate 360 for retention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AVANCE: Program for Adult Students established since 1985 offering flexible admission, competency validation, and non-traditional study modalities
• InterTec
• CRECE
• DAEL
• RISE in STEM

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) CCNE-accredited baccalaureate nursing program preparing graduates for licensure as professional nurses with clinical practice across diverse healthcare settings; for prospective BSN students at the Ponce Campus.
• Radiologic Technology Program JRCERT-accredited associate degree program training students in radiographic procedures and radiologic technology for healthcare settings, with 90.9% ARRT credentialing pass rate and 100% job placement over 5 years; for prospective radiologic technology students.
• InterTec Technical Certificate Programs Interdisciplinary, multimodal technical and vocational certificate programs designed to strengthen professional and technical skills; for adult learners and prospective technical students.
• Programa AVANCE (Adult Student Services) Adult student services program offering flexible admission requirements, competency-based credit validation, and self-directed learning modalities for non-traditional adult learners aged 21+.
• Programa Graduado (Graduate and Doctoral Programs) Master's, doctoral, post-doctoral, and professional certificate programs across multiple disciplines at the Ponce Campus, including RISE in STEM research opportunities; for prospective graduate students and researchers.
• Educación Continua (Continuing Education) IACET-accredited non-credit professional development courses, workshops, seminars, and certifications in areas such as culinary arts, languages, technology, health, and business leadership; course fees range from $25 to $185.
• DAEL Online Education Programs Distance education division delivering fully online and hybrid academic programs and courses, allowing students to study from anywhere; for students preferring remote or hybrid modalities.
• RISE in STEM Research Program Undergraduate research experience initiative implementing modular course-based research (CUREs) in physics, chemistry, and biology to improve STEM student performance; funded by NSF.

Quantifiable outcome

• 81% nursing program completion rate (2017-2021 cohort)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)coreOthersPrimary institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was June 22, 2023. MSCHE accreditation covers all programs including distance education offered by the institution.
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)coreOthersAccrediting agency for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Ponce Campus. CCNE is a specialized accrediting agency for nursing education at the collegiate level.
• Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)coreOthersAccrediting body for the Radiologic Technology program, currently holding an 8-year accreditation award. JRCERT is the only agency recognized by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) for program accreditation.
• NC-SARAminorOthersMember of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), which facilitates distance education across state lines and provides professional licensure information resources.
• International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)coreOthersAccrediting body for the Continuing Education program. IACET accreditation recognizes quality in continuing education and training programs at the international level.
• Puerto Rico Board of Postsecondary InstitutionscoreOthersState regulatory agency that grants institutional license renewal. All academic programs including online education are authorized by this agency.
• U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsminorOthersState Approving Agency for Veterans Education. Approved to provide education benefits under GI Bill programs to veterans and their dependents.
• Healthcare Clinical AffiliatescoreOthersHospitals and healthcare facilities used for clinical training of nursing and radiologic technology students. Students are assigned to clinical affiliates as part of their professional preparation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Caribbean University: Private non-profit university system in Puerto Rico offering associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees across multiple disciplines including health, business, and education. Overlapping program portfolio and PR-specific market focus.
• Universidad del Sagrado Corazón: Private Catholic non-profit university in Puerto Rico offering undergraduate and graduate programs with strong health sciences and education offerings. Directly comparable as a multi-program private PR university competing for the same regional student pool.
• EDP University of Puerto Rico: Private non-profit university with multiple campuses in Puerto Rico offering associate, bachelor's, and graduate programs in health sciences, business, and technology. Directly comparable program mix and Puerto Rico market focus.
• Universidad Ana G. Méndez (Gurabo Campus): Private non-profit university system in Puerto Rico (formerly Universidad del Turabo) offering associate through doctoral degrees, online programs, and health sciences programs with similar accreditation profile. Competes directly for traditional and adult students in PR.
• National University College: Private, multi-campus institution in Puerto Rico offering associate and bachelor's programs in health sciences, business, technology, and education. Closely comparable in scale, modality (including online), and program mix focused on workforce outcomes.
• Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Ponce: Private, non-profit university headquartered in Ponce, Puerto Rico offering associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs with similar multi-modal (on-campus, online, hybrid) delivery and overlapping health sciences and education programs. Direct competitor in IAUPR's immediate Ponce catchment area.
• University of Puerto Rico at Ponce: Public four-year university located in Ponce offering bachelor's degrees and transfer pathways. Competes head-to-head with IAUPR-Ponce for the same local student population at typically lower tuition due to public funding.

Regional players

• Universidad Adventista de las Antillas: Private faith-based university in Puerto Rico offering associate, bachelor's, and master's programs with similar health sciences and education concentrations. Competes in the same Caribbean territory and Spanish-language market but smaller scale and denominational focus.

Emerging players

• Southern New Hampshire University: Large nonprofit online university with extensive online bachelor's and master's programs including nursing and business. Competitor for IAUPR's DAEL online division targeting non-traditional and Hispanic learners across the mainland US.
• Western Governors University: US-based nonprofit online competency-based university serving adult learners nationwide with bachelor's and master's programs, including nursing and education. Emerging competitor for IAUPR's AVANCE and DAEL online programs targeting adult and non-traditional students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RISE-in-STEM-250145686903514
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inter-american-university-of-pr-ponce-campus

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Inter American University of Puerto Rico