upr carolina

What upr carolina does

UPR Carolina (Universidad de Puerto Rico, Carolina) is a public four-year university and one of 11 constituent campuses of the University of Puerto Rico system, located in Carolina, Puerto Rico and founded in 1974. The campus enrolls more than 2,500 students and produces approximately 400 graduates annually, with distinctive academic programs that differentiate it within the UPR system — most notably Hotel Administration (accredited by ACPHA through 2029), Forensic Science, Criminal Justice/Forensic Psychology, and a Mechatronics program launched in February 2024. Recent cumulative outcomes cited by the institution include 174 professional certificates, more than 1,400 total certifications, 37 Forensic Science graduates, and 65 Criminal Justice graduates.

The campus operates a public higher-education business model, drawing revenue from tuition and fees, state appropriation as part of the UPR system, federal financial aid (including a CARES Act allocation of approximately $4.49M), and continuing-education / corporate-training contracts anchored by the Hotel Administration program. Industry partnerships are a defining feature: the EDA-funded hospitality training initiative ties the campus to the San Juan Marriott, Sheraton, and Aloft San Juan, while government collaborations include DTOP (transportation) and PRIOR (robotics), and academic collaborations include CUD and NYU's Faculty Resource Network. Technology infrastructure is conventional for higher education — Moodle as the LMS, Symplicity for career services, and Kuula for virtual campus tours — with no disclosed AI/ML capability. Leadership is anchored by Rector Dr. José Ignacio Meza Pereira.

Name

upr carolina

Legal name

Universidad de Puerto Rico Carolina

Website

https://uprc.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Short description

UPR Carolina is a public constituent campus of the University of Puerto Rico system, serving over 2,500 students in Carolina, Puerto Rico with distinctive programs in Hotel Administration, Forensic Science, Criminal Justice/Forensic Psychology, and Mechatronics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Graduate & Professional School Preparation (EDALABAI), Academic Advising & Degree Planning (EDALABAA)

Keywords

• Public higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Distance learning
• Continuing education
• Hospitality administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Carolina

HQ country

Puerto Rico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

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: Public university education funded primarily through student tuition and mandatory fees for undergraduate and graduate programs
2. Federal Financial Aid (CARES Act): Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) allocations; UPR received $4,491,903 with $2,245,952 required for direct student aid and remaining for institutional infrastructure
3. Continuing Education Programs: Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies (DECEP) offers professional certifications, courses, and training programs for external audiences including hospitality certifications, English courses, and summer camps

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UPR Carolina is a public university that delivers undergraduate degree programs across business, criminal justice, natural sciences, engineering technologies, education, humanities, and design, alongside system-unique bachelor's degrees in Hotel and Restaurant Administration, Forensic Sciences, Criminal Justice with Forensic Psychology, and Mechatronics. It also offers distance/online learning through Moodle and continuing education and professional certification through the Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies (DECEP). Student support services include academic advising, financial aid, medical care, psychological counseling, career placement, and accessibility accommodations.

Product overview

UPR Carolina operates as a comprehensive public university within the University of Puerto Rico system, offering a platform of interconnected educational and administrative services. The core offerings include traditional and online degree programs across disciplines including Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Natural Sciences with Forensic Science concentration, Hospitality Management, Engineering Technologies, and Education. The institutional technology portfolio comprises the UPR Portal for student services, Moodle LMS for distance learning, Symplicity-based career services platform, Kuula-powered virtual campus tours, and integrated enrollment management systems. The university serves over 2,500 students across undergraduate programs, with notable unique offerings in Hospitality Administration and Forensic Sciences within the UPR system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Bachelor's degree programs in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Natural Sciences, Education, Humanities, English, Spanish, Office Systems, Design, and Engineering Technologies, serving traditional undergraduates and transfer students at UPR Carolina.
• Bachelor's in Hotel and Restaurant Administration Bachelor's degree program in hospitality and restaurant administration, unique within the University of Puerto Rico system and reaccredited by ACPHA for 7 years (2022-2029). Targets students pursuing hospitality-management careers.
• Bachelor's in Forensic Sciences Bachelor's degree program in Natural Sciences with a concentration in Forensic Sciences, the only program of its kind in the University of Puerto Rico system. Targeted at students pursuing careers in forensic science and laboratory analysis.
• Bachelor's in Criminal Justice with Forensic Psychology concentration Bachelor's degree program in Criminal Justice with a Forensic Psychology concentration, unique within the UPR system. The 2023 cohort produced 65 graduates in this concentration.
• Bachelor's in Mechatronics (Mecatrónica) Bachelor's degree program in Mechatronics launched in February 2024 as a unique offering within the UPR system, combining mechanical, electronic, and computer engineering concepts for students targeting advanced manufacturing and automation careers.
• Distance and Online Education Programs Online and remote academic programs and courses delivered through the Moodle Learning Management System, including undergraduate-level online programs and courses offered fully at a distance.
• Continuing Education and Professional Studies (DECEP) Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies (DECEP) offering professional certifications, courses, and training programs for external audiences, including hospitality certifications (ServSafe, Farm-to-Table), English conversational courses, and summer camps.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37 graduates in Forensic Science program (2023) - only program of its kind in the UPR system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Centro Unido de Detallistas (CUD)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborative agreement to foster entrepreneurial culture among youth and provide continuing education to CUD members.
• Discover Puerto RicominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Agreement to promote careers in tourism and hospitality sector, leveraging UPR Carolina's hotel school expertise.
• San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris CasinocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Hotel conglomerate partnered with UPR Carolina and EDA to provide hospitality training to employees of Aloft San Juan and Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino. 174 certificates awarded through this program.
• Puerto Rico Institute of Robotics (PRIOR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023PRIOR organizes the Technology Challenge robotics competition. UPR Carolina serves as venue host for one of Puerto Rico's largest robotics competitions, cultivating student interest in STEAM careers.
• DTOP (Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to offer learning permit (Real ID) exams at UPR Carolina campus, providing accessible and free testing for students and community under the 'Impacto Universitario 2023' initiative.
• Aloft San JuancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Hotel property receiving employee training through UPR Carolina's hospitality program funded by EDA. 174 certificates awarded to associates.
• Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & CasinocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Hotel property receiving employee training through UPR Carolina's hospitality program funded by EDA. 174 certificates awarded to associates.
• Faculty Resource Network - NYUminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Academic partnership network connecting UPR Carolina faculty with NYU resources and professional development opportunities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Río Piedras (UPR Río Piedras): Flagship campus of the UPR system, the largest and most established public university in Puerto Rico offering a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs; broader incumbent sharing the same public-system governance model.
• Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Mayagüez (UPR Mayagüez): STEM-focused UPR campus and land-grant institution with a wider portfolio of engineering and science programs; broader incumbent within the same UPR system that competes for technical-minded students.

Direct peers

• Universidad Ana G. Méndez: Private university system with multiple campuses across Puerto Rico (Cupey, Bayamón, Gurabo, Ponce) offering associate, bachelor's, and graduate degrees; directly comparable in mission, scale, and student demographics to UPR Carolina.
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico: Private non-profit university with campuses in Ponce and Mayagüez offering undergraduate and graduate programs including business and professional credentials; competes with UPR Carolina for Puerto Rico students seeking accredited degree options.
• Universidad de Puerto Rico en Bayamón (UPR Bayamón): Sister campus within the UPR system focused on associate and bachelor's programs in technology, business, and sciences; the closest institutional peer given shared governance, funding model, and student profile.
• Universidad del Sagrado Corazón: Private Catholic university in San Juan offering undergraduate and graduate programs; comparable in size, metropolitan market, and program mix including business and communications.
• Universidad del Turabo (Universidad Ana G. Méndez - Gurabo campus): Main campus of the Ana G. Méndez system offering a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs; competes directly with UPR Carolina for students in eastern Puerto Rico including the Carolina-San Juan metropolitan area.
• Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico (Inter American University of Puerto Rico): Largest private university system in Puerto Rico with multiple campuses offering undergraduate and graduate programs; competes directly with UPR Carolina for in-state students seeking accessible higher education and professional credentials in the same metropolitan market.

Regional players

• University of the Virgin Islands: Public university serving the US Virgin Islands with similar scale and mission; geographic peer in the broader Caribbean higher-education ecosystem and a potential partner for UPR Carolina's hospitality expansion into St. Thomas.
• Universidad Carlos Albizu: Private university in Puerto Rico specializing in psychology, business, and education programs; serves a similar regional student base with comparable professional-degree offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UPRCA_Informa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUQaOonXsEtQn_0Mzd9wU5g
• Facebookfacebook.com/uprcarolinainforma
• Instagraminstagram.com/uprcarolinainforma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about upr carolina