Engineering at Azusa Pacific University

At an estimated $67,900 in first-year earnings, this engineering program falls substantially short of California's typical outcomes—$20,000 below the state median of $87,700. That's a meaningful gap when most California engineering programs launch graduates toward six-figure salaries within a few years. While the estimated debt of $26,500 isn't catastrophic given the field, comparable programs in California typically carry just $15,000 in loans, suggesting students here may be paying considerably more for considerably less earning power.

The 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio looks reasonable on paper, but context matters: similar programs across the state are delivering both higher earnings and lower debt simultaneously. UC Davis engineering graduates, for instance, earn $83,000 in their first year with less debt burden. For a family investing in an engineering degree at a private Christian university with a 79% admission rate, the estimated return here doesn't match what peer institutions achieve—or what the California engineering job market typically rewards.

If your student is committed to Azusa Pacific's faith-based environment, understand you're likely accepting a financial trade-off. The estimated figures suggest graduates enter the workforce earning about 23% less than their state peers, which compounds over a career. Before committing, verify current outcomes directly with the school and compare financial aid packages against California State University options, where engineering programs routinely outperform these projections at lower cost.