Civil Engineering at Caribbean University-Ponce

Four years out, graduates from this program earn $40,869—roughly in line with the $41,324 median for Puerto Rico civil engineering programs. The first-year figure of $69,574 comes from national benchmarks and likely overstates what most Caribbean University-Ponce graduates actually earn early in their careers, given the substantial gap we see by year four. That discrepancy matters when evaluating the estimated $27,000 debt load.

With three-quarters of students receiving Pell grants, most families here are financing this degree through loans. The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 looks manageable on paper, but it assumes that inflated first-year number. Against the actual fourth-year earnings, debt begins to represent a more significant portion of income—though still far below the concerning threshold of 1.0. The median debt for similar Puerto Rico engineering programs sits at just $9,053, suggesting Caribbean University students may be borrowing considerably more than peers at other island institutions.

The program delivers earnings comparable to UPR-Mayaguez at year four, which is encouraging. However, parents should recognize they're relying heavily on estimated figures here and potentially taking on roughly triple the debt of comparable programs in Puerto Rico. Request actual placement and earnings data directly from the school before committing.