Criminal Justice and Corrections at Caribbean University-Vega Baja

The earnings data here is stark: graduates earn just $15,127 in their first year—less than minimum wage for full-time work in many contexts—and even after four years, median earnings only reach $25,723. This places the program in the 5th percentile nationally, a troubling figure by any measure. However, context matters: this actually ranks at the 40th percentile among Puerto Rico's 22 criminal justice programs, where the statewide median first-year earnings sit at $15,914. The island's unique labor market dynamics mean that while these numbers look alarming compared to the mainland U.S., they're roughly in line with local expectations for this field.

The debt picture offers a silver lining. At $13,500, graduates carry about half the national median debt for criminal justice programs, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89 is manageable compared to many alternatives. The 70% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests careers do develop over time, though you're still far below what criminal justice graduates earn elsewhere in Puerto Rico—top programs like NUC University show first-year earnings of $22,882.

The bottom line: if your child plans to work in Puerto Rico's criminal justice system and wants to minimize debt, this program keeps borrowing reasonable. But they should understand that earnings will lag significantly behind peers at other Puerto Rican institutions, and the small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked) means these figures might not represent the typical graduate experience.