Culinary Arts at NUC University

This culinary arts program at NUC University delivers concerning financial outcomes that should give parents serious pause. With first-year earnings of just $12,403 and four-year earnings of $14,930, graduates earn roughly $7,000 less annually than the national median for culinary programs ($21,718). While the program performs at the 40th percentile within Puerto Rico, this reflects the island's challenging economic landscape rather than program strength—even the top culinary program in PR only reaches $13,563 in median earnings.

The debt picture adds another layer of concern. At $9,500, graduates carry nearly triple the debt of the typical Puerto Rico culinary program ($3,500), though it's below the national median. This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77, meaning graduates owe nearly 80% of their first year's salary. The 20% earnings growth over four years provides some hope, but starting from such a low base means graduates are still earning well below poverty-level wages even after gaining experience.

For families considering this investment, the numbers paint a stark picture: graduates will likely struggle financially for years after completion. Unless your child has exceptional culinary talent and entrepreneurial plans, or you're comfortable subsidizing their career for the foreseeable future, this program represents a poor return on investment. The robust sample size makes these outcomes reliable, not outliers.