Computer Engineering at Point Loma Nazarene University

A Computer Engineering degree from Point Loma Nazarene will likely cost around $24,666 in debt—right in line with the national median—but the earnings picture relies entirely on what similar California programs produce, not this school's actual track record. Based on those comparable programs, first-year earnings of roughly $76,000 would put graduates slightly below the national median of $79,000 but squarely in the middle for California. That creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33, meaning debt equals about four months of first-year salary.

The challenge here is context. California's top Computer Engineering programs—Cal Poly SLO, Santa Clara, and the UC schools—report first-year earnings between $91,000 and $112,000, significantly higher than what peer programs suggest for Point Loma. Whether that gap reflects differences in recruiting networks, curriculum rigor, or simply program size (Point Loma's cohorts are too small for the DOE to publish outcomes) is impossible to determine from this data.

For parents, the relatively modest debt load offers some protection against downside risk. Even if earnings come in at the lower end of comparable programs, your child should be able to manage the payments. But given the wide range of outcomes across California schools and the absence of Point Loma-specific data, you'll want direct answers from the university: where do their Computer Engineering graduates actually land jobs, and what are they earning? Without that information, you're investing based on what other California programs deliver, not evidence from this particular school.