Biomedical/Medical Engineering at The Catholic University of America

Biomedical engineering graduates in DC typically earn around $70,000 in their first year, and Catholic University's program appears to track close to this mark based on national patterns, with estimated first-year earnings of $64,660. The jump to $86,489 by year four suggests strong mid-career momentum. With estimated debt around $26,237—slightly above the national median but manageable at a 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio—the financial foundation looks reasonably solid compared to peer programs nationwide.

What's less clear is how Catholic University specifically stacks up against George Washington, the only DC competitor with public data showing $69,942 in first-year earnings. The estimate for Catholic sits about $5,000 below that mark, though whether this reflects an actual gap or simply the limitations of using national averages as a proxy remains uncertain. The school's 84% admission rate and relatively low Pell enrollment (17%) suggest a different student population than the more selective biomedical programs that might pull the national median upward.

For parents, the key question is whether you're comfortable making a significant financial commitment based on estimated rather than school-specific outcomes. The debt burden isn't alarming, and biomedical engineering generally offers solid career prospects. But without verified data on where Catholic University's actual graduates land, you're essentially betting that this program performs at least as well as the national average—a reasonable assumption for an established engineering program, but one that carries more uncertainty than you'd ideally want.