Business/Commerce at The Catholic University of America

Catholic University's business program appears to hold its ground in DC's competitive market, with estimated first-year earnings around $55,400 based on comparable programs in the district. That figure—if it holds for this school's graduates—would roughly match the DC median and sit well above the $47,500 national benchmark for business bachelor's degrees. The estimated $27,000 debt load translates to a manageable 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe roughly half their first-year salary.

The challenge here is uncertainty. With both earnings and debt figures estimated from peer institutions rather than actual outcomes for Catholic's business students, you're making an investment decision with limited program-specific information. The relatively small graduate sample that triggered this data suppression could reflect either a boutique program with personalized attention or simply low enrollment. What we can say is that other DC business programs span a wide range, with debt loads reaching as high as $56,500 at some institutions—making the estimated borrowing here look reasonable by comparison.

For anxious parents, the practical question is whether you're comfortable betting on estimates. If your child is drawn to Catholic for reasons beyond the business program itself—campus culture, location advantages in DC, specific faculty—the projected financial picture doesn't raise red flags. But if the business degree is the primary draw, you'd want concrete outcomes data or a clear understanding of how this program differentiates itself from competitors with more transparent track records.