Civil Engineering at The Catholic University of America

Catholic University's civil engineering graduates start at $77,501—well above the national median of $69,574 and ranking in the 95th percentile nationally. That's impressive performance for a program at a school with an 84% admission rate. The $24,750 median debt translates to a manageable 0.32 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates earn roughly three dollars for every dollar borrowed. Four-year earnings reach $83,146, showing steady if modest growth.

However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few outliers could be skewing these numbers significantly. In DC's limited market of just four civil engineering programs, this ranks only at the 60th percentile—middle of the pack locally despite the strong national showing. The location advantage likely explains part of the strong earnings; Washington's federal infrastructure spending and consulting market create robust demand for civil engineers.

For families comfortable with the uncertainty that comes from limited data, this program shows strong earning potential relative to debt. The first-year salary easily covers loan payments, and the trajectory is positive. Just recognize these numbers could shift considerably as more graduates enter the workforce—small cohorts mean less reliable projections than you'd get from larger programs.