Finance and Financial Management Services at The Catholic University of America

Catholic University's finance graduates start at $64,618—solidly above the national median but trailing DC's powerhouse programs. Here's what matters: while this lands in the 87th percentile nationally, it's only 25th percentile for DC, where Georgetown and American University dominate the market. First-year earnings fall roughly $20,000 short of what Georgetown grads command, though the gap with American is more modest at $19,000.

The program's strength lies in its trajectory rather than its starting point. Earnings jump 36% to $87,663 by year four, eventually surpassing what Georgetown grads earned initially. The $24,620 debt load translates to a manageable 0.38 ratio against first-year earnings—higher than DC's typical $19,959 but reasonable given that earnings growth. For families paying full price at Catholic versus competing schools, this matters: you're not paying Georgetown tuition but you're also not getting Georgetown starting salaries.

The calculation here depends on what you're comparing against. For a national finance program, these outcomes look strong. For a DC program competing against schools with direct pipelines to major financial institutions, it's middle-of-the-pack. If your child is choosing between Catholic and a regional state school, the national ranking tells the story. If they're weighing Catholic against Georgetown or American with similar financial aid packages, understand you're trading lower starting salary for solid growth potential.