Criminal Justice and Corrections at Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus

A certificate program with earnings plummeting from $48,000 in year one to $15,000 by year four demands scrutiny—and unfortunately, the estimates here can't explain what's happening. The first-year figure comes from national peer programs, which typically place graduates around $48,000, while the four-year number is actual reported data from this school. That steep drop is alarming, whether it reflects graduates leaving the field, economic conditions in Puerto Rico, or employment disruptions unique to this program.

Context matters: criminal justice programs in Puerto Rico show dramatically different outcomes than mainland counterparts. The one comparable program in Puerto Rico with reported data shows median earnings of just $11,565—far below the national benchmark. That suggests the initial $48,000 estimate, borrowed from national programs, may not reflect Puerto Rican realities at all. The estimated debt of $14,860 might seem manageable against a $48,000 salary, but it's crushing against the $15,000 fourth-year figure actually observed here.

For a campus serving 70% Pell-eligible students, this raises serious questions about return on investment. Without knowing why earnings collapse so dramatically, or whether that first-year estimate even applies to graduates staying in Puerto Rico, it's impossible to call this a sound investment. You need actual employment outcomes for this specific program before committing to it.