Economics at University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras

This Economics bachelor's has an unusual earnings trajectory that demands attention. While comparable programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $52,000, the reported fourth-year figure drops to $32,000—a concerning reversal that's hard to explain. This could reflect graduates leaving Puerto Rico's economy, students pursuing graduate school, or something specific about the local market that parents need to understand before committing.

The estimated debt of $21,650 looks manageable against that initial $52,000 benchmark, with a 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio that would typically signal reasonable financial risk. But that fourth-year earnings drop changes the calculus entirely. If the lower figure represents the more realistic long-term picture, you're looking at debt that equals two-thirds of annual income—a much tighter squeeze that could delay other financial milestones.

The challenge here is that with 65% of students receiving Pell grants and both earnings and debt figures estimated from national data, you're working with considerable uncertainty about what this specific program delivers. The fourth-year earnings are the only actual data point for this program, and it's the troubling one. Before your child enrolls, find out directly from the school what explains that earnings pattern and where recent graduates are actually working four years out.