Business/Commerce at George Mason University

Virginia business programs typically produce first-year earnings around $52,000, and George Mason appears positioned right in that range based on peer institutions. With an estimated debt load of $23,624—notably below both the state median ($27,000) and national median ($26,000)—the financial fundamentals look reasonable. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 suggests manageable repayment, with graduates likely able to tackle their loans within a few years of entry-level work.

What makes this harder to assess is that Mason's actual outcomes for this specific bachelor's program aren't publicly available due to small sample sizes. We're working from what similar Virginia business programs produce, which puts Mason alongside Virginia Commonwealth but well below for-profit options like DeVry ($57,020) and Strayer ($55,431). Mason's 89% admission rate and solid SAT average (1247) suggest it serves a broad student population, which could mean outcomes vary more than at highly selective schools.

The relatively low debt estimate is the strongest signal here. Even if actual earnings come in slightly below the $51,669 benchmark, you're not saddling your child with the $27,000-plus debt loads common at other Virginia business schools. For a general business degree where networking and internship access matter as much as the credential itself, Mason's DC-area location could provide advantages the numbers don't capture—but you won't know how this program specifically performs until more graduate data becomes available.