Business Administration, Management and Operations at Mary Baldwin University

Mary Baldwin's Business Administration program leaves graduates earning less than 60% of what business majors make at Virginia's flagship state universities, while the debt burden isn't significantly lower to compensate. At $44,920 in first-year earnings, graduates fall below both the state median ($45,557) and national median ($45,703)—landing in just the 40th percentile among Virginia business programs. The $31,000 debt load, though lower than many schools, still represents 69% of first-year earnings, and the troubling detail is that salaries actually decline to $43,319 by year four.

For a family considering this $31,000 investment, the comparison to Virginia's public options is stark. James Madison University business graduates earn $65,931—nearly 50% more—while Virginia Tech grads make $60,678. Even accounting for Mary Baldwin's 48% Pell Grant population, which suggests the school serves many first-generation and lower-income students, the outcome data shows graduates struggling to gain financial traction. The negative earnings trajectory suggests limited career advancement in those crucial early years when most business majors should be climbing the ladder.

Unless your student has compelling reasons to attend specifically Mary Baldwin—strong family ties to the area, unique support services they need, or a clear path to graduate school—the numbers suggest looking at Virginia's public universities. The modest debt savings don't offset the significant earnings gap, particularly when those earnings are moving in the wrong direction.