Business Administration, Management and Operations at Virginia State University

Virginia State University's Business Administration program ranks in the 10th percentile among Virginia schools—meaning 90% of business programs in the state produce better earnings outcomes. Graduates earn just $30,480 in their first year, less than two-thirds of what typical Virginia business majors earn ($45,557 median). Even after four years, earnings reach only $37,409, while many Virginia business programs start above that level. This gap is particularly striking given that Virginia has 43 business programs, including several strong public options like JMU ($65,931) and Virginia Tech ($60,678) with comparable accessibility.

The $27,000 debt load looks reasonable on paper—matching both state and national medians—but that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89 tells a different story. Graduates are borrowing nearly a full year's salary to earn well below market rate. For a highly accessible program (89% admission rate, serving 71% Pell-eligible students), this represents a concerning return on investment when stronger-earning alternatives exist within the state system.

The 23% earnings growth over four years offers some hope for improvement, but the starting point is so low that catching up remains difficult. If your child is considering business in Virginia, this program's outcomes suggest looking at other state schools where first-year earnings alone exceed what VSU graduates earn after four years in the workforce.