Business Administrationat Carnegie Mellon University
Graduates earn $95,891/yr in their first year — about 104.0% above the national Business Administration average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,063K; scenarios range from $879K to $1,114K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon's business program, housed within a university renowned for its technological and analytical prowess, creates graduates uniquely equipped for high-impact leadership roles. Your education here emphasizes quantitative analysis, strategic operations, and data-driven decision-making, skills highly sought after by top-tier consulting firms, major tech companies, and innovative financial institutions nationwide. This deep analytical foundation explains why graduates consistently secure positions that quickly escalate to significant management responsibilities in areas like product management or strategic operations. You're not just learning business principles; you're learning how to innovate and lead at the intersection of business and technology. To maximize your outcome, actively seek out interdisciplinary projects that blend your business acumen with CMU's strengths in computing or engineering.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Carnegie Mellon University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Business Administration
How Carnegie Mellon University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Carnegie Mellon University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Carnegie Mellon University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Business Administration offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Business Administration trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Business Administration at Carnegie Mellon University
How does Carnegie Mellon University's Business Administration program score?
A score of 77/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Carnegie Mellon University's Business Administration graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Business Administration to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Business Administration careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does Carnegie Mellon University rank so high for Business Administration?
The #52 ranking out of 1,169 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
How affordable is Business Administration at Carnegie Mellon University after financial aid?
Sticker price is $255,316, but the average net cost is $126,684 — a 50% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.