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Business · Business Administration Rank #129 of 1169

Business Administrationat Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Graduates earn $60,678/yr in their first year — about 29.0% above the national Business Administration average. Base-case 10-year earnings $638K; scenarios range from $568K to $651K depending on AI disruption.

Blacksburg, VA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
74 STRONG
75
Optimistic
68
Pessimistic
Earnings
$60,678
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$638K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
52% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Virginia Tech

At $60,678 per year, Business Administration graduates from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University significantly outpace the $46,892 national average for this major, reflecting strong employer demand for this program's graduates.

With a 10.3x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 13% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Business Administration career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

The median debt load of $22,017 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks #129 among 1,169 Business Administration programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.

A 30% earnings increase from $60,678 to $78,729 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$568K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple9.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$638K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple10.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$651K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple10.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Virginia Tech's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Business Administration graduates typically work

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.

1
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Computer and information systems managers
+15.2% 10-yr growth · 55,600 openings/yr
$171,200/yr
High
3
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
4
Financial managers
+14.8% 10-yr growth · 74,600 openings/yr
$161,700/yr
High
5
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
6
Compensation and benefits managers
+0.2% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$140,360/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Business Administration

How Virginia Tech stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Manhattan College
NY · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$114K
1-yr earn
4.5x
ROI
Top score
Bismarck State College
ND · Public
89
DW Score
$101K
1-yr earn
61.8x
ROI
Maine Maritime Academy
ME · Public
73
DW Score
$99K
1-yr earn
15.7x
ROI
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
77
DW Score
$96K
1-yr earn
5.2x
ROI
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
86
DW Score
$94K
1-yr earn
19.4x
ROI
Also at Virginia Tech

Other top programs at Virginia Tech

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Virginia Tech, 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Business Administration at Virginia Tech

What does a 74/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Business Administration at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?

At 74/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Business Administration at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?

The 47% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

Is Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University one of the best schools for Business Administration?

Among 1,169 Business Administration programs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's #129 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.