District of Columbia · Business Administration

Best colleges for Business Administration in District of Columbia

Ranked by graduate earnings

Georgetown University, Howard University and American University are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in District of Columbia by graduate earnings. Georgetown University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $77,479, College Scorecard. Georgetown University, George Washington University and American University award the most Business Administration degrees in District of Columbia: 399, 361 and 243 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 12 District of Columbia colleges offer Business Administration and award 2,210 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…

Institutions
12
offering CIP 52.02
States & territories
58
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,210
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$57,490
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,242
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
53%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · General and Operations Managers
$179,130
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Georgetown University
Washington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$77,47939995%$22,242$16,422
2Howard University
Washington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$64,23110570%$48,194$25,000
3American University
Washington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$58,29924375%$30,225$24,697
4The Catholic University of America
Washington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$57,49017179%$27,724$26,000
5University of the District of Columbia
Washington Public · Bachelor's degree
$35,8946733%—$32,500
6Trinity Washington University
Washington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$33,7414249%$14,841$33,093
7Gallaudet University
Washington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$29,0032647%$14,382$24,000

Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in District of Columbia

Top 9 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Georgetown University
Washington Private not-for-profit
399$77,479
2George Washington University
Washington Private not-for-profit
361Not reported
3American University
Washington Private not-for-profit
243$58,299
4The Catholic University of America
Washington Private not-for-profit
171$57,490
5Howard University
Washington Private not-for-profit
105$64,231
6University of the Potomac-Washington DC Campus
Washington Private for-profit
69Not reported
7University of the District of Columbia
Washington Public
67$35,894
8Trinity Washington University
Washington Private not-for-profit
42$33,741
9Gallaudet University
Washington Private not-for-profit
26$29,003
Show the other 3 District of Columbia colleges offering Business Administration
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Strayer University - Global Region (Online)WashingtonPrivate for-profit713
Strayer University - District of Columbia (Online)WashingtonPrivate for-profit8
The Chicago School at Washington DC (Graduate only)WashingtonPrivate not-for-profit6

Career outlook

What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~308,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$102,950
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What General and Operations Managers earn in District of Columbia

Jobs in District of Columbia
36,150
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$179,130
median $168,000
Best-paying metro
$163,620
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Related careers

Business Operations Specialists, All Other
$118,300 avg · 37,790 jobs
General and Operations Managers
$179,130 avg · 36,150 jobs
Management Analysts
$130,350 avg · 19,000 jobs
Financial Managers
$210,420 avg · 8,930 jobs
Human Resources Specialists
$116,020 avg · 6,910 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in District of Columbia.

Which District of Columbia colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+

Georgetown University (399 graduates a year), George Washington University (361 graduates a year) and American University (243 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in District of Columbia, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 12 District of Columbia colleges offer Business Administration.

What is the best college for Business Administration in District of Columbia?+

By graduate earnings, Georgetown University leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in District of Columbia, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $77,479, College Scorecard. Howard University and American University follow. By degrees awarded, Georgetown University is the largest, with 399 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Business Administration program in District of Columbia has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Georgetown University tops the list at $77,479. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do General and Operations Managers earn in District of Columbia?+

The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in District of Columbia is $179,130 (median $168,000), across about 36,150 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+

The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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