Best colleges for Business Administration in Virginia
Ranked by graduate earnings
Washington and Lee University, William & Mary and University of Richmond are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Virginia by graduate earnings. Washington and Lee University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $76,627, College Scorecard. Liberty University, William & Mary and University of Virginia award the most Business Administration degrees in Virginia: 4,106, 519 and 508 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 68 Virginia colleges offer Business Administration and award 12,429 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…
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington and Lee University Lexington Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,627 | 91 | 94% | $11,983 | — |
| 2 | William & Mary Williamsburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,038 | 519 | 89% | — | $19,812 |
| 3 | University of Richmond University of Richmond Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,151 | 277 | 85% | $24,049 | $20,500 |
| 4 | James Madison University Harrisonburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,931 | 218 | 80% | — | $19,750 |
| 5 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $60,678 | 433 | 86% | — | $22,535 |
| 6 | Averett University Danville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $60,150 | 69 | 48% | $23,171 | $31,271 |
| 7 | George Mason University Fairfax Public · Bachelor's degree | $55,147 | 166 | 68% | — | $23,471 |
| 8 | Christopher Newport University Newport News Public · Bachelor's degree | $54,432 | 137 | 72% | — | $24,250 |
| 9 | Liberty University Lynchburg Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $49,772 | 4,106 | 65% | $28,911 | $29,166 |
| 10 | Longwood University Farmville Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,213 | 417 | 61% | — | $25,000 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piedmont Virginia Community College Charlottesville Public · Associate degree | $42,474 | 49 | 39% | — | $11,852 |
| 2 | Virginia Peninsula Community College Hampton Public · Associate degree | $42,039 | 93 | 34% | — | $12,000 |
| 3 | Blue Ridge Community College Weyers Cave Public · Certificate | $40,750 | 63 | 40% | — | $11,500 |
| 4 | Germanna Community College Locust Grove Public · Associate degree | $40,612 | 60 | 46% | — | — |
| 5 | Virginia Western Community College Roanoke Public · Associate degree | $38,214 | 78 | 40% | — | $9,350 |
| 6 | Tidewater Community College Norfolk Public · Associate degree | $35,919 | 280 | 32% | — | $11,950 |
| 7 | Brightpoint Community College Chester Public · Associate degree | $35,785 | 113 | 38% | — | $9,250 |
| 8 | American National University Salem Private for-profit · Associate degree | $33,642 | 63 | 33% | $20,666 | $31,285 |
| 9 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community College Richmond Public · Associate degree | $32,111 | 197 | 32% | — | $10,500 |
| 10 | Northern Virginia Community College Annandale Public · Associate degree | $30,503 | 986 | 33% | — | $10,319 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Virginia
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liberty University Lynchburg Private not-for-profit | 4,106 | $49,772 |
| 2 | William & Mary Williamsburg Public | 519 | $75,038 |
| 3 | University of Virginia Charlottesville Public | 508 | Not reported |
| 4 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg Public | 433 | $60,678 |
| 5 | Longwood University Farmville Public | 417 | $49,213 |
| 6 | Virginia University of Lynchburg Lynchburg Private not-for-profit | 397 | Not reported |
| 7 | University of Richmond University of Richmond Private not-for-profit | 277 | $68,151 |
| 8 | Old Dominion University Norfolk Public | 260 | $46,680 |
| 9 | ECPI University Virginia Beach Private for-profit | 233 | $43,435 |
| 10 | University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg Public | 220 | $47,315 |
ShowHide the other 58 Virginia colleges offering Business Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Virginia
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Virginia.
Which Virginia colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
Liberty University (4,106 graduates a year), William & Mary (519 graduates a year) and University of Virginia (508 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Virginia, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 68 Virginia colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Virginia?+
By graduate earnings, Washington and Lee University leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Virginia, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $76,627, College Scorecard. William & Mary and University of Richmond follow. By degrees awarded, Liberty University is the largest, with 4,106 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Virginia has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Washington and Lee University tops the list at $76,627. 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 Virginia?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Virginia is $141,370 (median $122,080), across about 103,590 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.
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