10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$52,070at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
George Mason University
⌖ Fairfax, VA · 100 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$52,070 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
8.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
+21%Modeled 10-year ROI
$75,373Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$17,915Average net price / year
$28,604Cost of attendance
$75,373Median earnings · year 5 after completion
67.8%Completion rate
87.5%Admission rate
27,752Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$55,366Year 1
$78,425Year 4
$75,373Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications · Master's Degree$167,3632Computer Software and Media Applications · Master's Degree$162,6913Computer Engineering · Master's Degree$158,0294Homeland Security · Master's Degree$154,1585Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Doctoral Degree$148,1716Homeland Security · Bachelor's Degree$143,9727Computer and Information Sciences, General · Master's Degree$142,6908Law · First Professional Degree$135,661Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in VA
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Lexington, VA
Virginia Military Institute
- Annual net price
- $17,113
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $79,378
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +38%
William & Mary
- Annual net price
- $19,096
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $71,273
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +2%
James Madison University
- Annual net price
- $23,322
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $69,066
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -12%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Annual net price
- $24,953
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $80,730
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +28%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | Master's Degree | $167,363 | Not available |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | $162,691 | Not available |
| Computer Engineering | Master's Degree | $158,029 | Not available |
| Homeland Security | Master's Degree | $154,158 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $148,171 | Not available |
| Homeland Security | Bachelor's Degree | $143,972 | $21,741 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's Degree | $142,690 | Not available |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $135,661 | Not available |
| Systems Engineering | Master's Degree | $135,210 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $134,691 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Doctoral Degree | $128,100 | Not available |
| Real Estate | Master's Degree | $124,978 | Not available |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $124,416 | Not available |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | Master's Degree | $123,627 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $119,531 | Not available |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $117,942 | $26,697 |
| Systems Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $114,815 | $21,000 |
| Geography and Cartography | Master's Degree | $114,744 | Not available |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Master's Degree | $114,727 | Not available |
| Economics | Master's Degree | $111,251 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $110,754 | $23,250 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $110,482 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $109,911 | Not available |
| Education, General | Doctoral Degree | $105,869 | Not available |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $103,586 | Not available |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $103,074 | $26,725 |
| Psychology, General | Master's Degree | $102,945 | Not available |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $100,692 | Not available |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Master's Degree | $100,525 | Not available |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Master's Degree | $99,147 | Not available |
| Public Policy Analysis | Master's Degree | $97,926 | Not available |
| Economics | Doctoral Degree | $97,632 | Not available |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $97,049 | $18,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $96,467 | $25,000 |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | $96,138 | Not available |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $93,856 | $23,812 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $93,533 | $23,625 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Master's Degree | $93,214 | Not available |
| Security Science and Technology | Master's Degree | $92,064 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $91,132 | $21,500 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $89,888 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $89,878 | $22,750 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $88,870 | Not available |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $88,080 | $21,500 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $87,548 | $21,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $85,224 | $23,471 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $84,541 | Not available |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $83,248 | Not available |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | Master's Degree | $80,990 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $77,681 | $24,250 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $77,519 | $24,000 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $75,619 | Not available |
| Geography and Cartography | Bachelor's Degree | $74,692 | $22,000 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $74,125 | $22,000 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | Bachelor's Degree | $72,271 | $25,000 |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $72,192 | Not available |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $70,044 | Not available |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $69,511 | $20,761 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $69,399 | $23,000 |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $69,210 | $21,233 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $68,546 | $23,750 |
| Public Administration | Bachelor's Degree | $67,973 | $20,106 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Master's Degree | $67,126 | Not available |
| Special Education and Teaching | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $66,463 | Not available |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Master's Degree | $66,400 | Not available |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Master's Degree | $65,713 | Not available |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $65,472 | Not available |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $65,358 | $22,000 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $64,603 | $20,514 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $64,301 | $21,625 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $64,046 | $25,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $63,672 | $25,033 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $63,423 | Not available |
| Security Science and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $63,182 | $25,747 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $62,727 | $24,722 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Master's Degree | $62,682 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $62,563 | $21,000 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $62,383 | $23,250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $61,859 | Not available |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $61,565 | $24,300 |
| Sustainability Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $61,216 | $25,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $61,100 | $24,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $60,874 | $23,021 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's Degree | $59,979 | $24,250 |
| History | Master's Degree | $59,751 | Not available |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $59,024 | $28,092 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $58,931 | $21,850 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $56,071 | $22,502 |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $55,715 | $24,188 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | Bachelor's Degree | $54,703 | $25,620 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $53,441 | Not available |
| Music | Master's Degree | $53,431 | Not available |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $51,168 | $24,625 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $50,086 | $25,000 |
| Graphic Communications | Bachelor's Degree | $47,440 | $23,000 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $46,765 | $24,048 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $45,656 | $27,000 |
| Dance | Bachelor's Degree | $36,901 | $25,975 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $27,000 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,937 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.