How much do Business Administration, Management and Operations bachelor's degree graduates from American University earn?

The reported median is $88,359 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $24,697.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 29% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Business Administration, Management and Operations bachelor's degree at American University

Washington, DC · Private nonprofit

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above similar programs.

$20,102 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 28.0% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: $63,398 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: +25% · Positive payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price+$253,590

$18,000Annual price+$181,590

$36,000Annual price+$109,590

$42,000Current college-wide context+$85,590

$54,000Annual price+$37,590

$72,000Annual price−$34,410

$90,000Annual price−$106,410

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+53%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$58,299 → $88,921

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

28Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

136Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

160Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

$61,311Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

9Recent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

465Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

84Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

200Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

339Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

4.2%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 15 non-completers

166Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$88,359$53,551 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 86 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$41,943

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$24,697

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$88,359

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$262/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$41,943Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$76,058Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE62.0%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE75.5%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$58,299Year 1

$88,359Year 4

$88,921Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

3.6% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$7,363

Estimated loan payment$262

160borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$88,359 vs. $68,257

$20,102 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Business Teachers, Postsecondary$128,370 median wageDC estimate · 630 jobs · 25-1011$81,170–$172,370 middle 50% of DC wages+5.9% projected U.S. growth · 7,600 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeManagers, All Other$175,720 median wageDC estimate · 18,570 jobs · 11-9199$156,730–$195,190 middle 50% of DC wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeGeneral and Operations Managers$168,000 median wageDC estimate · 36,150 jobs · 11-1021$127,110–$204,890 middle 50% of DC wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 285,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMedical and Health Services Managers$155,140 median wageDC estimate · 2,010 jobs · 11-9111$122,820–$189,950 middle 50% of DC wages+24.2% projected U.S. growth · 62,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAdministrative Services Managers$128,610 median wageDC estimate · 1,030 jobs · 11-3012$94,140–$173,180 middle 50% of DC wages+5.2% projected U.S. growth · 22,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeIndustrial Production Managers$124,420 median wageDC estimate · 50 jobs · 11-3051$107,990–$165,860 middle 50% of DC wages+2.6% projected U.S. growth · 17,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNatural Sciences Managers$156,730 median wageDC estimate · 1,540 jobs · 11-9121$126,730–$185,220 middle 50% of DC wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$132,180 median wageDC estimate · 610 jobs · 11-3071$105,750–$189,950 middle 50% of DC wages+6.1% projected U.S. growth · 18,300 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFacilities Managers$115,770 median wageDC estimate · 930 jobs · 11-3013$86,970–$144,990 middle 50% of DC wages+4.6% projected U.S. growth · 14,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeProject Management Specialists$104,900 median wageDC estimate · 5,170 jobs · 13-1082$79,340–$143,440 middle 50% of DC wages+6.7% projected U.S. growth · 76,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeLogisticians$104,770 median wageDC estimate · 1,350 jobs · 13-1081$76,720–$134,140 middle 50% of DC wages+17.6% projected U.S. growth · 26,600 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFirst-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$79,200 median wageDC estimate · 4,080 jobs · 43-1011$62,480–$101,770 middle 50% of DC wages+0.1% projected U.S. growth · 127,400 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalent

Possible alternatives