Federal data
Highest earning master's public administration programs in Virginia
Virginia public administration programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Mason University | Fairfax | Public, 4-year | $78,076 | 72 |
| 2 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg | Public, 4-year | $74,121 | 30 |
| 3 | Old Dominion University | Norfolk | Public, 4-year | $65,888 | 70 |
| 4 | Liberty University | Lynchburg | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $57,882 | 80 |
| 5 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond | Public, 4-year | $53,777 | 39 |
| 6 | Strayer University | Arlington | For-profit, 4-year | $49,512 | 168 |
| 7 | South University | Virginia Beach | For-profit, 4-year | $45,666 | 33 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.