Graduates of George Mason University earn median earnings of $78,425 four years after enrollment, placing George Mason University in the 86.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $14,112 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing George Mason University in the 91.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks George Mason University #131 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern corresponds to George Mason University's concentration in applied and professional fields. Business is the dominant program family, representing 20% of degree output, with Social Sciences at 8% and Engineering at 5%. Artificial Intelligence combines high enrollment with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #21 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 757 graduates earning median earnings of $110,754 — 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 405 students with median earnings of $62,563, and Azimuth ranks Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods #9 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 371 graduates earning median earnings of $97,049. Criminal Justice and General Studies round out the top programs, with graduates earning median earnings of $69,511 and $61,100 respectively — both drawing on Northern Virginia's deep employer base in technology, government contracting, and professional services.
Graduates of George Mason University earn median earnings of $78,425 four years after enrollment, placing George Mason University in the 86.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $14,112 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing George Mason University in the 91.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks George Mason University #131 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern corresponds to George Mason University's concentration in applied and professional fields. Business is the dominant program family, representing 20% of degree output, with Social Sciences at 8% and Engineering at 5%. Artificial Intelligence combines high enrollment with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #21 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 757 graduates earning median earnings of $110,754 — 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 405 students with median earnings of $62,563, and Azimuth ranks Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods #9 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 371 graduates earning median earnings of $97,049. Criminal Justice and General Studies round out the top programs, with graduates earning median earnings of $69,511 and $61,100 respectively — both drawing on Northern Virginia's deep employer base in technology, government contracting, and professional services.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of George Mason University earn median earnings of $78,425 four years after enrollment, placing George Mason University in the 86.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $14,112 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing George Mason University in the 91.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks George Mason University #131 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern corresponds to George Mason University's concentration in applied and professional fields. Business is the dominant program family, representing 20% of degree output, with Social Sciences at 8% and Engineering at 5%. Artificial Intelligence combines high enrollment with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #21 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 757 graduates earning median earnings of $110,754 — 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 405 students with median earnings of $62,563, and Azimuth ranks Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods #9 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 371 graduates earning median earnings of $97,049. Criminal Justice and General Studies round out the top programs, with graduates earning median earnings of $69,511 and $61,100 respectively — both drawing on Northern Virginia's deep employer base in technology, government contracting, and professional services.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
George Mason University's program mix is anchored in Business, with substantial depth in computing, health, and social science fields. Business accounts for 20% of degree output, followed by Social Sciences at 8% and Engineering at 5%. Across 63 programs serving roughly 6,273 students annually, 50 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad portfolio that reflects the university's role as a large public research institution in Northern Virginia. The highest aggregate return program is Artificial Intelligence, which combines strong enrollment with solid median earnings four years after enrollment. The strongest national ranks cluster in applied and quantitative fields. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #21 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 757 graduates earning $110,754. Azimuth ranks Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods #9 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 371 graduates earning $97,049. Among the largest programs by enrollment, Artificial Intelligence program graduates 757 students with median earnings of $110,754, while The Psychology, General program graduates 405 students with median earnings of $62,563. Several of George Mason University's high-earning programs — particularly Accounting and Nursing — are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, with 371 graduates, and Criminal Justice, with 329 graduates, represent broader applied-professional tracks.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of George Mason University earn median earnings of $78,425 four years after enrollment, placing George Mason University in the 86.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs above the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Graduates earn about $14,112 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing George Mason University in the 91.6 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks George Mason University #131 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern corresponds to George Mason University's concentration in applied and professional fields. Business is the dominant program family, representing 20% of degree output, with Social Sciences at 8% and Engineering at 5%. Artificial Intelligence combines high enrollment with strong pay, making it a key contributor to the university's overall earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #21 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions per the program-ranking methodology, with 757 graduates earning median earnings of $110,754 — 1.2x the national benchmark for the field. The Psychology, General program graduates 405 students with median earnings of $62,563, and Azimuth ranks Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods #9 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 371 graduates earning median earnings of $97,049. Criminal Justice and General Studies round out the top programs, with graduates earning median earnings of $69,511 and $61,100 respectively — both drawing on Northern Virginia's deep employer base in technology, government contracting, and professional services.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories