Business School

Business School at James Madison University

Public university ยท Harrisonburg, Virginia

  • AACSB accredited
  • MBA
  • Online MBA

James Madison University is a public university with graduate business programs in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Those programs run through the College of Business. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The business school holds AACSB accreditation - one of 13 of the 18 schools in MBA Lab's Virginia directory that do. It is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States, and it covers the school as a whole rather than any one program - a floor, not a ranking. More on accreditation.

Federal reporting puts graduate enrollment at 1,767 students, alongside 20,888 undergraduates. Total enrollment is not MBA cohort size - ask the admissions office how many students are in the specific program you're considering, which is usually a far smaller number and the one that shapes your experience.

Based on MBA Lab's directory data, the school offers a graduate MBA path and an online MBA format for remote or working students. Format availability changes; confirm the current lineup with the school before planning around it.

It is the only school in Harrisonburg in this directory - the other 17 business school options in Virginia are elsewhere in the state, so weigh travel time against fit before ruling them out.

What to ask James Madison University

These questions are picked from what MBA Lab's data already says about this school, so they're the ones most likely to surface a real difference between it and the next school on your list.

  • Residency and tuition tier. As a public institution, James Madison University may price in-state and out-of-state students differently, and some programs charge a flat rate regardless. Ask which tier you'd fall into and whether it changes after a year of residency.
  • What "online" means here. Ask whether classes are live at set times or self-paced, whether any on-campus residencies are required, and whether online students get the same career services, clubs, and recruiting access as on-campus students. These answers vary widely between schools that use the same word.
  • Where the degree is administered. Programs run through the College of Business may have their own admissions timeline, aid pool, and career office, separate from the university's central graduate school. Confirm which office owns your application.
  • Ask for the school's own outcome numbers. The federal figures on this page cover business master's graduates who took federal aid, pooled across several years. The school's employment report will be narrower and more current - ask for it by program and by graduating class, not a blended average.

At a glance

InstitutionJames Madison University
Business schoolCollege of Business
Controlpublic
LocationHarrisonburg, Virginia
Campus settingSmall city
Carnegie classDoctoral university, high research activity (R2)
MBA formats listed MBA Online MBA
Graduate enrollment1,767
Undergraduate enrollment20,888
Business accreditation AACSB — view listing
Institutional accreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Official site Visit website
Net price calculator Estimate your cost
Federal data College Scorecard profile

School names, locations, and program formats are curated by MBA Lab and reviewed periodically (last data update: August 2026). Enrollment, accreditation, links, and any outcome figures come from U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Always verify formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. How this data works.

Programs at James Madison University

Details below come from James Madison University's own program pages, not from a ranking service or an aggregator. Each card links to the page it was read from and the date it was last checked, so you can confirm anything before you plan around it.

MBA

Online MBA
  • Delivery Hybrid
What that price isJMU's MBA is not a single online product - it consists of three distinct hybrid tracks with different per-credit rates: Executive Leadership ($1,100/credit, 28 months, Tysons Corner Saturdays), Information Security ($1,000/credit, 28 months, same format), and Innovation ($700/credit, 21 months, Harrisonburg evenings). Whether "Online MBA" is still the right category for this school may be worth revisiting.
On lengthOne MBA with three concentrations that differ in length and schedule. Innovation: 48 credits, 21 months, in-person evening sessions every three weeks in Harrisonburg plus online coursework. Executive Leadership and Information Security: 42-48 credits, 28 months, mostly online with occasional in-person Saturday sessions in Tysons Corner.

3 concentrations

  • Executive Leadership
  • Information Security
  • Innovation

Reported outcomes

Median earnings, 1 year out $110,442 Median of 52 graduates working one year after completion +27% vs. the $87,219 median across MBA Lab's directory
Median earnings, 4 years out $150,316 Median of 49 graduates working four years after completion +36% against the 1-year figure - two separate cohorts measured at different times, not one group's career path
Median federal graduate debt $24,750 Median across 29 borrowers entering repayment About 0.22x the 1-year earnings median. Federal loans only - private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings aren't counted

Among the 15 schools in MBA Lab's Virginia business schools directory that report a figure, James Madison University ranks 4th by one-year earnings. Schools that report nothing are left out of that count rather than counted as zero.

What these numbers are. Figures cover graduates of master's-level programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations (CIP 52.02) who received federal financial aid. At some institutions that group includes business master's degrees other than the MBA, and it never includes graduates who took no federal aid - so these are a directional signal about a school's business master's programs, not an MBA salary report. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Check James Madison University's Scorecard profile. Full methodology.

Want to see what these figures could mean for your own timeline? Try the free MBA ROI calculator, prefilled with James Madison University's context.

Compare with other schools in Virginia

School City AACSB Formats listed Earnings, 1 yr out
James Madison University This page Harrisonburg Yes MBA, Online MBA $110,442
Liberty University Lynchburg — MBA, Online MBA $71,483
University of Virginia Charlottesville Yes MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA $189,494
Virginia Tech Blacksburg Yes MBA, Part-Time MBA $119,423
William & Mary Williamsburg Yes MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA, Part-Time MBA $98,269
George Mason University Fairfax Yes MBA, Online MBA, Part-Time MBA $112,723
Hampton University Hampton — MBA, Online MBA $80,981
Longwood University Farmville Yes MBA, Online MBA Not reported
Marymount University Arlington — MBA, Part-Time MBA $94,027

"Not reported" means College Scorecard publishes no figure for that school - usually too few federally-aided graduates to release without identifying them. It is not a low number, and these schools are excluded from every average on this page rather than counted as zero. A dash under AACSB means the school isn't on AACSB's accredited list; it may hold ACBSP or IACBE accreditation instead, which this directory doesn't track.

This school in other directories

Frequently asked questions

What MBA formats does James Madison University offer?

MBA Lab's directory lists an online MBA at James Madison University, alongside the core MBA. Formats change - confirm the current lineup on the school's official site.

How long is the MBA at James Madison University, and when does it meet?

The MBA is delivered in a hybrid format. One MBA with three concentrations that differ in length and schedule. Innovation: 48 credits, 21 months, in-person evening sessions every three weeks in Harrisonburg plus online coursework. Executive Leadership and Information Security: 42-48 credits, 28 months, mostly online with occasional in-person Saturday sessions in Tysons Corner.

What do graduates of James Madison University's business master's programs earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of $110,442 one year after completion for graduates of master's-level Business Administration programs at James Madison University who received federal financial aid. Four years out the reported median is $150,316. That group can include business master's degrees other than the MBA, and excludes graduates who took no federal aid, so treat it as a directional signal rather than an MBA salary figure.

How much debt do students take on at James Madison University?

The reported median federal graduate debt is $24,750 for business master's graduates at James Madison University. Against the reported one-year earnings median, that is about 0.22x a year of earnings. Federal loans are only part of the cost picture - it excludes private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings.

Is James Madison University's business school AACSB-accredited?

Yes - James Madison University appears on AACSB's list of accredited institutions. AACSB, founded in 1916, is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States (the others are ACBSP and IACBE). Accreditation covers the school, not any individual program, so treat it as a quality floor rather than a ranking.

Is James Madison University a public or private institution?

James Madison University is a public university, and MBA Lab lists its graduate business programs in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How do I compare James Madison University with other schools in Virginia?

MBA Lab lists 18 schools in its Virginia business schools directory. Use a consistent rubric across them: curriculum, recruiting outcomes, format fit, cost after aid, and location constraints.

Where should I verify program details?

Always confirm formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. MBA Lab is a planning directory, not an admissions authority, and does not endorse specific schools.

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