Best colleges for Business Administration in North Carolina
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Queens University of Charlotte are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $85,618, College Scorecard. North Carolina State University at Raleigh, University of North Carolina Wilmington and East Carolina University award the most Business Administration degrees in North Carolina: 976, 811 and 728 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 114 North Carolina colleges offer Business Administration and award 14,722 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,618 | 448 | 91% | — | $14,339 |
| 2 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree | $56,877 | 976 | 85% | — | $20,000 |
| 3 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,032 | 131 | 61% | $24,872 | $23,250 |
| 4 | Meredith College Raleigh Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,955 | 47 | 70% | $19,552 | $23,500 |
| 5 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,751 | 96 | 52% | $16,473 | $35,500 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,369 | 811 | 71% | — | $21,500 |
| 7 | William Peace University Raleigh Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,278 | 33 | 45% | $23,108 | $25,000 |
| 8 | Methodist University Fayetteville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,235 | 62 | 44% | $24,551 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Guilford College Greensboro Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,497 | 37 | 46% | $25,345 | $27,000 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,272 | 387 | 69% | — | $22,285 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Piedmont Community College Polkton Public · Certificate | $40,686 | 71 | 38% | — | — |
| 2 | Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown Public · Certificate | $40,215 | 124 | 31% | — | $21,719 |
| 3 | Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem Public · Associate degree | $39,760 | 145 | 34% | — | $13,641 |
| 4 | Vance-Granville Community College Henderson Public · Associate degree | $38,146 | 30 | 53% | — | — |
| 5 | Blue Ridge Community College Flat Rock Public · Associate degree | $37,390 | 94 | 50% | — | — |
| 6 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte Public · Associate degree | $36,962 | 390 | 31% | — | $10,812 |
| 7 | Gaston College Dallas Public · Associate degree | $36,747 | 157 | 63% | — | — |
| 8 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh Public · Certificate | $35,574 | 1,131 | 33% | — | $19,000 |
| 9 | Pitt Community College Winterville Public · Certificate | $35,485 | 332 | 35% | — | $21,463 |
| 10 | Richmond Community College Hamlet Public · Associate degree | $35,246 | 52 | 46% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in North Carolina
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public | 976 | $56,877 |
| 2 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public | 811 | $48,369 |
| 3 | East Carolina University Greenville Public | 728 | $45,497 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke Public | 540 | $36,602 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro Public | 454 | $43,451 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public | 448 | $85,618 |
| 7 | Appalachian State University Boone Public | 419 | $44,126 |
| 8 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public | 387 | $46,272 |
| 9 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee Public | 341 | $39,513 |
| 10 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Public | 318 | $30,944 |
ShowHide the other 104 North Carolina colleges offering Business Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in North Carolina
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in North Carolina.
Which North Carolina colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
North Carolina State University at Raleigh (976 graduates a year), University of North Carolina Wilmington (811 graduates a year) and East Carolina University (728 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 114 North Carolina colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in North Carolina?+
By graduate earnings, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $85,618, College Scorecard. North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Queens University of Charlotte follow. By degrees awarded, North Carolina State University at Raleigh is the largest, with 976 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tops the list at $85,618. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in North Carolina?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in North Carolina is $128,520 (median $101,950), across about 63,740 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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