Best Business Programs in North Carolina for 2027

We rank business programs in North Carolina in five lists, covering five fields and 44 programs analyzed, with 30 schools making at least one list. Accounting is the deepest field, with 12 ranked programs, all at the associate's level. The price gap is the widest story here: in-state tuition among the ranked undergraduate programs runs from $1,000 at Western Carolina University to $66,470 at Wake Forest University, $65,470 a year apart. 20 of the 30 schools charge in-state students under $10,000 a year.

Appalachian State University appears in four of the five rankings, more than any other school in North Carolina. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill holds the top spot in business administration and healthcare administration. Pay runs below the national figure: 63,740 general and operations managers in North Carolina earn a median of $101,950 (BLS, May 2025), $3,820 less than the national median; the operations manager salary guide compares every state. Related pay guides: accountant salary, financial analyst salary, and healthcare administrator salary.

Among the business programs in North Carolina, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill enrolls the most students: 32,438. The top graduation rate belongs to Wake Forest University, at 89%. North Carolina A & T State University admits 50% of applicants, the lowest rate among these schools. For distance study, look at Gaston College, Isothermal Community College and 17 more.