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# Best Business Administration Programs in North Carolina

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Business Colleges in North Carolina](/rankings/best-business-colleges-in-north-carolina/)

This page ranks the 40 Business Administration and Management programs in North Carolina by the median earnings of Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $135,874 four years after completing, a figure that is $51,525 above the second-ranked program.

Across the listed schools, earnings range from $135,874 to $28,598, with a median of $58,744.

The list includes 15 public and 25 private nonprofit institutions. Elizabeth City State University posts the lowest average net price at $6,364.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 50th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

40 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC | $135,874 | $11,655 | $2,004 | 15.3% |
|  | [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/majors/) reports [median earnings of $135,874](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/outcomes/) for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, and ranks 1st on this list. |
| 2 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC | $84,349 | $17,303 | $6,382 | 41.7% |
|  | [North Carolina State University at Raleigh](/school/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh/majors/) [admits 42% of applicants](/school/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh/admissions/) and posts median earnings of $84,349 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | Queens University of Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $82,572 | $30,857 | $22,792 | 62.1% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Charlotte, Queens University of Charlotte shows median federal debt of $21,500 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed, alongside earnings of $82,572 four years after completing. |
| 4 | University of North Carolina Wilmington · Wilmington, NC | $75,512 | $20,109 | $10,778 | 64.2% |
|  | [University of North Carolina Wilmington](/school/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington/majors/) ranks 4th on this list, with an [average net price of $20,109](/school/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington/cost/) and median earnings of $75,512 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | Belmont Abbey College · Belmont, NC | $70,655 | $24,639 | $20,610 | 74.7% |
|  | Belmont Abbey College reports median earnings of $70,655 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, and carries an average net price of $24,639. |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $70,654 | $15,435 | $10,357 | 79.6% |
|  | [University of North Carolina at Charlotte](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte/majors/) [ranks 98th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Business Administration and Management graduates earn a median of $70,654 four years after completing. |
| 7 | Salem College · Winston-Salem, NC | $68,431 | $18,277 | $19,074 | 76.7% |
|  | Salem College shows median federal debt of $27,000 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed, with median earnings of $68,431 four years after completing. |
| 8 | Wingate University · Wingate, NC | $67,082 | $20,748 | $18,772 | 91.1% |
|  | Wingate University admits 91% of applicants and its Business Administration and Management graduates earn a median of $67,082 four years after completing. |
| 9 | Montreat College · Montreat, NC | $67,034 | $27,061 | $23,261 | 69.2% |
|  | Montreat College reports an average net price of $27,061 and median earnings of $67,034 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | Appalachian State University · Boone, NC | $64,932 | $16,836 | $9,325 | 90.1% |
|  | [Appalachian State University](/school/appalachian-state-university/majors/) ranks 10th on this list, with [median earnings of $64,932](/school/appalachian-state-university/outcomes/) for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing and a cohort of 250 graduates. |
| 11 | East Carolina University · Greenville, NC | $64,723 | $15,739 | $10,046 | 89.2% |
|  | [East Carolina University](/school/east-carolina-university/majors/) shows [median federal debt of $21,750](/school/east-carolina-university/cost/) among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed, and its graduates earn a median of $64,723 four years after completing. |
| 12 | Methodist University · Fayetteville, NC | $63,424 | $24,704 | $20,371 | 75.1% |
|  | Methodist University reports median earnings of $63,424 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, and carries an average net price of $24,704. |
| 13 | Gardner-Webb University · Boiling Springs, NC | $61,489 | $17,674 | $15,304 | 77.2% |
|  | Gardner-Webb University reports median earnings of $61,489 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, with 55 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 14 | Pfeiffer University · Misenheimer, NC | $60,936 | $19,076 | $16,167 | 96.0% |
|  | Pfeiffer University ranks 14th on this list and shows a median federal debt of $21,836 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | North Carolina A & T State University · Greensboro, NC | $60,863 | $10,846 | $8,223 | 49.9% |
|  | A public university in Greensboro, [North Carolina A & T State University](/school/north-carolina-a-t-state-university/majors/) [ranks 141st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/north-carolina-a-t-state-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 16 | Guilford College · Greensboro, NC | $60,858 | $22,270 | $18,367 | 80.0% |
|  | Guilford College posts an average net price of $18,367 for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $60,858 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | Catawba College · Salisbury, NC | $60,718 | $17,879 | $13,618 | 75.2% |
|  | Catawba College ranks 17th on this list and shows median federal debt of $23,250 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed. |
| 18 | University of Mount Olive · Mount Olive, NC | $60,436 | $18,853 | $18,227 | 75.8% |
|  | University of Mount Olive reports median earnings of $60,436 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 92. |
| 19 | Lees-McRae College · Banner Elk, NC | $60,108 | $28,340 | $23,030 | 76.8% |
|  | Lees-McRae College carries an average net price of $28,340 and its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing earn a median of $60,108. |
| 20 | Campbell University · Buies Creek, NC | $59,746 | $24,516 | $20,751 | 87.2% |
|  | Campbell University ranks 20th on this list and carries a median federal debt of $19,000 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed. |
| 21 | Mars Hill University · Mars Hill, NC | $57,743 | $19,910 | $17,021 | 67.9% |
|  | Mars Hill University ranks 1225th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an average net price of $17,021 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 22 | Western Carolina University · Cullowhee, NC | $57,713 | $13,315 | $8,816 | 81.8% |
|  | [Western Carolina University](/school/western-carolina-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $57,713](/school/western-carolina-university/outcomes/) for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 273. |
| 23 | Brevard College · Brevard, NC | $57,660 | $23,509 | $19,294 | 42.2% |
|  | Brevard College admits 42% of applicants and shows a median federal debt of $27,000 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed. |
| 24 | University of North Carolina Asheville · Asheville, NC | $56,479 | $12,250 | $8,219 | 91.9% |
|  | University of North Carolina Asheville posts an average net price of $12,250 and its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing earn a median of $56,479. |
| 25 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro · Greensboro, NC | $56,225 | $10,965 | $7,305 | 88.5% |
|  | With 377 graduates in the earnings cohort, [University of North Carolina at Greensboro](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/majors/) reports [median earnings of $56,225](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/outcomes/) for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing. |
| 26 | William Peace University · Raleigh, NC | $56,173 | $21,649 | $15,779 | 94.3% |
|  | William Peace University ranks 1344th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing earn a median of $56,173. |
| 27 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke · Pembroke, NC | $55,233 | $10,260 | $7,919 | 93.3% |
|  | [University of North Carolina at Pembroke](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-pembroke/majors/) posts [median earnings of $55,233](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-pembroke/outcomes/) for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,260. |
| 28 | Barton College · Wilson, NC | $55,125 | $23,626 | $19,641 | 94.2% |
|  | Barton College shows an average net price of $19,641 for families earning under $30,000, and its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing earn a median of $55,125. |
| 29 | North Carolina Central University · Durham, NC | $54,999 | $15,359 | $13,032 | 87.0% |
|  | [North Carolina Central University](/school/north-carolina-central-university/majors/) ranks 29th on this list and reports a [median federal debt of $28,500](/school/north-carolina-central-university/cost/) among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed. |
| 30 | Chowan University · Murfreesboro, NC | $54,889 | $14,086 | $13,726 | 68.8% |
|  | Chowan University posts median earnings of $54,889 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 69%. |
| 31 | Johnson C Smith University · Charlotte, NC | $51,371 | $20,894 | $19,940 | 45.2% |
|  | Johnson C Smith University reports a median federal debt of $31,742 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $51,371. |
| 32 | North Carolina Wesleyan University · Rocky Mount, NC | $50,983 | $17,432 | $16,114 | 80.2% |
|  | North Carolina Wesleyan University reports median earnings of $50,983 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,432. |
| 33 | Elizabeth City State University · Elizabeth City, NC | $49,903 | $6,364 | $4,246 | 64.2% |
|  | Elizabeth City State University carries an average net price of $6,364 and ranks 566th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 34 | Fayetteville State University · Fayetteville, NC | $48,094 | $7,892 | $6,233 | 82.2% |
|  | [Fayetteville State University](/school/fayetteville-state-university/majors/) ranks 34th on this list, with [median earnings of $48,094](/school/fayetteville-state-university/outcomes/) for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing. |
| 35 | Shaw University · Raleigh, NC | $47,401 | $16,512 | $16,236 | 80.2% |
|  | Shaw University shows an average net price of $16,236 for families earning under $30,000, and its Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed left with a median federal debt of $28,672. |
| 36 | Meredith College · Raleigh, NC | $43,798 | $22,488 | $17,207 | 74.2% |
|  | Meredith College reports median earnings of $43,798 for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 74%. |
| 37 | Winston-Salem State University · Winston-Salem, NC | $43,292 | $13,479 | $11,463 | 78.3% |
|  | [Winston-Salem State University](/school/winston-salem-state-university/majors/), a public university in Winston-Salem, reports [median earnings of $43,292](/school/winston-salem-state-university/outcomes/) for its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing, with 60 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 38 | Livingstone College · Salisbury, NC | $40,328 | $13,479 | $13,860 | 59.3% |
|  | Livingstone College admits 59% of applicants, and median federal debt of $31,500 among Business Administration and Management completers who borrowed. |
| 39 | Bennett College · Greensboro, NC | $31,133 | $28,299 | $27,576 | 50.7% |
|  | Bennett College ranks 795th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing earned a median of $31,133. |
| 40 | Warren Wilson College · Swannanoa, NC | $28,598 | $21,249 | $13,566 | 71.3% |
|  | Warren Wilson College posts an average net price of $21,249, and its Business Administration and Management graduates four years after completing earned a median of $28,598. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Risk Management graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in North Carolina appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 3 of the 40 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost of attendance, or the characteristics of the students a program admits, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and second-ranked North Carolina State University at Raleigh is $51,525, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $107,276.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Colleges in North Carolina](/rankings/best-colleges-in-north-carolina/)
-   [Best Business Colleges in North Carolina](/rankings/best-business-colleges-in-north-carolina/)
-   Accounting Colleges in North Carolina for Social Mobility
-   Accounting Colleges in North Carolina
-   Business Colleges in North Carolina for Social Mobility