North Carolina State University - Poole College of Management

Many students choose the online MBA program at North Carolina State University for its reputation and flexibility and because 鈥渋t is focused and tailored towards STEM professionals.鈥� The school offers an Accelerated Path that allows students to graduate in 21 months and a Flexible Path that gives students up to six years to complete the program. Students choosing the Flexible Path say the ability to 鈥渢ake a lower or higher load each session鈥� helps them maintain a work-life balance. Professors are also 鈥渞ealistic and accurate with the time a course will consume,鈥� and the administration is 鈥渧ery accommodating.鈥� Students appreciate both the 鈥渧ariety of class options鈥� and the 鈥渞elevant real-world content.鈥� As one student illustrates, an elective about using AI in enterprise organizations felt topical and 鈥渨ell-researched and very well-taught.鈥� Courses are mainly taught asynchronously, and 鈥減rofessors are available if needed and hold weekly virtual office hours.鈥� Students are impressed by the 鈥渨orld-class instructors,鈥� and as one student remarks, 鈥淭he standout professors are worth the price of admission alone.鈥� Fellow students are mostly working professionals who are 鈥渆xtremely motivated to succeed鈥� and 鈥渂ring their experience into the classroom and look to build alliances so everyone benefits.鈥� Students find opportunities to network and support each other. As one student explains, their peers 鈥渁re remarkably committed to forming study groups, posting questions, [and] answering other鈥檚 queries.鈥� In addition, online students get a chance to meet face-to-face, as the program requires attending two three-day residencies in Raleigh. Students say the residencies are 鈥渆xtremely well-organized鈥� and provide 鈥渧aluable information and networking opportunities.鈥� The program also provides optional opportunities to study abroad. One student described a negotiation class in Paris as 鈥渆xtremely valuable and applicable to the real world,鈥� and another added that studying abroad was 鈥渢he highlight of my MBA program experience.鈥�

The school offers 鈥済reat career center support鈥� with staff members who 鈥渞eally care.鈥� Students say the school stands out for its 鈥渇ocus on leadership, advancing your career, and how to establish your professional brand.鈥� One student gives an example, saying that during the residency, students were 鈥渙ffered professional headshots to augment our online presence.鈥� Students also appreciate the school鈥檚 support and guidance. As one student describes, 鈥淭he administration and professors all have made additional effort to get to know me personally and assist me with navigating my career change.鈥� Students also praise the 鈥減ragmatic nature of the instruction and its immediate applicability.鈥� As one student says, 鈥淚 have already been promoted in part due to my participation in the program.鈥� Another student details a similar experience, saying, 鈥淭he skills I have taken away from school have鈥llowed me to advance my career in two separate instances over my MBA program, thus almost doubling my salary from start to finish and tripling my total compensation.鈥� Data from the school supports these examples, with NCSU reporting an average salary of $137,081 for 2023 graduates of the online MBA program.