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Many students choose the online MBA program at North Carolina State University for its reputation and flexibility and because “it is focused and tailored towards STEM professionals.” 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 “take a lower or higher load each session” helps them maintain a work-life balance. Professors are also “realistic and accurate with the time a course will consume,” and the administration is “very accommodating.” Students appreciate both the “variety of class options” and the “relevant real-world content.” As one student illustrates, an elective about using AI in enterprise organizations felt topical and “well-researched and very well-taught.” Courses are mainly taught asynchronously, and “professors are available if needed and hold weekly virtual office hours.” Students are impressed by the “world-class instructors,” and as one student remarks, “The standout professors are worth the price of admission alone.” Fellow students are mostly working professionals who are “extremely motivated to succeed” and “bring their experience into the classroom and look to build alliances so everyone benefits.” Students find opportunities to network and support each other. As one student explains, their peers “are remarkably committed to forming study groups, posting questions, [and] answering other’s queries.” 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 “extremely well-organized” and provide “valuable information and networking opportunities.” The program also provides optional opportunities to study abroad. One student described a negotiation class in Paris as “extremely valuable and applicable to the real world,” and another added that studying abroad was “the highlight of my MBA program experience.”

The school offers “great career center support” with staff members who “really care.” Students say the school stands out for its “focus on leadership, advancing your career, and how to establish your professional brand.” One student gives an example, saying that during the residency, students were “offered professional headshots to augment our online presence.” Students also appreciate the school’s support and guidance. As one student describes, “The administration and professors all have made additional effort to get to know me personally and assist me with navigating my career change.” Students also praise the “pragmatic nature of the instruction and its immediate applicability.” As one student says, “I have already been promoted in part due to my participation in the program.” Another student details a similar experience, saying, “The skills I have taken away from school have…allowed 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.” Data from the school supports these examples, with NCSU reporting an average salary of $137,081 for 2023 graduates of the online MBA program.