BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University has a reputation for excellence in business education — and the proof is in the acclaim. For 2024–25, App State has been recognized among the best schools in the nation and across the world for its business bachelor's and master's programs, offered through the Walker College of Business.
The university’s Master of Business Administration program, Master of Science in applied data analytics and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration programs have received accolades from The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report, CEO Magazine, Forbes magazine and Fortune magazine, all of which recognized the high quality of the programs and their return on investment for graduates.
The accolades:
- “Best Online MBA Programs” and “Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs” for 2024 — U.S. News & World Report
- “The Best Business Schools” for 2024 — The Princeton Review
- “2024 Global MBA Rankings”— CEO Magazine
- “Best Master’s in Data Science for 2024” — Fortune magazine
- “Best Online Business Management Degrees of 2024” — Forbes magazine
App State business students take part in the Walker College of Business’ fall 2022 Connections career fair, held in the Holmes Convocation Center at the university’s Boone campus. During this annual event, undergraduate and graduate business students are given the opportunity to network with representatives from a variety of employers to learn about full- and part-time careers, as well as internship opportunities. Photo by Chase Reynolds
“These honors are direct reflections of the hard work and achievements of our entire Walker College of Business community — faculty, staff, students and alumni,” said Walker College Dean Sandra Vannoy. “Our dedicated faculty members apply their expertise and innovative teaching methods, both inside and outside the classroom, to prepare our graduates to excel as leaders in the business world.”
App State’s MBA program — available full and part time at the Boone campus, as well as through App State Online — offers flexible class options so that students can shape their educational experience to both fit their lifestyle and meet their personal and professional goals. Students receive individualized attention through dedicated career services and academic advising, as well as soft skills and professional development.
App State’s annual Cyber Summit, organized by the Walker College of Business, features presentations from leaders in cybersecurity and explores the most current industry trends. All event proceeds fund scholarships for students in the college’s Department of Computer Information Systems. This photo shows attendees at the 2022 Cyber Summit. Photo by Chase Reynolds
The 36-hour M.S. in applied data analytics program provides students with the technical skills to work with data — and to do so within a business context. Graduates of the program understand and can apply data analytics concepts, techniques and tools to promote effective organizational decision-making and problem-solving.
App State Online’s BSBA degree programs in management and supply chain management offer students the flexibility to complete their degrees on their own schedules — full or part time. App State also offers the BSBA in management and BSBA in supply chain management at its Boone and Hickory campuses.
Read on to learn more about the 2024–25 accolades.
High-ranking bachelor’s and master’s programs in business — U.S. News
As part of its “2024 Best Online Programs” rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized App State’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs as being among the best in the nation.
The university placed within the top 20% of schools included in the publication’s “Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs” rankings list. App State has held the distinction of being one of the nation’s best schools for undergraduate business education programs for four consecutive years.
Additionally, App State’s internationally recognized online MBA program was ranked within the top 18% of schools named in U.S. News’ “Best Online MBA Programs” rankings list, advancing 44 positions over its 2023 ranking.
Factors considered in this year’s U.S. News rankings included student engagement, services and technologies available to students, faculty credentials and training, and peer reputation. Student excellence was also considered for schools offering online master’s degree programs.
Overall, App State Online placed within the top 23% of U.S. colleges and universities for best online bachelor’s programs.
Access the 2024 U.S. News “Best Online Programs” rankings.
A 2024 ‘Best Business School’ — The Princeton Review
App State’s Walker College of Business has been named in The Princeton Review’s “Best Business Schools for 2024” list, which recognized a total of 236 national colleges and universities for having the best on-campus MBA degree programs. Additionally, Walker College and its MBA program were recognized among the best in the Southeast for 2024. Schools included in the list were unranked.
Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review, wrote that the publication’s 2024 Best Business Schools share three characteristics: “outstanding academics, robust experiential learning components, and excellent career services.”
Schools were chosen for the 2024 list based on data from the publication’s surveys of administrators at 244 business schools in 2024, as well as surveys of more than 21,500 students enrolled in the schools over the past three academic years. More than 60 data points were considered, including career outcomes, admissions selectivity and academic rigor, among others.
Access The Princeton Review’s 2024 “Best Business Schools” list.
Among the world’s top-tier MBA programs — CEO Magazine
According to CEO Magazine, App State is an international leader for graduate business education. The publication has designated App State’s on-campus MBA program as a Tier Two program in its “2024 Global MBA Rankings” list. This marks the 12th consecutive year that App State has been recognized in the magazine’s annual rankings.
The university’s online MBA program was one of 92 internationally recognized programs included in CEO Magazine’s “Online MBA Rankings 2024” list. According to the magazine, the rankings “identify schools that marry exceptional quality with great return on investment.”
For its 2024 rankings, CEO Magazine evaluated 284 online, executive, full-time and part-time MBA programs offered by 139 schools across 24 countries. The rankings were determined using a scoring system with metrics that included faculty qualifications, class size, international diversity, accreditation, faculty-to-student ratio and cost, among other factors.
Access CEO Magazine’s “2024 Global MBA Rankings.”
App State’s applied data analytics master’s program named among nation’s best — Fortune magazine
As part of its 2024 “Best Master’s in Data Science Programs” rankings list, Fortune Education — a branch of Fortune magazine — has ranked App State 11th in the nation for its Master of Science in applied data analytics program.
Fortune ranked the top 29 universities with the most exceptional data science master’s programs, based on the following criteria:
- Selectivity score — which considered the average undergraduate grade-point average of incoming students and each program’s acceptance rate.
- Success score — which considered the programs’ retention and graduation rates.
- Demand score — which considered both the enrollment size of programs and the number of applicants for the most recent year.
Access Fortune’s 2024 “Best Master’s in Data Science” rankings list.
A top-ranked online BSBA in management for 2024 — Forbes magazine
App State’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in management has been ranked among the top 10 in the country, according to Forbes Advisor, a branch of Forbes magazine. Forbes Advisor recognized the university’s program as No. 3 in its “Best Online Business Management Degrees of 2024” rankings list.
To generate its list, the publication scored 247 accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online business management bachelor’s degree programs in the U.S. using 17 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes, student experience and schools’ application processes. Schools that received a final score of 93% or higher were named to the list.
Access Forbes’ “Best Online Business Management Degrees of 2024” rankings list.
Walker College enrolls more than 4,000 undergraduates in 11 majors and has the highest enrollment of full-time undergraduate students in the University of North Carolina System. The school is accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business — a distinction held by fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide. Walker College has been AACSB accredited since 1976.
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University’s applied data analytics program also recognized among the most affordable in the nation
The annual U.S. News rankings recognized App State business, education and nursing programs
US News has named the university a top 3 regional university for innovation, undergraduate teaching and veterans support
About the Walker College of Business
The Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University delivers transformational educational experiences that prepare and inspire students to be ethical, innovative and engaged business leaders who positively impact their communities, both locally and globally. The college places emphasis on international experiences, sustainable business practices, entrepreneurial programs and real-world applications with industry. Enrolling more than 4,000 undergraduates in 11 majors, Walker College has the highest enrollment of full-time undergraduate students in the University of North Carolina System, and more than 250 graduate students are enrolled in the college’s three master’s programs. App State’s Walker College is accredited by AACSB International — the premier global accrediting body for business schools. Learn more at https://business.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
University’s applied data analytics program also recognized among the most affordable in the nation
The annual U.S. News rankings recognized App State business, education and nursing programs
US News has named the university a top 3 regional university for innovation, undergraduate teaching and veterans support
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