BOONE, N.C. — Cementing its reputation as a leader in business education, Appalachian State University enters the 2026–27 academic year with top honors from five major publications. The new rankings place App State’s Walker College of Business and its business undergraduate and graduate programs among the best in the nation and world.
The university’s Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration programs have received accolades from U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, CEO Magazine, Fortune magazine and Forbes magazine, each recognizing the high quality of the programs and their return on investment for graduates.
The accolades:
- “Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs” and “Best Online MBA Programs” for 2026 — U.S. News & World Report
- “The Best Business Schools” for 2027 — The Princeton Review
- “2026 Global MBA Rankings” — CEO Magazine
- “Best Business Schools and MBA Programs for 2026” — Fortune magazine
- “Best Online Supply Chain Management Bachelor Degrees” for 2026 — Forbes Advisor
Pictured, from left to right, are App State senior Makena Dubois, Abigail Ledford '26, Quinten Kupka '26, Avin Patel '26 and senior Rian Mofu — members of the Walker College of Business’ Bowden Investment Group. Membership requires a highly competitive application and interview process — students are selected based on their academic standing and their interest in investments and financial analysis. Photo by Kyla Willoughby
“These recognitions belong to our entire Walker College of Business community — faculty, staff, students and alumni,” said Walker College of Business Dean Sandra Vannoy. “Thanks to the expertise and innovation of our faculty, and the hard work and dedication of our staff, Walker College graduates leave prepared to lead and excel in the business world.”
Students in the Walker College of Business receive individualized attention through dedicated career services and academic advising, as well as soft skills and professional development.
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.
The college is expanding artificial intelligence education across its undergraduate and graduate programs. Since fall 2025, App State has launched AI concentrations in its MBA and M.S. in applied data analytics programs, added undergraduate AI concentrations to its computer information systems and cybersecurity degree programs and introduced an online graduate certificate in AI in business for working professionals.
Through these programs, students explore AI-driven decision-making, strategy and governance, gaining the knowledge and skills needed to drive positive community and economic impact through AI-driven innovation.
Walker College’s work in AI has also been highlighted by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International for program development, including its emphasis on AI strategy, governance and ethics. The college is AACSB-accredited at the undergraduate and master’s levels.
App State’s online BSBA degree programs in accounting, management, marketing and supply chain management offer students the flexibility to complete their degree on their own schedule — full or part time. These programs are also available at the App State Hickory campus, and App State also offers its BSBA programs at its Boone campus.
Read on to learn more about the 2026–27 accolades.
App State business students gather in Holmes Convocation Center on the university’s Boone campus for the 2026 Walker Spring Connect, App State’s annual career fair held by the Walker College of Business. Photo by Chase Reynolds
Online bachelor’s, master’s programs in business ranked among nation’s best — U.S. News
As part of its 2026 “Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs” rankings list, U.S. News recognized App State among the top schools in the nation, an honor the university has held for six consecutive years. App State was named to the top 50 schools in the list, placing the university within the top 18% of recognized institutions.
Additionally, the university’s internationally recognized online Master of Business Administration program was ranked within the top 21% of schools recognized in U.S. News’ 2026 “Best Online MBA Programs” rankings list.
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. For schools offering online master’s degree programs, student excellence was also considered.
Access the 2026 U.S. News “Best Online Programs” rankings.
A ‘Best Business School’ for 2027 — The Princeton Review
App State’s Walker College of Business has been named to The Princeton Review’s “Best Business Schools for 2027” list, which recognized a total of 208 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 2027. Schools included in the list were unranked.
Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review, wrote that the publication’s 2027 Best Business Schools share four characteristics: “strong academics, robust opportunities for experiential learning, excellent career services, and positive feedback from their customers, their very own students.”
Schools were chosen for the 2027 list based on data from the publication’s surveys of administrators at 245 business schools in 2025, as well as surveys of more than 24,000 students enrolled in the schools’ on-campus MBA programs in 2025–26. The surveys considered such data points as program academics, selectivity, faculty, technical platforms, career services, professors, student body and campus life.
Access The Princeton Review’s 2027 “Best Business Schools” list.
App State students, faculty and staff attend the 67th Boyles Distinguished Lecture, hosted by the Walker College of Business on March 27 in Kidd Brewer Stadium’s Grandview Ballroom on the Boone campus. The lecture series brings high-level executives to App State's campus, giving students the opportunity to both learn from and interact with them. App State alumnus Jim F. Burr ’89, co-head of global financial services at Carlyle, served as the guest speaker for this year’s event. Photo by Kyla Willoughby
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 One program in its “2026 Global MBA Rankings” list. This marks the 14th consecutive year that App State has been recognized in the magazine’s annual rankings.
The university’s online MBA program was one of 90 internationally recognized programs included in CEO Magazine’s “Online MBA Rankings 2026” list. According to the magazine, the rankings “reward what schools invest in.”
For its 2026 rankings, CEO Magazine evaluated 340 schools across 24 countries. The rankings were determined using a scoring system that included the following six metrics:
- Career outcomes and mobility
- Applied learning and industry integration
- Digital and AI capability
- Alumni network
- Pedagogical quality and learning environment
- Global development and cross-cultural capability
Access CEO Magazine’s “2026 Global MBA Rankings.”
Among the best MBA programs in the nation for 2026 — Fortune magazine
As part of its “Best Business Schools and MBA Programs for 2026” rankings list, Fortune Education — a branch of Fortune magazine — has ranked App State among the top 67 schools in the nation.
Fortune ranked the top full-time, in-person MBA programs using data submitted by participating schools via survey. Each program was scored across 10 weighted categories:
- Median base salary reported three months after graduation for the most recent graduating class
- Employment placement rate within three months of graduation
- Graduation rate (considers 2021 through 2025)
- Average GMAT score (2025–26)
- Average GPA (2025–26)
- Acceptance rate (fall 2025)
- Percentage of admitted students who enrolled (2025–26)
- Size of graduating class (2024–25)
- One-year retention rate (2024–25)
- Total out-of-state tuition
Access Fortune’s “Best Business Schools and MBA Programs for 2026” rankings list.
Top-ranked online bachelor’s programs for 2026 — Forbes magazine
App State has earned its place among the nation’s top 10 schools with the “Best Online Supply Chain Management Bachelor Degrees” for 2026, according to Forbes Advisor, a branch of Forbes magazine. In its online profile of App State, the publication recognized the university’s online BSBA in supply chain management as the best program for transfer students.
To calculate its rankings list, Forbes Advisor used data from the National Center for Education Statistics, education providers and reputable educational and professional organizations. Their advisory board of educators and experts looked at student experiences, outcomes and return on investment from nearly 40 schools and programs. They also considered reputation and affordability.
Access Forbes’ “Best Online Supply Chain Management Bachelor Degrees” list.
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The 2026 US News rankings also recognize App State business, education and nursing programs
Walker College of Business and its bachelor’s, master’s programs recognized by U.S. News, The Princeton Review, CEO Magazine and Fortune magazine
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 nearly 5,000 students, including more than 4,500 undergraduates across 11 majors, the Walker College of Business has the highest full-time undergraduate enrollment in the University of North Carolina System. App State’s Walker College is accredited by AACSB International — the premier global accrediting body for business schools. Learn more about App State’s Walker College of Business 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.
The 2026 US News rankings also recognize App State business, education and nursing programs
Walker College of Business and its bachelor’s, master’s programs recognized by U.S. News, The Princeton Review, CEO Magazine and Fortune magazine
