Business School

Business School at Wake Forest University

Private university ยท Winston-Salem, North Carolina

  • AACSB accredited
  • MBA
  • Part-Time MBA

Wake Forest University is a private university with graduate business programs in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Those programs run through the School of Business. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The business school holds AACSB accreditation - one of 12 of the 13 schools in MBA Lab's North Carolina directory that do. It is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States, and it covers the school as a whole rather than any one program - a floor, not a ranking. More on accreditation.

Federal reporting puts graduate enrollment at 3,832 students, alongside 5,485 undergraduates. Total enrollment is not MBA cohort size - ask the admissions office how many students are in the specific program you're considering, which is usually a far smaller number and the one that shapes your experience.

Based on MBA Lab's directory data, the school offers a graduate MBA path and a part-time or evening MBA format for students who keep working. That puts it among the 2 of 13 schools in MBA Lab's North Carolina directory listing a part-time MBA. Format availability changes; confirm the current lineup with the school before planning around it.

It is the only school in Winston-Salem in this directory - the other 12 business school options in North Carolina are elsewhere in the state, so weigh travel time against fit before ruling them out.

What to ask Wake Forest University

These questions are picked from what MBA Lab's data already says about this school, so they're the ones most likely to surface a real difference between it and the next school on your list.

  • Published price vs. actual price. Private institutions like Wake Forest University often discount heavily through merit aid, so the sticker figure is rarely what admitted students pay. Ask what share of the incoming class receives institutional aid and the median award.
  • Pace flexibility. Ask how long students typically take, whether you can drop to one class during a heavy work quarter without penalty, and how late evening sections actually run against your commute from work.
  • Where the degree is administered. Programs run through the School of Business may have their own admissions timeline, aid pool, and career office, separate from the university's central graduate school. Confirm which office owns your application.
  • Ask for the school's own outcome numbers. The federal figures on this page cover business master's graduates who took federal aid, pooled across several years. The school's employment report will be narrower and more current - ask for it by program and by graduating class, not a blended average.

At a glance

InstitutionWake Forest University
Business schoolSchool of Business
Controlprivate
LocationWinston-Salem, North Carolina
Campus settingLarge city
Carnegie classDoctoral university, high research activity (R2)
MBA formats listed MBA Part-Time MBA
Graduate enrollment3,832
Undergraduate enrollment5,485
Business accreditation AACSB — view listing
Institutional accreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Official site Visit website
Net price calculator Estimate your cost
Federal data College Scorecard profile

School names, locations, and program formats are curated by MBA Lab and reviewed periodically (last data update: August 2026). Enrollment, accreditation, links, and any outcome figures come from U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Always verify formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. How this data works.

Programs at Wake Forest University

Details below come from Wake Forest University's own program pages, not from a ranking service or an aggregator. Each card links to the page it was read from and the date it was last checked, so you can confirm anything before you plan around it.

Charlotte MBA

Part-Time MBA
  • Length 20 months
  • Delivery Hybrid
What that price isApproximately $84,250 all-in (tuition $74,250 across 5 semesters at $14,850 each, plus a $2,000/semester program fee) for the in-person/hybrid track, 45 credits, 20 months - WFU's site organizes pricing by delivery format rather than by campus, so it's not fully certain the Charlotte MBA maps only to this tier rather than also the separate Online MBA tier
On lengthFive-semester lockstep cohort - the entering class graduates together. A 2022-23 rate of $1,555/credit was the most recent figure found, but tuition rises 3-5% yearly, so it is too stale to present as current - confirm directly.
Class scheduleWeeknight or Saturday classes in Charlotte, in-person or combined with online components

Reported outcomes

Median earnings, 1 year out $104,615 Median of 279 graduates working one year after completion +20% vs. the $87,219 median across MBA Lab's directory
Median earnings, 4 years out $135,677 Median of 294 graduates working four years after completion +30% against the 1-year figure - two separate cohorts measured at different times, not one group's career path
Median federal graduate debt $61,051 Median across 267 borrowers entering repayment About 0.58x the 1-year earnings median. Federal loans only - private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings aren't counted

Among the 12 schools in MBA Lab's North Carolina business schools directory that report a figure, Wake Forest University ranks 4th by one-year earnings. Schools that report nothing are left out of that count rather than counted as zero.

What these numbers are. Figures cover graduates of master's-level programs in Business Administration, Management and Operations (CIP 52.02) who received federal financial aid. At some institutions that group includes business master's degrees other than the MBA, and it never includes graduates who took no federal aid - so these are a directional signal about a school's business master's programs, not an MBA salary report. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Check Wake Forest University's Scorecard profile. Full methodology.

Want to see what these figures could mean for your own timeline? Try the free MBA ROI calculator, prefilled with Wake Forest University's context.

Compare with other schools in North Carolina

School City AACSB Formats listed Earnings, 1 yr out
Wake Forest University This page Winston-Salem Yes MBA, Part-Time MBA $104,615
Duke University Durham Yes MBA, Executive MBA $171,948
North Carolina State University Raleigh Yes MBA, Online MBA $113,700
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Yes MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA $156,818
Appalachian State University Boone Yes MBA $72,310
East Carolina University Greenville Yes MBA, Online MBA $77,753
Elon University Elon Yes MBA $90,264
Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Yes MBA, Online MBA $68,138
High Point University High Point — MBA, Online MBA Not reported

"Not reported" means College Scorecard publishes no figure for that school - usually too few federally-aided graduates to release without identifying them. It is not a low number, and these schools are excluded from every average on this page rather than counted as zero. A dash under AACSB means the school isn't on AACSB's accredited list; it may hold ACBSP or IACBE accreditation instead, which this directory doesn't track.

This school in other directories

Frequently asked questions

What MBA formats does Wake Forest University offer?

MBA Lab's directory lists a part-time MBA at Wake Forest University, alongside the core MBA. Formats change - confirm the current lineup on the school's official site.

How long is the Charlotte MBA at Wake Forest University, and when does it meet?

The Charlotte MBA takes about 20 months and is delivered in a hybrid format. Five-semester lockstep cohort - the entering class graduates together. A 2022-23 rate of $1,555/credit was the most recent figure found, but tuition rises 3-5% yearly, so it is too stale to present as current - confirm directly. Classes meet: Weeknight or Saturday classes in Charlotte, in-person or combined with online components

What do graduates of Wake Forest University's business master's programs earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of $104,615 one year after completion for graduates of master's-level Business Administration programs at Wake Forest University who received federal financial aid. Four years out the reported median is $135,677. That group can include business master's degrees other than the MBA, and excludes graduates who took no federal aid, so treat it as a directional signal rather than an MBA salary figure.

How much debt do students take on at Wake Forest University?

The reported median federal graduate debt is $61,051 for business master's graduates at Wake Forest University. Against the reported one-year earnings median, that is about 0.58x a year of earnings. Federal loans are only part of the cost picture - it excludes private loans, employer sponsorship, and savings.

Is Wake Forest University's business school AACSB-accredited?

Yes - Wake Forest University appears on AACSB's list of accredited institutions. AACSB, founded in 1916, is the longest-established of the three business-school accreditors recognized in the United States (the others are ACBSP and IACBE). Accreditation covers the school, not any individual program, so treat it as a quality floor rather than a ranking.

Is Wake Forest University a public or private institution?

Wake Forest University is a private university, and MBA Lab lists its graduate business programs in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How do I compare Wake Forest University with other schools in North Carolina?

MBA Lab lists 13 schools in its North Carolina business schools directory. Use a consistent rubric across them: curriculum, recruiting outcomes, format fit, cost after aid, and location constraints.

Where should I verify program details?

Always confirm formats, deadlines, and costs on the school's official admissions pages. MBA Lab is a planning directory, not an admissions authority, and does not endorse specific schools.

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