Education That Works

During their first week on campus, 4,200 new NC State freshmen will spend a lot of time finding classrooms, dining halls and new friends.

Over the four years that follow, they’ll find and develop the skills to change the world. They’ll also find their way into good careers and graduate programs where they’ll put those skills to work.

Strength where it counts

In the job fields that are shaping our economy, NC State has strong academic programs. US News & World Report recently rated NC State the top public land-grant university in producing science, technology, engineering, and math graduates.

In 2012, nearly 2,600 of our graduates earned degrees in STEM fields, which are expected to grow nearly twice as fast as non-STEM fields over the next decade.

NC State has strong degree offerings in each of CareerCast.com’s top three jobs for 2013. Our math department, named an exemplary program by the American Mathematical Society, offers focused training for future actuaries. Our joint program (with the University of North Carolina) in biomedical engineering teaches students to confront and solve problems. Our computer science and computer engineering programs consistently rank among the best in the country.

Ready to work

NC State students hit the ground running when they graduate. Three-quarters of 2011-2012 graduates went directly into jobs or entered grad school. And among those immediately employed, 89 percent got jobs related to their majors.

The focus at NC State is on practical, experiential education that students can apply before and after they graduate. That’s why the Wall Street Journal rated NC State graduates in the top 20 most desired by recruiters.

Value for value

Higher education is one of the biggest investments most people make. Students and their families invest time, talent, effort and hard-earned money. NC State is committed to providing an education that repays that investment.

A range of national publications – including US News, the Princeton Review, Fox Business and Kiplinger – has named NC State one of the best values in higher education. Our students graduate with a lower-than-average debt load, according to US News. And their starting salary is the highest of any North Carolina universities’ recent alums, according to a recent analysis of federal data.