North Carolina State University

What North Carolina State University does

North Carolina State University is a public land-grant Research 1 university founded in 1887 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, operating as the flagship STEM campus of the University of North Carolina System. The institution serves 40,500+ students, 2,500+ faculty, and 7,700+ staff across 12 colleges, 68 departments, and more than 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs (160 master's, 62 doctoral, 120+ online). Its core product is a vertically integrated platform combining undergraduate/graduate education, continuing education, and large-scale sponsored research, supported by the Centennial Campus public-private research park housing 70+ corporate, government, and nonprofit partners. NC State's research portfolio spans materials science (self-healing composites, carbon-fiber precursors), biotechnology (Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein, splice-switching oligonucleotide platform), quantum computing (IBM Quantum Innovation Center, hybrid quantum/classical drug discovery workflows), AI (NSF AI Institute for Engaged Learning, LLM safety research), transportation systems (autonomous-vehicle "white phase" traffic signal), and agriculture (NC State Extension serving all 100 NC counties). Technology commercialization is a distinct output: 2,500+ issued patents have produced 650+ consumer products and 265+ startups/spinoffs, ranking #1 for active commercialization agreements among universities without a medical school. Revenue is diversified across six streams — tuition and fees, state appropriations, federal/state/private research grants ($506M in FY25), philanthropy and endowment ($2.54B endowment, $2.1B Think and Do Campaign), technology licensing and royalties, and online/distance education. GTM is multi-modal: direct-to-consumer student recruitment across undergraduate, graduate, and online channels; enterprise field sales for industry research partnerships and licensing through Centennial Campus; and community-led delivery through 101 county extension centers reaching every North Carolina county.

Name

North Carolina State University

Legal name

North Carolina State University

Website

https://ncsu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

North Carolina State University is a public land-grant Research 1 university in Raleigh, NC, serving 40,500+ students through 12 colleges and conducting $506M in annual sponsored research with strong technology commercialization (2,500+ patents, 265+ startups) and statewide extension reach across all 100 NC counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Research Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD)

Keywords

• Public research university
• Higher education services
• University research programs
• Graduate and undergraduate education
• Online degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate student tuition and fees. NC State is a public university serving 40,500+ students.
2. State Appropriations: State government funding as a land-grant institution in the UNC System.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Federal, state, and private research funding from agencies including NSF, DOE, USDA, DOD, and industry partners. NC State received $506 million in new sponsored research awards for fiscal year 2025.
4. Philanthropy and Endowments: Private donations and endowment returns. NC State has a $2.54 billion endowment and raised $43.6 million from 18,028 gifts on Day of Giving 2026. The Think and Do Campaign raised $2.1 billion.
5. Technology Licensing and Royalties: Revenue from licensing university-developed technologies and patents to companies for commercialization.
6. Online and Distance Education: Revenue from online degree programs, certificates, and courses offered to distance learners. NC State offers 120+ online programs and 1,000+ courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

North Carolina State University is a public research university that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and professional education across 12 colleges and 68 departments, with more than 100 undergraduate majors and over 200 master's and doctoral programs. It also conducts sponsored research (over $500 million annually), licenses patented technologies, offers online/distance education programs, and operates extension services across all 100 North Carolina counties.

Product overview

North Carolina State University is a public research university offering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs across 12 colleges and 68 departments, with more than 100 undergraduate majors and 200 master's and doctoral programs. The university's research portfolio includes major interdisciplinary centers such as the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein (a $30 million biomanufacturing hub for plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meat proteins), the NSF AI Institute for Engaged Learning, the STEPS Center (phosphorus sustainability), the FREEDM Systems Center (smart-grid technology), the ASSIST Center (wearable health monitors), and the Nonwovens Institute. Workforce development offerings include the WolfTRAC apprenticeship program (converting instructional assistants into licensed teachers) and the Pulp and Paper Basics Workshop. The university also offers free food traceability compliance training ahead of the 2028 FDA rule. NC State operates the IBM Quantum Innovation Center and Centennial Campus, a public-private research park housing more than 70 industry, government, and nonprofit partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wolfpack: The mascot and nickname of NC State University's athletic teams and broader community identity

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs More than 100 undergraduate majors offered across 12 colleges, providing degree-seeking students with classroom and research-based learning leading to bachelor's degrees.
• Graduate Degree Programs 160 master's programs and 62 doctoral programs spanning engineering, sciences, management, education, design, textiles, veterinary medicine, agriculture, and other fields.
• Online and Distance Education Programs 120+ online academic programs and 1,000+ courses delivered to remote learners, including online MBA and online master's in electrical and mechanical engineering.
• NC State Extension Services Research-based agricultural, food, health, nutrition, and youth development programs delivered to residents of all 100 North Carolina counties via county extension offices.
• WolfTRAC Apprenticeship Program An apprenticeship program that converts instructional assistants into fully licensed teachers within 18 months, allowing participants to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching while continuing full-time work in Wake County Public Schools.
• NC State Food Traceability Training

Quantifiable outcome

• $506 million in new sponsored research awards for FY25
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability11 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Schneider ElectriccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Five-year research partnership to develop technology solutions for the new energy landscape, focusing on grid resilience, building and industrial efficiency, energy storage, and grid modernization. Builds on partnership established in 2014 with Schneider Electric as active member of NC State's FREEDM Systems Center.
• AmazonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazon is involved as one of 200+ organizations in the National Safety Council's MSD Pledge initiative focused on reducing musculoskeletal disorders in workplaces. NC State researchers collaborate on safety technology research and trials.
• Virginia TechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirginia Tech is among multiple universities collaborating on the MSD Pledge initiative with NC State and other organizations to research and trial safety technologies.
• NIIMBLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIIMBL (National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals) announced 39 funding awards supporting domestic biopharma production, including work by NC State on improving adeno-associated viral vector production for gene therapy and workforce training programs.
• SAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between NC State, East Carolina University, and SAS on a pilot project in Hyde County deploying affordable agricultural sensors measuring water depth, soil moisture, and salinity in real time, feeding into SAS Analytics for IoT to help farmers predict flooding and manage drainage.
• East Carolina UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with East Carolina University and SAS to deploy agricultural sensors for flood and salinity management in North Carolina farming communities.
• RailincminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership to analyze how shifting freight volume from trucks to trains can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and lower environmental impacts. Study aims to identify feasible opportunities for modal shifts to support infrastructure planning and emissions reduction.
• Mars MaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to validate CO2-derived product (Hoigen-C) as a carbon-negative precursor for carbon fiber production. NC State researchers successfully demonstrated that Mars Materials' bio-based acrylonitrile is chemically identical to traditional PAN made from oil and coal, meeting high-performance carbon fiber standards.
• EverbloomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with deep-tech startup Everbloom to scale protein-based fibers from industrial protein waste using the Nonwovens Institute's pilot spinning equipment. Development batches being sent to yarn manufacturing partners including Tuscany-based Filati Biagioli Modesto.
• Hoth TherapeuticsminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerNC State developed splice-switching oligonucleotide platform technology that has been licensed to Hoth Therapeutics for cancer cell-targeting applications. Patent protection secured in China through 2039.
• U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Army DEVCOM CBC acquired melt spinning capability through multi-year collaboration with NC State's Nonwovens Institute to create customizable nonwoven fibers for applications including N95 masks and chemical-biological protection.
• UNC-Chapel HillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research partnership between UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State receiving $400,000 grant from NCInnovation to advance wearable technology for osteoarthritis detection and treatment.

Scale indicators25 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Florida: Large public R1 with high research expenditures, top-5 public university rankings, and a growing online/continuing education portfolio. Comparable on scale, ranking tier, and revenue diversification beyond tuition.
• University of Michigan: Public R1 with very high research expenditures and strong engineering, public-private research partnerships, and a high volume of patents and spinoffs. Comparable in research ranking tier and commercialization scale.
• Purdue University: Public land-grant R1 with a similar engineering/agriculture emphasis, top-tier research expenditures, and large online engineering program. Comparable on patent output, extension service model, and STEM-focused brand.
• Texas A&M University: Public land-grant R1 with very large enrollment, major engineering and agriculture programs, and substantial industry-sponsored research. Comparable in extension reach, R1 research scale, and STEM emphasis.
• Georgia Institute of Technology: Public STEM-emphasized R1 university with strong engineering, computing, and industry partnerships, including industrial research parks analogous to NC State's Centennial Campus. Highly comparable on commercialization rankings, sponsored research, and STEM student outcomes.
• Virginia Tech: Public land-grant R1 with strong engineering, agriculture, and industry-partnered research, plus an active extension presence across Virginia. Overlaps with NC State on research expenditures without medical school, sponsored funding mix, and Southeast corridor identity.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: The other flagship campus of the UNC System and NC State's most direct peer in geography, mission, and state funding. UNC-Chapel Hill offers a broader medical/public-health portfolio but overlaps significantly in research scale, public-university brand, and the same admissions market.
• Pennsylvania State University: Large public land-grant R1 with extensive extension services, very high research expenditures, and significant online education offerings (Penn State World Campus). Closely matched to NC State in scale, mission, and revenue mix.

Regional players

• Clemson University: Public land-grant R1 in South Carolina with engineering, agriculture, and strong industry partnerships, particularly automotive. Comparable in Carnegie R1 status and Southeast public-university recruiting market but smaller in research scale.

Broad incumbents

• Duke University: Elite private research university in the same Research Triangle region, with a medical school and stronger overall research funding. Overlaps in industry partnerships and recruiting market but operates at a different funding scale and mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ncstate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ncstate
• Facebookfacebook.com/ncstate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-carolina-state-university-18786
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncstate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds13 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Carolina State University