WSU Carson College of Business

What WSU Carson College of Business does

WSU Carson College of Business is a constituent college of Washington State University, a public state university headquartered in Pullman, Washington. It operates as a multi-campus business school delivering undergraduate, graduate, and professional education across five physical campuses (Pullman, Spokane, Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Everett) plus a Global Campus online channel. The college enrolls approximately 2,771 to nearly 3,000 undergraduate business students across 11 majors including Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management, Hospitality Business Management, International Business, Entrepreneurship, MIS, Wine & Beverage Business Management, Aging Business Management, and Business Administration. Graduate offerings include a Ph.D. in Business Administration, an Online MBA, and an Online Executive MBA.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition and fees set by WSU and the Washington State Legislature, donations and charitable giving administered through the Office of Development, and professional development programs under the Carson Pro and continuing education brands. Pricing follows standardized public-university tuition schedules that vary by residency, program level, and delivery format, with no bespoke enterprise contracts. Distribution is hybrid: centralized WSU admissions handle prospective-student recruitment, while Carson-specific career services (Employer Development Manager, Career Networking Night, Virtual Internship Fair, Handshake) drive employer engagement. The college holds AACSB accreditation at both the institutional and accounting-program levels and operates specialty programs including Carson Business Solutions (student consultancy delivering 700+ free consulting hours annually), the Carson Career Amplifier Program, the Center for Professional Sales, and study-abroad partnerships across 11+ countries.

Customer segments include prospective undergraduate students, graduate students, employers, alumni, and working professionals. Marketing channels span social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), the Dividend Magazine and eDividend newsletter, career fairs, industry events, and the Handshake platform. As a public state university unit, Carson College does not have independent ownership or external investors; it is governed by WSU and the State of Washington.

Name

WSU Carson College of Business

Legal name

Washington State University - Carson College of Business

Website

https://business.wsu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

WSU Carson College of Business is a public university college within Washington State University delivering AACSB-accredited undergraduate, graduate (Online MBA, Executive MBA, Ph.D.), and professional business education across five campuses and online to roughly 3,000 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Business School

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs) (EDAHALAD)

Keywords

• Business education
• Undergraduate programs
• MBA programs
• Professional certificates
• Executive education

Headquarters

HQ city

Pullman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Public university college generating revenue through undergraduate and graduate tuition, fees, and program charges for business education.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: Development office solicits donations through Dean’s Excellence Fund, departmental funds, scholarships, endowed gifts, bequests, and corporate engagement.
3. Professional Development Programs: Carson Pro and continuing education programs generate revenue through business certificates and upskilling programs for professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WSU Carson College of Business is an AACSB-accredited public university business school offering 11 undergraduate business majors, an Online MBA, Online Executive MBA, and PhD in Business Administration. The college delivers professional and continuing education through Carson Pro and certificate programs, hands-on learning through the Carson Business Solutions student consultancy, career development via the Carson Career Amplifier Program, and mandatory international experience programs across multiple global destinations.

Product overview

WSU Carson College of Business is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of business education products and services. The core offerings include eleven undergraduate business majors (Accounting, Finance, Hospitality Business Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, International Business, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, Aging Business Management, Wine & Beverage Business Management, and Management) and graduate programs including Online MBA, Online Executive MBA, and Ph.D. in Business Administration. Supporting products include professional education through Carson Pro and certificate programs; career development via the Carson Career Amplifier Program with tiered pathways; student consulting through Carson Business Solutions providing over 700 hours of free business consulting annually; international experience programs with faculty-led study abroad options; and student support services through the Carson Center for Student Success. The institution also operates recruitment facilitation services (Career Networking Night, Virtual Internship Fair, Hire a Carson Coug), mentorship programs, and research centers and institutes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carson Center for Student Success: Provides academic advising, scholarships, career services, and student support for business students.
• Carson Business Solutions
• Carson Career Amplifier Program

Products and services

• Undergraduate Business Programs Eleven undergraduate business majors including Accounting, Finance, Hospitality Business Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, International Business, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, Aging Business Management, Wine & Beverage Business Management, and Management. Designed for first-year and transfer students pursuing bachelor's degrees in business.
• Online MBA Program Nationally ranked online Master of Business Administration program offering flexible graduate business education for working professionals and career-focused students.
• Online Executive MBA Executive MBA program designed for working professionals seeking advanced business credentials and leadership development.
• Ph.D. in Business Administration Doctoral program serving seven subdisciplines: Accounting, Finance, Hospitality Business Management, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, and Operations and Management Science. First students admitted in 1984.
• Carson Pro Professional and continuing education offerings for career advancement, professional development, and continuing education for working professionals.
• Business Certificates for Individuals Certificate programs for individuals seeking business credentials, skills, and professional development.
• Upskilling Certificates Certificate programs focused on skill development and career upskilling for professionals.
• Carson Business Solutions Student consultancy program pairing student teams with small businesses and nonprofits to provide free consulting services under faculty supervision. Provides over 700 hours of free consulting annually to qualifying businesses.
• International Experience Programs Study abroad opportunities including faculty-led programs, exchange programs, provider programs, and international internships with locations in China, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Panama, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Spain.
• Carson Career Amplifier Program Career development program with tiered structure (Tier 1-4 and Crimson Pathway) supporting career networking, skill building, and professional development for business students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of Carson Business Solutions clients recommend the program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Small Businesses and NonprofitscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarson Business Solutions pairs student teams with small businesses and nonprofits to provide free consulting services. Students work under faculty supervision with volunteer coach support, providing businesses with diagnostic assessments, recommendations, and implementation plans.
• Regional and National EmployerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployers recruit students for internships and full-time jobs through Handshake platform, career fairs, and employer engagement activities. The college serves as a pipeline of job candidates for businesses across Washington State.
• International Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExchange programs with top business schools around the world allow students to enroll at partner universities for a semester or year, fulfilling the international experience requirement.
• Study Abroad Provider OrganizationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party organizations that work with WSU and international universities to provide study abroad opportunities spanning summer, semester, or full year.
• WSU Alumni-owned BusinessesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlumni Center welcomes WSU Alumni-owned and operated businesses nationwide to participate in student-led consulting and mentoring opportunities.
• Volunteer Coaches (Business Mentors)moderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness professionals volunteer as coaches to empower students in Carson Business Solutions consultancy projects, sharing leadership and industry experience.
• Professional Sales PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompanies partnering with the Center for Professional Sales to support sales education, provide industry insights, and recruit sales talent.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Arizona State University W. P. Carey School of Business: Large public business school and leader in online business education, a top-ranked competitor in the online MBA and online bachelor's segments where Carson is also investing.
• Indiana University Kelley School of Business: Top-ranked public business school with nationally recognized online MBA and undergraduate programs, directly competing with Carson for online learner market share and rankings.
• University of Florida Warrington College of Business: Top-ranked public business school with highly ranked online bachelor's and MBA programs, serving as both a benchmark for online program quality and a competitor for national online learners.

Regional players

• Boise State University College of Business and Economics: Regional public business school in Idaho competing for Northwest students and online enrollment in AACSB programs with similar positioning to Carson.
• Oregon State University College of Business: Oregon's land-grant public business college offering AACSB-accredited undergraduate and online MBA programs, directly competing for Pacific Northwest students, employers, and online learners.
• University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business: AACSB-accredited public business school in Oregon with strong undergraduate and online MBA programs; competes with Carson for Pacific Northwest talent and corporate recruiting partnerships.
• Gonzaga University School of Business Administration: Private Jesuit business school in Spokane, Washington, sharing the Pacific Northwest market and competing for in-state students, employers, and Spokane-based recruiting.

Direct peers

• Michigan State University Eli Broad College of Business: Large AACSB-accredited public business school with undergraduate, MBA, and specialty programs (supply chain, hospitality) of similar scale and structure, providing a useful comparator for program economics.
• University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business: Premier Pacific Northwest public business school and the most direct in-state competitor, sharing employer pipelines, AACSB accreditation, and overlapping undergraduate and MBA programs in the same regional recruiting market.
• University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management: Public AACSB-accredited business school with a similarly strong online MBA program and a comparable scale of undergraduate business enrollment; a direct online MBA competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@carsoncollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarsonCollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wsu-carson-college-of-business
• Instagraminstagram.com/carsoncollege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 WSU Carson College of Business