Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University

What Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University does

Walker College of Business is the business school of Appalachian State University, a public institution within the University of North Carolina System headquartered in Boone, North Carolina. The college enrolls nearly 5,000 students, including more than 4,500 full-time undergraduates across 11 majors and 271 graduate students across three master's programs (MBA, Master of Science in Accounting, and Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics). It is accredited by AACSB International and consistently recognized by the Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, and CEO Magazine. Programs are delivered through six academic departments (Accounting, Computer Information Systems, Economics, Finance & Banking, Management, and Marketing & Supply Chain Management) and are supported by four specialized centers: the Center for Analytics Research & Education (CARE), the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center, and CERPA.

The college's product portfolio includes the AACSB-accredited MBA available in both on-campus and online formats (the online version launched in 2020), the MSA with average class size of 28, the MSADA with marketing and healthcare concentrations, and a non-credit Professional Certificate in Business Analytics delivered online through a partnership with SAS and based on the SAS Viya platform. Approximately $700,000 in scholarships are awarded annually from donor contributions. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees under UNC System in-state and out-of-state pricing structures, supplemented by continuing education and professional certificate programs, donor-funded scholarships, and development activity led by an executive director of development.

The go-to-market approach is sales-led and event-driven: the college recruits prospective students through campus tours, open house events, high school outreach, transfer student pathways with six regional community colleges, and the university's centralized admissions office. Distribution operates through the Boone headquarters (Peacock Hall at 416 Howard Street), the Hickory campus hosting the Western North Carolina Cyber Resilience Initiative, and App State Online for fully online programs. Partnerships with SAS, myFutureNC, regional economic development offices, and chambers of commerce extend the college's reach into workforce development and regional small business services.

Name

Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University

Legal name

Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University

Website

https://business.appstate.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Walker College of Business is the AACSB-accredited business school of Appalachian State University, enrolling nearly 5,000 students across 11 undergraduate majors and three graduate programs (MBA, MSA, MSADA), with online and Hickory campus extensions and SAS-partnered analytics education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Business School

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

MBA & Executive MBA Programs (EDAHAHAB), Online Professional Schools (MBA/MPA/MPH/Etc.) (EDAHALAE), Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree) (EDAHAHAN)

Keywords

• Business education
• Undergraduate business programs
• Graduate business programs
• Professional certificates
• AACSB accreditation

Headquarters

HQ city

Boone

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Public university college generating revenue through undergraduate and graduate tuition, with in-state and out-of-state pricing structures. Revenue supports educational operations, faculty, and facilities.
2. Scholarships and Development: Approximately $700,000 awarded annually through Walker College in scholarships funded by donor contributions. Additional revenue generated through the Appalachian Scholarship Application Portal.
3. Continuing Education and Professional Programs: Revenue from professional certificate programs like the business analytics certificate offered through the Center for Analytics Research & Education (CARE), with alumni discounts available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Walker College of Business delivers undergraduate and graduate business education, awarding Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degrees across 11 majors and master's degrees (MBA, MSA, MSADA) to approximately 5,000 students. It also offers a non-credit Professional Certificate in Business Analytics in partnership with SAS, plus specialized centers supporting entrepreneurship, risk management and insurance, analytics research, and economic research. Instruction is delivered on-campus in Boone, online through App State Online, and via a Hickory-based cybersecurity initiative serving regional small businesses.

Product overview

Walker College of Business is an educational institution offering a portfolio of undergraduate majors, graduate degree programs (MBA, MSA, MSADA), and professional certificates. The college operates through academic departments (Accounting, Computer Information Systems, Economics, Finance & Banking, Management, Marketing & Supply Chain Management) and specialized centers including CARE (Analytics Research and Education), the Center for Entrepreneurship, Brantley Risk and Insurance Center, and CERPA. The MBA program is available in both on-campus and online formats, while the Professional Certificate in Business Analytics is offered entirely online through a partnership with SAS. Recent additions include the business analytics minor and online MBA delivery format.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Walker College of Business: The business college of Appalachian State University offering undergraduate and graduate business degrees across 11 undergraduate majors and 3 graduate programs.

Products and services

• Undergraduate Business Programs Eleven Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majors including Accounting, Computer Information Systems, Economics, Finance & Banking, Management, and Marketing & Supply Chain Management, serving more than 4,500 full-time undergraduates.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) AACSB-accredited 36-credit hour MBA program available in on-campus and online formats, developing competencies in functional business knowledge, leadership, analytical thinking, and ethical decision-making for working professionals and recent graduates.
• Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) Graduate accounting program with tracks in general accounting and tax accounting, featuring an average class size of 28 students for a personalized educational environment.
• Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics (MSADA) Graduate program offering concentrations in marketing and healthcare, preparing students for data analytics roles across industries.
• Professional Certificate in Business Analytics Non-credit professional certificate program offered by the Center for Analytics Research & Education (CARE) in partnership with SAS, featuring five online courses in nine-week sessions completed in approximately twelve months.
• Business Analytics Minor Academic minor in business analytics added to the Walker College of Business curriculum beginning in Fall 2020.
• Western North Carolina Cyber Resilience Initiative Hickory-based cybersecurity clinic providing security assessments and risk reports to small businesses in Western North Carolina while engaging Walker College students in practical cybersecurity work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of 2019 Walker College graduates successfully reached their first destination
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• myFutureNCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Workforce development partnership focused on achieving 2 million North Carolinians aged 25-44 holding a postsecondary degree or credential by 2030. The Trades Pathways Initiative addresses regional workforce shortage in building trades through cross-institutional relationships with community colleges.
• Small Business and Technology Development Centers (Western North Carolina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Western North Carolina Cyber Resilience Initiative to provide cybersecurity assessments for small businesses in the region.
• Economic Development Offices (Catawba, Burke, Caldwell Counties)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development partners for the Western North Carolina Cyber Resilience Initiative building relationships for cybersecurity resilience network.
• Area Chambers of Commerce (Western North Carolina)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnerships for cybersecurity resilience network designed to outlast the grant period.
• Community Colleges (Mayland, Caldwell, Wilkes, Western Piedmont, Catawba Valley, McDowell)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnerships for Trades Pathways Initiative to create stackable career pathways in skilled building trades and reposition trades as valued career pathways integrated with higher education.
• SAScoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with SAS - a leading entity in data analytics - to deliver the professional certificate in business analytics program. Appalachian is one of only organizations offering instruction in the newest SAS Viya platform.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UNC Charlotte Belk College of Business: Another UNC System AACSB-accredited business school serving North Carolina students with undergraduate and graduate business programs. Directly competes for transfer students and regional employer relationships.
• NC State Poole College of Management: Peer AACSB-accredited business school within the UNC System offering undergraduate majors, MBA, MSA, and MS Analytics programs. Comparable in scale, structure, and mission to Walker College.
• Clemson University Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business: Peer AACSB-accredited business school in the Southeast at a comparable state research university, with similar undergraduate enrollment scale and online graduate programs.
• University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business: AACSB-accredited business school at a peer Southeast state university with comparable undergraduate enrollment scale and a top-ranked international MBA program - directly comparable in mission and structure.
• ECU College of Business: East Carolina University's AACSB-accredited business college, comparable in scale and program mix, serving a similar regional state-university market in North Carolina.
• UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School: Flagship business school of the same UNC System as Walker College, offering undergraduate, MBA, and executive programs with AACSB accreditation. Direct competitor for in-state students, faculty talent, and donor dollars within North Carolina.
• Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business: AACSB-accredited business college at a comparable Appalachian-region state university with similar undergraduate enrollment scale, online MBA offerings, and analytics-focused graduate programs.

Others

• SAS Institute (Academic Programs): Strategic technology partner rather than competitor; SAS collaborates with Walker College on the business analytics certificate and provides curriculum on the SAS Viya platform, making it an adjacent ecosystem enabler.

Regional players

• Wake Forest University School of Business: North Carolina-based AACSB-accredited business school that competes with Walker College for high-achieving in-state undergraduates and graduate applicants, though positioned as a private premium alternative.
• Western Carolina University College of Business: Another UNC System business school in Western North Carolina that directly overlaps with Walker College's regional recruiting base and competes for the same in-state applicant pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/walkercob
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU4-zyHs4mWX8szebg3xJLg
• Facebookfacebook.com/walkercob
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/walkercob
• Instagraminstagram.com/walkercob

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University