The Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed at No. 9 in our 2025 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. That’s one spot lower than its finish in 2024.
Of the ranking’s three methodological categories, the B-School finished the highest (ninth out of 104 ranked schools) in Academic Experience, based solely on our alumni survey. It also finished 11th in both Admission Standards and Career Outcomes.
It was the seventh most selective school with an admission rate for the fall 2024 incoming class of 7.04%. It also had the second highest 6-year graduation rate at 98.7%.
Looking at employment data, 98% of Class of 2024 graduates completed at least one business-specific internship by the end of their program. 2024 grads also reported a 96.67% employment rate three months after graduation as well as an average starting salary of $84,945.14. Further 58% of grads reported getting a signing bonus of an average $8,628.75.
Top employers include Bank of America, EY (Ernst & Young), Wells Fargo, Boston Consulting Group, Protiviti, Goldman Sachs, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Capital One, Insight Sourcing Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Truist.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
As the oldest public university in the U.S., UNC Kenan-Flagler stands out for its high-quality, high-value business education, offering students an exceptional return on investment. With affordable tuition (in-state at $3,509.50 per semester) and an average starting salary of $85,000, many students graduate debt-free while securing strong career prospects.
UNC Kenan-Flagler blends experiential learning with the interdisciplinary foundation of UNC’s Ideas in Action Curriculum. This curriculum integrates liberal arts and business, challenging students to engage with sustainability, social equity, and technological innovation while collaborating across fields such as public policy, environmental science, and computer science. This interdisciplinary approach prepares students to think beyond traditional business.
Programs like STAR (Student Teams Achieving Results) place students in cross-disciplinary teams to solve real-world business challenges with corporate partners, while student-run investment funds – such as the UNC Kenan-Flagler Private Equity Fund, Real Estate Fund, and Global Perspectives Fund – offer hands-on portfolio management experience.
Courses like the Affordable Housing Practicum allow students to tackle pressing economic issues, and Global Immersion Electives provide opportunities to study sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and global business across five continents.
The recently redesigned curriculum equips students with real-world business knowledge through innovative courses like Data Science in the Business World, Affordable Housing, and AI and Business Writing, which apply cutting-edge concepts to practical challenges. A new Business of Health Minor prepares students for careers at the intersection of business and healthcare, aligning with North Carolina’s growth as a biotech and healthcare hub.
At the heart of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s community are student-led affinity groups supported by the Community, Equity, and Inclusion (CEI) Board, which hosts events, orientation programs, and initiatives that strengthen belonging. It is also a leader in student wellness, becoming one of the first business schools to employ full-time wellness coaches who provide one-on-one support, stress management workshops, and well-being programs like yoga sessions and wellness fairs.
BUSINESS FOR THE GREATER GOOD
UNC Kenan-Flagler emphasizes business as a force for societal impact, preparing students to lead with integrity and purpose. The Luther Hodges Scholars Program supports students interested in public-sector leadership, offering funded internships and mentorship from policymakers, executives, and civic leaders. The Ackerman Center for Excellence in Sustainability (ACES) provides research opportunities and competitions like Launching Investment for Future Transformation (LIFT), where students develop financial solutions aligned with U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
In the core leadership course, students participate in 50 Lives Forward, applying business concepts to drive meaningful change for 50 people while addressing a global challenge.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
Programs like PitchFest and the new Entrepreneurial Fellowship provide funding, mentorship, and real-world startup experience. The Business Improv Course helps students build the creativity, adaptability, and communication skills necessary for entrepreneurial success.
STUDENT TEAMS ACHIEVING RESULTS (STAR)
One of the cornerstone programs at UNC Kenan-Flagler is STAR, a program that matches teams of MBA and undergraduate business students with corporate partners to solve complex business challenges. Through the experiential course, students work on diverse teams on a real-life consulting project with a company or organization to solve a business problem and improve their performance. For many students, STAR offers an opportunity to experience collaborative teamwork in coming up with a business solution.
Another unique program to Kenan-Flagler is the GLOBE program, an integrated and immersive 18-month curriculum where students gain first-hand exposure to foreign business operations and culture. Partner universities include Chinese University of Hong Kong and Copenhagen Business School.
ALUMNI SAY
“There were quite a few courses I took that featured hands-on projects, one being Daniel Ringels class that combined machine learning and business practices. We did a case study and presented to the Graduate Hotels which was an incredible learning experience.”
“The STAR consulting project I participated in was instrumental in confirming my interest in the consulting world, landing my first job (public side consulting overseas in the middle-east) and eventually lateraling back to the US to work for a Life Science consulting firm.”
“I enjoyed two key signature experiences – Global Immersion Experience and STAR Consulting. The global experience focused on social entrepreneurship in South Africa, and it included a trip to South Africa to meet with local entrepreneurs and offer business advice. The consulting project combined undergraduate business students, MBA students, and MD candidates to provide external consulting to a pharmaceutical company. Both of these experiences were eye opening for the work and impact I could create with my degree, and unlocked learning not possible in the classroom.”
“Study ‘abroad’ to Alaska during spring break my senior year. Learned about natural resources and the indigenous peoples in Alaska. Enjoyed learning about project finance structures, impact focused businesses, greenwashing, indigenous peoples. Was useful context for some projects I’ve worked on in my current role.”
“I was involved in two global immersion experiences throughout my time at Kenan-Flagler. The first was a virtual group project with students in Hungary in which we served as consultants to a rising Hungarian startup. It exposed me to a global team, which still serves relevant to my current job as I regularly have coworkers in India or Poland. The second was a one week trip to Montreal, Canada to study various businesses’ sustainability methods. I valued the exposure to French Canadian culture from this experience, and learned about sustainability in business, which I had not previously devoted much time to.”
“I negotiated my total starting compensation by +17%. I credit this to my advisor Sarah Crockett who met with me so many times during the negotiations. Also to my negotiations class which allowed me to practice negotiating in a low stakes situation.”
“I see the value of an education from Kenan-Flagler more now that I am in the workplace. The quality professors and coursework teachers each student to think critically and work together, which is something invaluable and genuinely makes you stand out in your future companies.”
