EMPLOYMENT REPORT | CLASS OF 2024-2025
THE THINK AND DO BUSINESS SCHOOL: LEADERS ON THE RISE
About NC State Poole College of Management
The NC State Poole College of Management is a nationally recognized, research-driven and student-centered business school housed at a top-tier public university known for excellence in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Guided by NC State’s land-grant mission, Poole delivers high-value, high-return business education that’s accessible, practical and impactful.
With 4,400+ students, 35,000+ alumni and 190+ faculty and staff members, Poole is a vibrant community of scholars, teachers, advisors, career coaches and industry experts dedicated to student and alumni success. In just over 30 years, the college has built a strong reputation, with several business analytics programs consistently ranked in the top 10 in the nation.
Message From the Director
At the Poole College of Management, we turn talent into impact. Thanks to our alumni, faculty, staff and employer partners, your engagement through mentorship, internships and hiring connects our classrooms to the workplace. It also empowers students to transform potential into rewarding careers. It is with immense gratitude that I share with you our inaugural Employment Report, a reflection of the purpose and partnerships that define Poole.
Poole continues to stand apart for our exceptional ROI, leadership in business analytics and innovation. Our deep commitment to hands-on learning is rooted in NC State’s land-grant mission. Over the past year, we’ve unified undergraduate and graduate career services into a single, comprehensive Career Center. This transformation has strengthened employer partnerships and ensured a consistent, high-impact experience for all Poole students.
Our students continue to impress with their humility, curiosity and determination. These qualities, combined with the immersive learning they receive at Poole, ensure they graduate not just career-ready, but with the confidence to lead in an ever-changing, AI-driven business world. Poole students become the innovators, entrepreneurs and engaged citizens who strengthen organizations and communities across our state and beyond.
We are fortunate to operate in North Carolina, a dynamic environment for business growth and one of the nation’s leading destinations for career success. As the state attracts organizations seeking talented professionals, Poole College and our partners are uniquely positioned to grow and excel. This report celebrates the collective efforts of our students, faculty, staff and partners. It reflects a community united by purpose: opening doors, advancing careers and building North Carolina’s future.
Warm regards,
Mark C. Green Director, Career Services Poole College of Management
Undergraduate Programs
RANKINGS ROI
#4 in undergraduate entrepreneurship in the Southeast (The Princeton Review, 2024)
#10
undergraduate business analytics program among U.S. public universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2025)
$1.42M additional lifetime earnings per Poole graduate — nearly double the UNC System average.
Programs Overview
Undergraduate education at the Poole College of Management emphasizes analytical thinking and hands-on learning , preparing graduates for meaningful careers and lifelong success.
CORE DEGREE PROGRAMS
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
The program equips students with a strong foundation in business, technology and data analytics, preparing them to succeed through a rigorous curriculum that builds interpersonal, teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
The curriculum focuses on core business functions and emphasizes ethical and global awareness, communication skills and critical thinking for decision making.
Seven Required Concentrations: Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, People Management, Information Technology, Marketing and Operations and Supply Chain Management
PROGRAMS FOR NON-BUSINESS STUDENTS
Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Economics
The program blends microeconomics and macroeconomics with advanced coursework in areas such as econometrics, game theory and international economics — equipping students with the analytical and quantitative skills to navigate complex business, policy and global economic environments.
Two Optional Concentrations: Business Analytics and Finance
Poole College collaborates across NC State to extend business education to students from any major, offering minors and certificates that equip students with essential business, analytical and entrepreneurial skills to complement their primary fields of study.
Minors
• Accounting
• Business Administration
GLOBAL PROGRAMS
• Business Entrepreneurship
• Economics
Certificates
• Business Essentials Certificate
33 countries across five continents.
Each year, hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students study abroad in more than 100 global destinations. Undergraduates can spend a summer, semester or year abroad, while graduate students often participate in weeklong international courses. All participants earn academic credit while developing a global business perspective.
Undergraduate by the Numbers
3,500+ undergraduate students
By Specialty Area*
4.35 incoming weighted GPA
2024-25 INCOMING CLASS
Entrepreneurship
*Does not include Poole’s 582 first-year students, who haven’t declared a concentration yet
34% of undergraduate students study abroad each year
100+
students compete annually in U.S. and international case competitions, including a fifth-overall finish and a division win at an international case competition in the Netherlands
35+
Poole student organizations empower student growth, including 15+ careeraligned organizations such as the Sales Club and the Investors’ Association
5
113 mentors 160 mentees 196
students hold executive leadership positions across Poole student organizations 101
real-world projects completed by students across seven undergraduate practicum courses in 2024-25, partnering with leading organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Volvo Group
ELEVATE Mentorship Program
courses fully dedicated to global business, including International Marketing, International Financial Management and Doing Business Globally participated in the program
55% of mentors are Poole College alumni
THE POOLE STUDENT ADVANTAGE: HIGH-IMPACT EXPERIENCES
Students gain a competitive edge through high-impact experiences: immersive, hands-on opportunities that connect classroom learning with real-world challenges and help students build confidence, leadership and careerready skills. Through consulting projects, international competitions, and study abroad and mentorship programs, Poole students graduate ready to make an impact from day one.
Undergraduate Employment Statistics
TOP INDUSTRIES AND BASE SALARIES
(8.7%)
(4.3%)
(1.4%) Investment
(0.5%)
GEOGRAPHIC DESTINATIONS
Geographic Highlights
Top 3 Metropolitan Areas in N.C.
Top States 98.6% of graduates placed in the United States 85% placed in the U.S. South 55.2% placed in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill 79.7% placed in North Carolina 15.4% placed in Charlotte 3.2% placed in Greensboro, Winston-Salem
Poole students accepted employment in 20+ states and the District of Columbia
Top 10 states outside of North Carolina (in order of number placed):
New York, Virginia, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois, South Carolina, Massachusetts, California
Graduate and Lifelong Programs
Online Master of Accounting (University HQ, 2025) RANKINGS
Online MBA in Employability in North America (QS World Rankings, 2026)
Online MBA in the U.S. (The Princeton Review, 2025)
Programs Overview
PROFESSIONAL JENKINS GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Poole College offers nationally ranked, market-driven graduate business programs that provide recent graduates and working professionals with the tools to elevate or redirect their careers.
Master of Business Administration
Professional Online MBA
Designed for working professionals, this flexible MBA builds cross-functional leadership and business acumen, offering nine stackable certificates as specialization pathways.
Full-Time, On-Campus MBA
This immersive 21-month MBA prepares emerging leaders and career changers to drive innovation, manage teams and make data-driven business decisions.
Master of Accounting Specialized Master’s Stackable Certificates
Online Master of Accounting
This program equips professionals of all backgrounds with the technical, analytical and communication skills to excel in public, government and corporate accounting.
Full-Time, On-Campus Master of Accounting
This 10-month intensive program prepares recent graduates for indemand accounting and finance careers with strong placement outcomes and CPA readiness.
Online Master of Management, Marketing Analytics
Combining business insight with analytics and AI, this M.M. program trains professionals to translate marketing data into strategy and drive measurable success.
Online Master of Management, Risk and Analytics
This MRA program develops talent capable of identifying, analyzing and mitigating enterprise risks using advanced analytics and strategic decisionmaking tools.
EXECUTIVE EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING
• Business AI
• Business Analytics
• Business Leadership
• Business Sustainability
• Finance
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Marketing
• Operations and Supply Chain
• Technology, Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (TEC)
Jenkins graduate students enjoy the flexibility to stack graduate certificates onto any degree to build specialized expertise.
• We offer open-enrollment professional programs and customized training solutions for individual learners and organizations alike. One signature program is Women in Technical Leadership.
• Alumni can stay connected through our annual MBA and MAC alumni summits.
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS
• Master’s and Ph.D. in economics, delivered in collaboration with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• Ph.D. in operations research — operations supply chain management track, an interdisciplinary program delivered in collaboration with the College of Engineering
Graduate by the Numbers
CLASS PROFILE
graduate students
of students have a military background of students reside in Raleigh or the surrounding area, supporting strong local industry engagement and in-person collaboration
Employment by Program and Format
210
HIGHLIGHTS
9
average years of industry experience brought by online MBA students, students, who immediately apply advanced skills on the job.
The full-time MBA program prepares 50-60 high-potential, early-career professionals, including experienced leaders and military veterans, to grow into future business leaders each year.
72%
of MAC students pursue the public accounting track, while 28% pursue business and industry, aligning talent with critical employer needs.
~50% of Master of Management students come from nonbusiness majors across 10+ industries, offering fresh, multidisciplinary perspectives on management and analytics.
Enrollment by Program
• 595 MBA students
• 194 MAC students
• 116 Master of Management students
111 496 99 116 83
PROGRAM EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS
100% Analytics Experience Across Programs
Every Poole graduate student applies data analytics to real employer challenges through MBA/M.M. practicums and the MAC analytics bootcamp.
Business Analytics Practicum
All MBA and M.M. students complete a hands-on business analytics practicum using real data to solve organizational challenges.
100%
of MAC students complete a data analytics bootcamp, applying critical thinking to real-world accounting cases.
100% Practicum Participation
Every MBA and Master of Management student completes a full-semester project addressing a real employer need, such as risk management or supply chain challenges.
McLauchlan
Leadership Experience
Select students complete this premier leadership development program — the pinnacle of leadership training at Poole.
10+
graduate student organizations help students build leadership skills and industry connections, including the Graduate Student Advisory Board and the Finance Club.
THE JENKINS GRADUATE STUDENT ADVANTAGE: ANALYTICAL THINKERS. CONFIDENT LEADERS.
Powered by the Business Analytics and AI Initiative, our programs embed analytics and AI across curricula. We intentionally build leadership through experiential learning, coaching and real-world projects, preparing graduates to lead with data, empathy and impact.
Graduate Employment Statistics
FULL-TIME MBA CAREER OUTCOMES
85.7% placement 3 months post graduation
Top Functions
FULL-TIME MBA INTERNSHIP OUTCOMES: SUMMER 2025
100% placement (class of ’26)
PROFESSIONAL
99.1% placement rate 4 months post graduation
$115,506 average base salary
68.6% promoted 48.8% changed company
MASTER OF ACCOUNTING CAREER OUTCOMES
100% placement rate 3 months post graduation
$4,879 average CPA bonus
$73,846 average base salary
MASTER OF MANAGEMENT CAREER OUTCOMES
100% placement rate 4 months post graduation
$152,600 average base salary
$27,500 Average signing bonus
33.7% changed function
$2,904 average signing bonus
Stories of Impact
CONFIDENCE THROUGH EXPERIENCE
Anna Lewis
Program: Undergraduate marketing
Career: Internship
Position/Company: Marketing internship, KIOTI Tractor
The Business HIRE program connects Poole students with full-time, paid internships at rural North Carolina businesses, strengthening our partnerships with employers throughout the state. The program enabled Anna Lewis to gain real-world experience in social media management, graphic design and event planning as a marketing intern with KIOTI Tractor. Stepping boldly into the novel world of large equipment marketing, she tackled new tasks daily and embraced every challenge as a chance to learn and grow.
“Now I have the confidence to involve myself where I wouldn’t have in the past, which has helped me grow my network both on and off campus,” she said.
CONNECTIONS POWER CAREER SUCCESS
Garrett
Gough
Program: Undergraduate finance
Career: Internship and full-time job
Position/Company: Finance management analyst, Bank of America
Garrett Gough’s internship with First Citizens Bank exposed him to the fundamentals of consumer banking as he worked alongside business bankers, relationship bankers and financial consultants. His second internship, with Bank of America, expanded his communication abilities and analytical skills, empowering him to pursue a career in finance. He credits Poole’s Career and Internship Fair for helping him land both internships and for teaching him the value of strong relationships, which prepared him for success in his current role.
“Anybody I talk to, I’m sure to tell them, ‘If you want a job, go to the career fair,’” he said. “Companies are there to hire people from NC State.”
COACHING OTHERS, GROWING HERSELF
Enas Bakri
Program: Undergraduate human resources
Career: Internship and full-time job
Position/Company: Junior talent management executive internship, Personify; full-time job at Red Hat
As a Poole student, Enas Bakri served as a Peer Career Coach, holding office hours to talk with fellow students about resumes, interviews and other job-related topics. The training she received from Poole Career Center staff allowed her to step confidently into the role, where she learned that teaching deepened her own understanding of essential business principles. Bakri’s experience helped her build the communication and organizational skills to excel in her human resources internship and secure a full-time position at Red Hat.
“Because I was helping students with their own interview tactics and techniques, I gained a better understanding of what goes into preparing for an interview,” she said. “That assisted me in my interview for a full-time position.”
INNOVATING FOR GLOBAL IMPACT
Abdul-Rahim Baba Abdul-Mumin
Program: Full-time MBA
Career: Pivot to technology
Position/Company: Senior program manager with Amazon
Students in the Jenkins full-time MBA program benefit from a summer internship between their first and second years, where they put their classroom learning into practice and gain valuable industry experience. Abdul-Rahim Baba Abdul-Mumin worked as a senior program manager on Amazon’s sales abuse team, leading a project to analyze market trends and build strategies to reduce risks with brands that don’t distribute via Amazon. He hopes to launch a strategy consulting firm to help local enterprises in Africa scale into million-dollar companies.
“It’s been a hands-on learning experience where failure wasn’t the end, but a continuous effort towards resilience,” he said. “Amazon’s ‘working backwards’ approach constantly reminded me to focus on the customer and the bigger impact of the work.”
FROM ENGINEER TO ENTREPRENEUR
Athena Theodorakis
Program: Master of Management, Risk and Analytics
Career: Pivot to consultancy (from global division supply chain director)
Position/Company: Supply chain and risk management consultant, self-employed
Athena Theodorakis entered the Jenkins MRA program as a chemical engineer with more than 20 years of experience in supply chain, manufacturing and product management. After she became one of the program’s first graduates in 2024, she leveraged her revamped analytics skills and stronger business network to launch her own consultancy focused on supply chain and risk management. She credits experiences like the Enterprise Risk Management Roundtable Summit for giving her insight into risk management across a range of industries.
“Students gain exposure to thought leadership about contemporary topics like AI and sustainability,” she said. “These topics weren’t part of business education when I got my MBA, but they’re critical for most organizations today as they consider their potential risks.”
LEADING AS A LIFELONG
LEARNER
Matt Parson
Program: Master of Accounting
Career: Advancing to CFO
Position/Company: Chief financial officer, SAS
Today’s accounting professionals are key leaders and innovators for their companies and clients, and the Jenkins MAC program gives students the technical skills and strategic mindset to step confidently into these roles. Matt Parson chose to pursue his MAC at Poole because of the program’s high CPA exam pass rates and NC State’s strong ties to Big Four firms in the Raleigh area. He credits the program for teaching him the value of lifelong learning and networking — principles he applies daily in his current role as an executive leader at SAS.
“A MAC degree gives you such a good base of knowledge about what drives a company’s performance and opens doors to many different career paths,” he said. “Even if you don’t choose public accounting, the perspective and skills you gain will help you throughout your career.”
Experiences at Poole
At Poole College of Management, learning extends well beyond the classroom. For students, these experiences create early access to networks, real-world insight and career opportunities. For employers, they offer meaningful ways to connect with highpotential talent, share expertise and shape the next generation of business leaders. From first introductions to signed offers, Poole is where connections turn into outcomes.
Mentorship Program Luncheon
Mentorship Program Luncheon
Finance Sector Summit
Career Signing Day
Career Signing Day
Employer Summit
Career and Internship Fair
Career Center
LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Career education is most powerful when it extends beyond individual interactions into a shared community effort. By convening stakeholders around relevant topics and real-world challenges, we create an ecosystem where learning, networking and opportunity intersect. Communities can transform career development from a transactional service into a dynamic network that supports exploration, connection and long-term career success. We are launching and evolving learning communities in professional services, finance, supply chain and operations, sales and marketing, and people management.
About the Career Center
The Career Center serves as the college’s central hub for career education, employer engagement and employment outcomes. Our work is grounded in the belief that career readiness is a key component of student success and institutional influence. Through a scalable career development model, we help students achieve their initial professional goals and give them the tools to manage a rewarding career. Our goal is to empower students for a lifetime of success and impact.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT MODEL
The Career Center provides a comprehensive model to prepare students for long-term career success by aligning personal insight, strategic planning, skill development and real-world application within a cohesive system.
1. Students begin by developing a deeper understanding of their values, interests and capabilities; this serves as the foundation for making informed decisions about potential career paths.
2. From there, students establish clear goals and build a deliberate strategy to pursue those opportunities while also learning to articulate and demonstrate their value through professional materials and interactions.
3. The model then emphasizes applied learning, encouraging students to engage in high-impact experiences such as internships, projects and job searches that translate preparation into measurable outcomes.
4. Finally, students are guided to critically evaluate these experiences, refine their direction, and adapt their approach in response to new insights and changing aspirations.
By reinforcing reflection and iteration as core competencies, the model positions career development as an ongoing, nonlinear process of growth, decision-making and purposeful action.
• Entry into the professional workforce
• Career advancement within their field
• Transition into new roles, functions, industries
• Digital self-service resources
• Group-based learning
• Individualized one-on-one coaching
Recruit Our Students
SIGNATURE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The Career Center helps employers recruit, build relationships and showcase their brand while supporting student growth through events, networking, mentorship and experiential learning, creating meaningful connections. These are some of our signature engagements:
• Career and Internship Fair
• ELEVATE Mentorship Program
• Coffee Chats
• Classroom and corporate presentations
• Campus recruiting
• Practicum projects
• Case competitions
• Company treks
Scan the code for more information.
Employment Partners
PREMIER PARTNERS
We thank our Premier Employment Partners for their strong commitment to Poole College and student success. Through hiring, internships and engagement, they provide real-world experience, strengthen career pathways and support the Career Center’s impact.
PLATINUM PARTNERS
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a Fortune 100 home improvement company with 300,000 employees, over 1,700 stores and distribution and branch networks, and $83B+ in 2024 sales. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina, Lowe’s supports communities through housing initiatives, workforce development and disaster relief.
GOLD PARTNERS
First Citizens Bank , headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, serves personal, business and wealth clients nationwide with a full range of banking services. Parent company First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA) is a Fortune 500, top 20 U.S. financial institution with $200B+ in assets.
Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: SAH), a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, strives to be the most valuable diversified automotive retail and service brand in the U.S. Its culture is driven by innovation, technology and a focus on exceptional customer and employee experiences.
Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions helps retailers thrive with agile solutions and services that adapt to changing consumer needs. Its global team and partners enable greater visibility, control and flexibility to scale and transform retail experiences.
Primary Employers
The Poole College of Management is grateful to the many employment partners who help shape our students’ career success. The companies highlighted here reflect the breadth of organizations that regularly recruit and collaborate with us, though this list is not exhaustive.
ABB
Advance Auto Parts
Accenture
Align Technology
Ally Financial Inc.
Amazon
American Credit
Acceptance
American Woodmark Corp.
Analog Devices, Inc.
Andersen
Autodesk
AT&T
Averitt
Bank of America
BASF
BDO
Belk, Inc.
Bell Partners
bioMérieux
Boston Consulting Group
CAPTRUST
Capital One
Caterpillar
CBRE
Celonis
Cisco Systems
Citi
CliftonLarsonAllen
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Coinbase
Coleman Research
Compass Group
Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc.
Corning Inc.
Crown Lift Trucks
D.R. Horton, Inc.
David Weekley Homes
Dean Dorton
Dell
Deloitte
DRB Homes
DHL Supply Chain
Duke Energy
Eaton
Eli Lilly & Co.
Ernst & Young
Enterprise Mobility
Equitable Advisors
Farm Credit
Fastenal
Faulconer Construction
Fidelity Investments
Fifth Third Bank
First Citizens Bank
First Horizon
First National Bank
FlexGen
Fluor Corp.
Food Lion
Ford Motor Co.
Fortrea
Gallagher
GALLO
Goldman Sachs
Grant Thornton
Grunley Construction
Hanes Companies
HD Supply
Hitachi Energy
Hobbs Properties
Hyster-Yale Materials
Handling
IBM
Ingersoll Rand
Insight Global
John Deere
J.P. Morgan
JPMorganChase
Keyence Corporation of America
KPMG
Lenovo
Levitate
LexisNexis
L'Oréal
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
Lowes Foods
Mangum’s
MaintainX
Martin Marietta
Matthews Real Estate
Investment Services
McKinsey & Co.
Merck
Merrill Lynch
Modern Woodmen of America
Morgan Stanley
Murphy Hoffman Co.
NASCAR
Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking
NetApp, Inc.
Nike
North Carolina General
Assembly
Northwestern Mutual
Financial Network
Novo Nordisk
NTT Data
Old Dominion Freight Line
Oracle
Paycom
Pella Carolina, Inc.
Pendo
Pentair
Peter Millar
Pike Corp.
Plaid
PNC
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Procter & Gamble
Prometheus Group
Railinc
Red Hat
Red Ventures
Republic Finance
REVGEN
Reynolds American, Inc.
Rivian
Rockwell Automation
RSM
S&P Global
SAS
SC Johnson
Schneider Electric
Sherwin-Williams
Siemens Energy
Smithfield Foods
Standish Management
Starbucks
State Employees’ Credit
Union
SteelFab, Inc.
Strategy&
Synchrogistics, LLC
Target
TE Connectivity
TEKsystems
Tesla
TIAA
The Campbell’s Company
The Hershey Co.
The Home Depot
Toshiba Global Commerce
Solutions
TowneBank
Truist
TruTechnologies
TTX Co.
UBS
United Bank
Vanguard
Varonis Systems Inc.
Verizon
Visa
Volvo Group
Walmart
Wells Fargo
Wolfspeed
Xylem
Yardi Systems
Our Alumni Network
35K+
Poole College alumni worldwide
WHERE CONNECTIONS TURN INTO CAREERS
Poole alumni stay connected, sharing experience, guidance and opportunity.
They mentor, hire and champion the next generation of business leaders — transforming shared experiences into relationships that inspire confidence, growth and lifelong success.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
< Mentor Poole Students
This is a rewarding opportunity for alumni to share their career journeys, offer guidance and empower students as they take the next step in their professional path.
< Engage With Poole Talent
Many alumni give back by recruiting Poole students and graduates for internships and full-time roles. Through these partnerships, they strengthen both their organizations and our community of Pack professionals.
< Give Back
Whether through student mentorships, speaking engagements or hiring initiatives, Poole alumni play an active role in shaping a thriving, connected business ecosystem that extends far beyond campus.
Methodology
Employment outcomes for Poole College of Management students are collected, validated and reported in accordance with nationally recognized standards.
Undergraduate career outcomes are gathered and reported in accordance with the NACE First-Destination Survey Standards and Protocols, ensuring consistency in definitions, timing and reporting categories.
Graduate program career outcomes follow MBA CSEA Standards for Reporting Employment Statistics, including structured data collection, verification protocols and classification of outcomes.
*For the full-time MBA program, some employment tables use a three-year aggregate of graduating classes to increase sample size. This methodology provides more detailed and reliable breakouts, such as by industry, function and geographic region while maintaining alignment with MBA CSEA reporting standards.
All data are cleaned, deduplicated and validated through multiple primary sources, including student-reported surveys, employer confirmations and institutional records to produce accurate, comparable and reliable employment statistics.