Utility

Education That Works

With 12 colleges representing all major academic disciplines, more than 36,000 students and more than 2,300 faculty, NC State is the largest university in North Carolina. This is a preeminent research enterprise where undergraduate and graduate students learn from award-winning faculty.

An NC State education begins in the classroom, but it never stops there. Our students test their knowledge through research and apply it in internships and co-ops with an array of business and industry partners. That experiential approach to education gives our graduates the career-ready skills they need to thrive.

Strength Where It Counts

Many of our strengths lie in fields that solve global problems and shape local economies. We have programs in engineering, business administration, statistics, veterinary medicine and more that rank among the best in the country. And we’re a leader in emerging fields, such as analytics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and biomedical engineering.

Our Centennial Campus houses top academic programs in cutting-edge fields like advanced analytics, and provides valuable work experience for future graduates through innovative partnerships with industry and government.

We’re also a university of choice for today’s brightest students studying the humanities and social sciences, plant and animal life sciences, management, education, natural resources, and the physical, chemical, mathematical, statistical, biological and earth-system sciences. The breadth of our academic excellence is reflected in the strength of NC State’s library system, which includes the Hunt Library, ranked as one of the 16 coolest college libraries in the country by Business Insider.

Growing the Economy

At NC State, education is inseparable from economic growth. Our mission isn’t just to teach students; it’s to train tomorrow’s workforce. So we encourage them to tackle tomorrow’s challenges, gaining the skills they need through practical degree programs, cooperative learning and on-the-job training.

On our Centennial Campus, we work with more than 60 public and private partners to kick-start the local and national economies. The many initiatives and centers we host serve as hothouses for industries of the future.

If we can’t find the business we need to work with, we start it. Our research has launched more than 100 companies, creating 400+ new consumer products and thousands of jobs throughout the state and across the country.

Serving the Community

NC State research doesn’t go on a shelf. It goes wherever it’s needed.

Our students, faculty and partners apply their learning to meet global challenges and improve everyone’s quality of life — whether that means promoting science and technology education in a Raleigh high school or breeding sweet potato varieties for use in sub-Saharan Africa.

NC State students are volunteers, activists and leaders. Through the Alternative Service Break program, they marshal their talents to tackle everything from GLBT homelessness to water quality in Nicaragua.