Best Online Business Administration Programs in Durham, NC (2026)

Durham, North Carolina has a population of about 288,465. The city’s median household income is $79,234 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 55.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited business administration programs within 100 miles of Durham. In the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, the top-earning business administration-related role is Financial Manager at a median $161,950 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Business Administration Schools to Durham

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer business administration programs. Distances are calculated from Durham city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Durham Technical Community CollegeDurham, NC1.4 miContact school for pricing
Duke UniversityDurham, NC2.6 miContact school for pricing
Meredith CollegeRaleigh, NC17.4 miContact school for pricing
North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC19.0 miContact school for pricing
William Peace UniversityRaleigh, NC19.9 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina business administration page.


Business Administration Wages Near Durham

Durham is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area (BLS area code 20500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$120,240Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$123,197
Administrative Services Manager$104,980Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$107,561
Financial Manager$161,950Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$165,932
Human Resources Manager$151,180Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$154,898
Management Analyst$101,810Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$104,314
Project Management Specialist$110,000Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$112,705
Accountant or Auditor$83,990Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$86,055
Training and Development Specialist$69,750Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$71,465
Office and Administrative Support Supervisor$66,540Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$68,176

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Durham at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population288,465Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$79,234Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+55.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Business Administration-related employment in Durham County12,520 workers, 948 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Durham-Area Cities With Business Administration Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited business administration programs are near Durham, NC?

Our directory lists 5 business administration programs within 100 miles of Durham. The closest is Durham Technical Community College in Durham, NC (1.4 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is William Peace University (19.9 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying business administration roles near Durham?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying business administration-related roles near Durham are: Financial Manager ($161,950), Human Resources Manager ($151,180), General and Operations Manager ($120,240). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Chapel Hill instead of Durham?

Chapel Hill, NC is 8.4 miles from Durham and has its own set of local business administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Durham an affordable place to study business administration?

Durham’s median household income of $79,234 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Durham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.