Forest City, North Carolina has a population of about 7,368. The city’s median household income is $35,897 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 74 accredited schools offering business administration programs near Forest City, with tuition ranging from $2,602 to $69,601 per year for indexed programs. In North Carolina, the top-earning business administration-related role is Financial Manager at a median $160,340 annually (BLS, May 2024).
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 74 schools in our directory that offer business administration programs near Forest City. Distances are calculated from Forest City city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isothermal Community College | Spindale, NC | 2.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs, NC | 12.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Cleveland Community College | Shelby, NC | 21.6 mi | $2,602 - $8,746 | – |
| Limestone University | Gaffney, SC | 22.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| McDowell Technical Community College | Marion, NC | 22.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | Spartanburg, SC | 24.0 mi | $11,583 - $24,565 | – |
| Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg, SC | 25.7 mi | $5,046 - $15,031 | – |
| Wofford College | Spartanburg, SC | 26.1 mi | $54,100 - $69,601 | – |
| Converse University | Spartanburg, SC | 26.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Spartanburg Methodist College | Spartanburg, SC | 26.8 mi | $19,350 - $32,965 | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina business administration page.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide) |
|---|---|
| General and Operations Manager | $99,190 |
| Administrative Services Manager | $101,270 |
| Financial Manager | $160,340 |
| Human Resources Manager | $134,170 |
| Management Analyst | $98,700 |
| Project Management Specialist | $99,580 |
| Accountant or Auditor | $80,490 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $60,790 |
| Office and Administrative Support Supervisor | $61,030 |
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.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,368 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $35,897 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 17.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Business Administration-related employment in Rutherford County | 201 workers, 60 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory has 74 accredited schools offering business administration programs near Forest City. The closest is Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC (2.4 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Spartanburg Methodist College (26.8 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
Based on BLS May 2024 state wage data, the top-paying business administration-related roles in North Carolina are: Financial Manager ($160,340), Human Resources Manager ($134,170), Administrative Services Manager ($101,270). Wages for Forest City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Shelby, NC is 18.8 miles from Forest City 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.
Forest City’s median household income of $35,897 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Forest City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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