Best Online Finance Programs in Forest City, NC (2026)

Forest City, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering finance programs, with tuition ranging from $31,900 to $47,091 per year for indexed programs. Forest City has a population of about 7,368. Median household income is $35,897 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning finance-related role is Financial Manager at a median $166,780 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Finance Schools to Forest City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer finance programs near Forest City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Forest City city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Forest City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC 13.1 miles from Forest City BOC Score 44.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,039
Avg net price $17,674/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 41.3 miles from Forest City BOC Score 41.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 85%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,543
Avg net price $20,689/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont, NC 47.3 miles from Forest City BOC Score 36.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,937
Avg net price $24,639/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 59.4 miles from Forest City BOC Score 55.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,673
Avg net price $30,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 61.6 miles from Forest City BOC Score 69.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 64.4 miles from Forest City BOC Score 72.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC 74.9 miles from Forest City BOC Score 63.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,458
Avg net price $13,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wingate University

Wingate, NC 84.2 miles from Forest City BOC Score 51.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,649
Avg net price $20,748/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Finance Wages Near Forest City

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Personal Financial Advisor$96,880
Financial and Investment Analyst$102,390
Loan Officer$75,920
Financial Manager$166,780

Source: BLS, May 2025 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.


Forest City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population7,368Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$35,897Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Forest City-Area Cities With Finance Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited finance schools are near Forest City, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering finance programs near Forest City. The closest is Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC (13.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Queens University of Charlotte (59.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying finance roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying finance-related roles in North Carolina are: Financial Manager ($166,780), Financial and Investment Analyst ($102,390), Personal Financial Advisor ($96,880). Wages for Forest City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Forest City?

Shelby, NC is 18.8 miles from Forest City and has its own set of local finance programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Forest City an affordable place to study finance?

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.

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.


Learn More About Finance Programs

Other Programs Available in Forest City

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Forest City:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; 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.