Our Value

Our staff and faculty help you plan a positive future, develop marketable skills, and acquire practical experiences to make your dreams and dream-job a reality. We make the effort to meet you where you are at in your life journey and educational experience. We partner with you every step of the way. We support and promote a can-do way of thinking and being. We believe in you. We encourage you to do the same.

Affordable

  • Compared to other colleges in Ohio, NC State has a high-value, low-cost tuition— $186.60 per credit hour.
  • Many forms of financial aid are available and accepted:
    • Federal work-study.
    • Federal, state, and private scholarships, grants, and loans.
    • Tuition-reimbursement programs from employers, including a deferred tuition-reimbursement plan that enables students to postpone payment of 75 percent of their fees each semester.
  • We often give adult learners college credit for their life experiences, which may reduce the number of courses you will be required to take and pay for.
    • The FastPath Ohio online tool helps us determine if life experiences like employment history, job responsibilities, and military service will count for college credits.

Practical

  • Many adult learners get internships and complete courses that lead to professional certificates that many employers reward with an increase in pay and position.
    • You can earn multiple certificates (called “stacked” certificates) as you work toward a two-year associate’s degree.
    • Many of our certificate programs are eligible for financial aid.
  • We have labor-market data about your earning potential with local employers.
  • Most of our courses are transferrable to other colleges and universities, which means you’ll spend less time and money as you pursue more education and career advancement.
    • 2+2 Program (a two-year associate’s degree at NC State that transfers to a four-year college or university for a bachelor’s degree, leaving only two years of classes to complete and pay for).
    • 3+1 Program (a two-year associate’s degree at NC State, plus one year of bachelor’s-level courses at NC State that will transfer to a four-year college or university, leaving only one year of classes to complete and pay for).
  • The more transfer credits (classes) you complete at NC State, the more money you will save in the long run for your education.

Accessible

  • NC State has many study options to accommodate the often-hectic schedules of adult learners:
    • Day courses
    • Night courses
    • Multiple locations (Mansfield, Shelby, Bucyrus)
    • Online classes
    • Hybrid classes that combine on-campus and online learning
  • We have several certificates and degrees that can be completed fully online, including an Associate’s in Business Analytics degree.
  • We help you access a community of like-minded lifelong learners. Expand your personal and professional networks through study groups, student organizations, and work experiences in the community.

Supportive

  • According to the Adult Learner 360 Student Survey (AL-360), we score very high on the level of support that we offer to students.
  • We provide you with solid relationships. Each student has access to advisors and other “go-to” people who give guidance and support, including success coaches, academic liaisons, and tutors.
  • Collaborate with us to develop your plan for academic, financial, and career success.
  • For those who need help with basic needs like food, clothing, housing, and transportation, we have on-campus resources like a food pantry, childcare, counseling services, and transportation (through Richland County Transit).
    • We also provide referrals to off-campus community services that can help you through a job loss or layoff, a reduction in income, a housing crisis, and emergency repairs for your car.

Respected

  • The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which assures that NC State is properly prepared at the highest level to carry out its mission, now and in the future. The college is either a member of or recognized by the following organizations:
    • Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
    • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
    • Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
    • Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
    • Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
    • Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiological Technology (JRCERT)
  • Our graduates have thriving careers in corporations and small businesses, healthcare systems, school systems and other public services, faith-based communities, and many other private, nonprofit, and government organizations.
  • Our graduates contribute to their communities. They lead by example.
    • The creative- and critical-thinking skills you develop and the practical experiences you acquire at NC State will be integrated into your personality and way of being. Many graduates feel inspired to help the next generation do the same.