2020 Best Colleges for Entrepreneurs
2020 Best Colleges for Entrepreneurs
The world needs innovators. Can any of us imagine our life with RideShare services or 2-day delivery? Not anymore and why would you want to? It was a cold, hard, inconvenient world before them.
Many colleges and universities have programs specifically designed to foster that innovative spirit—degrees, minors, certificates, and programs in Entrepreneurship. If you dream of founding a startup, managing a small business, want to invent a product, or expand your thought process, a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship will definitely foster that pioneering spirit.
We’ve put together a list of colleges and universities that offer an array of opportunities to delve deep into the entrepreneurial world! Check them out and don’t forget to add your favorites to your college list!
Not sure what you want to major in? Use our Majors & Careers Quiz.
Colleges & Universities with Full Degrees in Entrepreneurship
Arizona State University
Degree: Bachelor’s of Science in Business Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship isn’t just contained in the W.P. Carey School of Business — it’s also present in several other areas of Arizona State University. The primary degree at ASU is a Bachelor of Science in Business Entrepreneurship, but students can also branch out and earn a BAS in Health Entrepreneurship & Innovation, a BS in Biotechnology and Bio Enterprise, as well as a BS in Technological Entrepreneurship & Management—and more.
ASU is also home to a Startup School, Skysong Innovation, a mentorship program, and the Lisa Foundation Patent Law Clinic. Students can join programs such as the Engineering Projects in Community Service program and GlobalResolve, or utilize InnovationSpace.
Baylor University
Degree: Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a Major in Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation
Baylor University is home to the Hankamer School of Business which features the Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation major. Baylor offers a number of resources outside of the major itself, as well, including the Baylor Angel Network, an investor network that provides early stage capital to strong entrepreneurial teams, as well the Baylor New Venture Competition with chances to win more than $250,000 in cash prizes.
Carnegie Mellon University
Degree: Bachelor’s in Business with an Entrepreneurship Track
Carnegie Mellon University was the first institution to formally offer classes in Entrepreneurship and, through the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship offers a Major in Business with a track in Entrepreneurship.
Indiana University-Bloomington
Degree: Bachelor’s in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation
Indiana University in Bloomington is home to the Kelley School of Business, which is in turn home to the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Students can major in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation to learn all of the skills needed in creating and managing small businesses.
Miami University
Degree: Co-major in Entrepreneurship
Miami University in Oxford, OH, has a unique take on the entrepreneurship major — considered a “co-major,” students must choose a primary major before applying to add Entrepreneurship as a co-major. It’s also offered as a minor, three certificates, and a graduate certificate. The Farmer School of Business also features opportunities such as the Startup Launch Mini-Accelerator Program, Enterprises Consulting, Venture Capital Immersion, and more.
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Degree: BBA in Strategic Business Development & Entrepreneurship
Through the Department of Business Administration, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, offers a BBA in Business Development & Entrepreneurship. Outside of class U of I Urbana-Champaign has a variety of resources, including the iVenture Accelerator, Origin Ventures Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and Research Park.
Georgetown University
Degree: Major in Leadership & Innovation
The McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University offers a major in Leadership and Innovation. GU also features the Venture Lab, Pitch Competitions, a mentorship program, and more.
Syracuse University
Degree: Major in Entrepreneurship
Syracuse University features an entire department for the aspiring innovative business idea person—the Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises, or EEE. Students can major or minor in Entrepreneurship, as well as take advantage of all that the Falcon Center for Entrepreneurship has to offer, which includes clubs, competitions, and programs both on campus and nationally.
Texas Christian University
Degree: Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Bachelor’s of Business Administration with a major in Entrepreneurship and Innovation lives in the Neeley School of Business at TCU, and it’s just the beginning. Texas Christian University is also home to the Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as well as a Values and Ventures Competition, an Entrepreneurship Club, the Bill Shaddock Venture Capital Fund, and an Intern Scholars Program.
University of Arizona
Degree: Major in Entrepreneurship
The Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona is home to the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, which powers the major in Entrepreneurship. Students choose any major when entering the University of Arizona and apply for a second major in entrepreneurship during their junior year. Outside of the classroom, there are recruitment opportunities in both Fall and Spring through the Eller Expo and Career Showcase.
University of Chicago
Degree: UChicago Careers in Entrepreneurship
The Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago is well-known in the business world, especially since it features unique opportunities to study areas such as private equity. Students can enroll in UChicago’s unique “UChicago Careers In” program, which gives students interested in Entrepreneurship personalized career counseling, networking opportunities, and skill-building workshops. The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation also offers an accelerator program, New Venture Program, and research opportunities.
University of Houston
Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship
The University of Houston is home to the Bauer College of Business where students can earn their Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship. Students can also utilize the resources at the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship
University of Maryland-College Park
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Business with an Entrepreneurial Track
The University of Maryland in College Park is home to the Robert H. Smith School of Business where students can earn their baccalaureate in Business with an Entrepreneurial track. The School of Business works with the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, which maintains an Angel Investor Network, Boot Strapped the podcast, and a Pitch Competition.
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Degree: Bachelor’s in Entrepreneurial Management
Though the Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship, students can earn their baccalaureate in Entrepreneurial Management. There are also options for certificates, a minor, and electives. With 100 years of experience, the Carlson School of Management has also developed the largest statewide startup competition in the country, as well as the MIN-Corps, a series of courses, workshops, and bootcamps.
University of Virginia
Degree: Multiple Options in Architecture, Technology, Education, and Commerce
The University of Virginia has a unique setup for their entrepreneurship majors. Students interested in Architecture can enroll in the Architectural Design Thinking Concentration, while students interested in leadership and public policy and join the Social Entrepreneurship Program. UV also offers the Youth and Social Innovation Major, while Engineering and Applies Sciences offers the Technology Entrepreneurship Program. Last but not least, the McIntire School of Commerce offers the Entrepreneurship Track.
University of Utah
Degree: Major in Entrepreneurship
The David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah has a whole slew of offerings centered around Entrepreneurship. They have a major, minor, certificates, crash courses, a global program, electives, and more. Students can live at the Lassonde Studios, a 160,000 square foot building where everyone lives, creates, and launches, or join the Lassonde Founders, a select group of active undergrad entrepreneurs.
Colleges & Universities with Concentrations, Minors, and Programs in Entrepreneurship
Babson College
Fifty years ago, Babson College introduced entrepreneurship as a discrete academic discipline. Today, the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship offers a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Design.
Boston University
The School of Management houses the Entrepreneurship Programs Office which orchestrates mentoring programs, competitions, incubators, networking, and more. Students can opt for a an Entrepreneurship concentration with their bachelor’s degree.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University features the BYU Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, which fuels the Bachelor of Science degree in Management with an Emphasis in Entrepreneurship.
Brown University
Brown University offers a program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship called PRIME and also is home to the student-led Brown Entrepreneurship program.
Northeastern University
Northeastern University offers a concentration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, along with the Center for Entrepreneurship Education which offers a built-in network of investors.
North Carolina State University
NC State may not have a degree specifically labeled “Entrepreneurship,” but they have an array of programs, minors, certificates, and tracks for students in Arts, Agribusiness, Computer Science, and Engineering, as well as a general certificate program. They hold networking in high regard and are home to the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs, an Entrepreneurship Clinic (eClinic), a Mentors Program, an Entrepreneurship Garage, and the Office of Research Commercialization (ORC) all at the students' disposal.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Housed in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, students can complete a 9-credit program in Entrepreneurship. U of M-Ann Arbor also maintains the Center of Entrepreneurship as a resource for students.
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill is home to the Kenan-Flagler Business School, which features the Center for Entrepreneurial Students. Students can major in business and opt for an emphasis in Entrepreneurial Studies.
Tufts University
The Tufts University Entrepreneurship Center offers hands-on experience, the opportunity to engage with professors and coaches, and four primary competitions for pitches. Students can minor in Entrepreneurships as well as participate in the Tufts Entrepreneurship Network and Society.
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University offers students a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, through which they can concentrate in Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management. SFSU also hosts the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fellows Program designed to train global leaders.
University of Florida
The University of Florida is home to the Warrington College of Business Administration which offers an undergraduate minor in Entrepreneurship. The university is also home to the Jeff Gold Experiential Learning Laboratory which offers the GatorNet Consulting Program, an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Student Mentoring, and Business Acceleration Initiatives.
University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania offers a major in management with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Wharton also hosts a Business Plan competition, a small business development center, awards, and fellowships.
Pennsylvania State University
There may not be an Entrepreneurship major at Penn State, but the Intercollegiate Minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (INTI) covers a lot. Students can choose from a variety of concentrations, including Bio-innovation, New Media, New Ventures, Social Entrepreneurship, Technology-Based Entrepreneurship, Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Hospitality Management.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Wisconsin School of Business at UW-Madison offers a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a specialization in Entrepreneurship. Students can also take advantage of the Weinart Center for Entrepreneurship and the Business and Entrepreneurship Clinic, which allows students to gain first-hand knowledge of the life cycles of real businesses and even start their own.
Colleges & Universities with Resources for Entrepreneurs
- Major in Business at the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
- Entrepreneurship across Cornell campaign, Entrepreneur Network
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institution at the Johnson Graduate School of Management
- Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence
- Major in Business Administration with ability to tailor degree
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Management Science
- Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship
- Study business through a much broader liberal arts curriculum
- Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
University of California-Irvine
- Major in Business Administration with several opportunities for specialization
- Paul Merage School of Business—Don Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Annual Business Plan Competition—$100,000 in cash prizes
University of Southern California
- Marshall School of Business and the Leventhal School of Accounting - Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
- General Business Degree
- Access to Center’s initiatives
- Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
- Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
- Freshmen can apply to the Buerk’s Center for Entrepreneurship program
- Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship at the McCombs School of Business
- Major in Bachelor of Business Administration with the option to pursue entrepreneurship through electives, fellowships, and on-campus incubators
