Key takeaways
- Entrepreneurship is a vast discipline including many fields of study such as finance, accounting, law, management, and more.
- Connecticut is fast becoming a hub for entrepreneurial activity. Over 99% of the state’s businesses were small businesses.
- Connecticut has the second-highest venture capital investors in the field of bioscience and technology.
- The government initiative Advance CT opened nearly 2000 jobs due to a $50 million investment in startups in several fields in 2023 alone.
- Public colleges in Connecticut offering entrepreneurship degrees include Southern Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut.
- Private colleges in Connecticut offering degrees in entrepreneurship include Quinnipiac University and the University of Hartford.
- Before selecting an undergraduate degree in entrepreneurship, consider entry requirements, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and cost of study.
Some are born to lead, while others learn. Similarly, some are born with entrepreneurial capabilities, while others build entrepreneurial acumen through formal education. Numerous private and public colleges in Connecticut and across the United States offer bachelor’s degrees in entrepreneurship to help aspiring entrepreneurs develop essential competencies.
In this article, we provide a list of some Connecticut colleges with excellent entrepreneurship programs and offer tips on how to choose the ideal college and program.
Best private and public colleges in Connecticut for entrepreneurship
Before choosing a private or public college in Connecticut, you must conduct in-depth research to identify which college and program offers the best value. Additionally, you must be clear on whether you want to explore an online entrepreneurship program or an on-campus one. Here we list some of the best available options for those hoping to pursue a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship.
Southern Connecticut State University
The Southern Connecticut State University is one of the best public colleges in Connecticut. Acknowledging the demand for entrepreneurship programs, the university launched the entrepreneurship initiative. As a result, aspiring entrepreneurs can gain formal education in the field.
Southern Connecticut State University’s School of Business offers a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. The program is designed for students with big business ideas and the goal of turning them into profitable ventures.
A key focus of the program is to promote experiential learning and networking. Students connect with like-minded individuals through a series of extracurricular activities. These include business plan pitching competitions, entrepreneur speaking series, and student-entrepreneur discussion and feedback sessions.
With a required GPA of 2.7 and an acceptance rate of 83%, it is one of the good colleges in Connecticut with easy entry requirements.
| Location | Required GPA | Acceptance rate | Tuition |
| New Haven, Connecticut | 2.7 | 83% | $12,438 (in-state)
$25,326 (out-of-state) |
University of Connecticut
The Management and Entrepreneurship Department at the University of Connecticut offers students learning opportunities in entrepreneurship at all levels. Their undergraduate program is however the most extensive and ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneurship course is taken in conjunction with a business degree and aims to build a comprehensive set of skills required to create and lead a business organization. Students learn essentials from a variety of disciplines including finance, management, accounting, team management, leadership, and more.
The curriculum of the entrepreneurship degree at the University of Connecticut focuses on bringing out innovative capabilities in students. Innovation is critical for successful entrepreneurial ventures. Through collaboration and creative learning opportunities, entrepreneurship students learn to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
The University of Connecticut is one of the best colleges in Connecticut for a business entrepreneurship degree. With a minimum required GPA of 3.76 and an acceptance rate of 54.5%, it is also one of the more difficult ones to get into.
| Location | Required GPA | Acceptance rate | Tuition |
| Storrs-Mansfield, Connecticut | 3.76 | 54.5% | $19,434 (in-state)
$42,102 (out-of-state) |
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is one of the private colleges in Connecticut offering a business degree in entrepreneurship. The university offers a bachelor of science minor in entrepreneurial studies, featuring a curriculum ideal for modern-day entrepreneurs.
Through a combination of theoretical courses and experiential learning opportunities, candidates develop a working knowledge of business setup, operation, and management. Moreover, they enjoy various interaction and networking opportunities essential for entrepreneurs.
Moreover, through the curriculum, students build an understanding of the complete business system. From finance, accounting, marketing, supply chain management, and more. They also learn competitive and strategic positioning, targeting virtual consumers, identifying abstract markets, and more.
Essentially, students will graduate with functional knowledge, and vital skills needed to successfully launch, operate and grow a business venture. On-ground facilities such as access to the Innovators group also add value to the overall learning experience.
| Location | Required GPA | Acceptance rate | Tuition |
| West Hartford, Connecticut | 3.3 | 83% | $46,148/yr |
Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University is one of the best colleges in Connecticut for a bachelor’s degree in business entrepreneurship. The university offers a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The program features a business core curriculum including courses such as fundamentals of business management, principles of finance and accounting, and the like.
Additionally, students can take courses from the entrepreneurship and small business management core. Course options include introduction to entrepreneurial thinking and practice, opportunity recognition and negotiation, business launch, and more.
Students also enjoy a variety of elective choices such as the business of music, entrepreneurship and innovative responses to the coronavirus, social entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial financing, and more.
Electives offer students the reins allowing them to steer their academic curriculum in the direction they need. Those who struggle with marketing might be interested in marketing electives. And those who want to learn more about financing entrepreneurial activities will likely choose finance courses.
At Quinnipiac University, students enjoy a wide range of elective options, ensuring there is something present for all students.
| Location | Required GPA | Acceptance rate | Tuition |
| Hamden, Connecticut | 3.3 | 84% | $51,790/yr |
Why choose a private or public college in Connecticut for entrepreneurship?
Connecticut is fast becoming a hub for small business activity. Students hoping to pursue a degree in entrepreneurship with peers and those with industry experience should consider studying in Connecticut.
As per a report published on Yale Insights, in the field of biotech and life sciences, Connecticut has the second-largest number of venture capital investors in the state. The state has the second-highest rate of bioscience R&D investment.
Additionally, it has the highest concentration of finance graduates employed all over the state. With over 5,400 finance companies, it is an ideal place for candidates hoping to gain employment in the financial sector, especially for new startups.
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, or hoping to get employment in the business sector, an entrepreneurship degree from one of the private or public colleges in Connecticut is ideal for you. The state is a treasure trove of opportunities for those willing to grab them.
Through the government initiative, Advance CT, economic researchers, and entrepreneurship professionals boosted economic growth in the state. Nearly 2000 jobs opened in the state as a result of over $50 million in investments in various industries.
Moreover, as part of the next phase of the program, the government hopes to launch career placement programs. They hope to connect talented fresh graduates with available employment opportunities through a portal.
Over 150,000 college students will be able to benefit from the initiative. Connecticut is an ideal place not just for aspiring entrepreneurs, but also for graduates with an entrepreneurship degree hoping to pursue successful careers in the business and finance industries.
Typical entrepreneurship coursework at private and public colleges in Connecticut
Entrepreneurship is more than just business management. It is the ability to launch and grow a business idea into a profitable business venture. As a study discipline, it entails many components.
While at first glance, it may look strikingly similar to a business degree, a closer look reveals that it is in fact quite different. Before you select an entrepreneurship degree, there are some things you should know about entrepreneurship programs.
Make sure you look into entry requirements, graduation requirements, typical industry employers, and potential job opportunities for entrepreneurship graduates. By conducting in-depth research into these points, you will be able to identify if entrepreneurship is the right path for you or not.
A typical 4-year entrepreneurship degree requires completion of 120 credit hours. Students have to take a combination of compulsory core business subjects, entrepreneurship-specific courses, and electives.
Core business courses include:
- Business law
- Accounting
- Finance
- Marketing
- Business management
Entrepreneurship-specific courses include:
- Entrepreneurial thinking
- Business planning
- Opportunity recognition
- Business plan pitching
- Securing entrepreneurial finance
Additionally, elective options can include:
- Social entrepreneurship
- Global entrepreneurship
- Technology and entrepreneurship
- Innovation and creativity
- Marketing a small business
Additionally, students must complete an internship or a capstone project. The goal of these last two requirements is to provide industry exposure to students, which rounds off their learning experience beautifully.
Entrepreneurship degrees place great emphasis on experiential learning. Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, entrepreneurial clubs, business plan pitching contests, and more. Moreover, the presence of online and on-campus resources such as access to industry experts, and discussion platforms helps broaden the scope of learning outside the classroom.
Pursue entrepreneurship at public colleges in Connecticut today!
Entrepreneurship activities are on the rise in the US due to many factors. A thriving economy, favorable government policy, a healthy consumer market, and the possibility of a high reward fuel the growth of business activity in many states.
Connecticut is one such state with an astounding entrepreneurial landscape. As per the state’s 2023 small business profile, over 99% of Connecticut’s businesses were small businesses. Between March 2021 and March 2022, a total of 16,510 businesses opened in the state. New entrepreneurial activity accounted for 15,892 new job openings in the state.
It wouldn’t be wrong to term the state as one of the best for entrepreneurial activity. In fact, Connecticut’s government is working exceptionally hard to make it so. Thus, aspiring entrepreneurs could benefit greatly from pursuing an entrepreneurship degree at one of the private or public colleges in Connecticut.
Our degree advice to all applicants, especially out-of-state ones, and international students is to take into account the complete cost of study when choosing a college. This includes tuition cost, cost of living, food, transportation, and other living expenses before selecting a study location.
We wish you the best of luck in your college hunt!