Key takeaways
- Entrepreneurial programs are in high demand across the US as entrepreneurial activity continues to rise in the country.
- Over 130 colleges and universities in the US offer entrepreneurship programs.
- The United States offers a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in the form of a stable economy, opportunities for investment and growth, and availability of funds.
- When choosing the best entrepreneurial program, consider factors such as ranking, program diversity, availability of scholarships, and more.
- University of Houston, University of Texas at Austin, and Babson College are some renowned names for entrepreneurship education.
- The University of Tampa, Arizona State University, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro are also great for if you want to study entrepreneurship in university.
More than 130 colleges and universities in the United States offer entrepreneurial programs. That doesn’t come as a shock as the US is widely recognized as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. Over the years, the US has carefully curated a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem that fosters business creation and new idea generation and encourages risk-taking. If you aspire to be an entrepreneur, you can take advantage of the thriving ecosystem that comes in the form of tech giants in Silicon Valley or financial powerhouses on Wall Street and even the well-developed entrepreneurial education system.
In this guide, we present a list of the best entrepreneurial programs in the United States. Here, you will not only find some renowned colleges but also some lesser-known ones offering the same value and learning experience. If you don’t find a program that you like, we also tell you what to look for in an entrepreneurship program to help you make the right choice.
What do entrepreneurial programs include?
Whether entrepreneurship can be learned or not is often the topic for much heated debate. The opinions among entrepreneurs, educators, and industry leaders are conflicted. Entrepreneurs are visionary leaders and hustlers, able to identify opportunities to solve problems through products and services. An entrepreneurial program offers the best chance to develop foundational entrepreneurial skills and gain hands-on experience developing business ideas, securing funding, running business operations, and more.
Different colleges and universities offer different learning experiences and feature different curriculums. However, the general range of topics covered in an entrepreneurship program include:
Moreover, when studying entrepreneurship in university, you will get the chance to interact with like-minded peers, engage with industry leaders, take part in entrepreneurship competitions, and engage in activities providing hands-on learning experience. Through the program, you will learn to tap into the entrepreneurial mindset, identify opportunities, develop business plans, pitch your ideas to investors, secure funding, and so much more.
But among the many entrepreneurial programs offered by different US colleges and universities, finding ones that offer a greater value for money can prove challenging. However, since college education is a significant financial investment and time commitment, such decisions should not be made in haste.
What to look for in an entrepreneurship program?
Before you send in that college application, make sure the program you chose is well worth your time and effort and offers the best possible learning experience out there. Here are a few questions to ask when reviewing a program, as these will help you get a better understanding of the value offered.
What is the ranking of the entrepreneurial program?
Whenever you are selecting a program, the ranking should always be the first consideration. However, we are not just talking about the ranking of the college, we are talking about the program’s ranking as well. Here, take into account rankings from renowned platforms such as Princeton Review and US News.
How diverse is the program?
Program diversity is another key consideration factor, especially when choosing an entrepreneurship program, as entrepreneurship is a diverse field. As an aspiring entrepreneur, you should be able to combine as many majors as you need and tailor your learning program to suit your career aspirations. Commonly combined majors include marketing, finance, project management, and so on.
What is the entrepreneurial ecosystem like?
The on-campus entrepreneurial ecosystem can give aspiring and budding entrepreneurs the boost they need to launch their business ideas. It includes incubation centers, mentorship programs, acceleration opportunities, centers for research and innovation, and more. The better and well-developed a college’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is, the better the learning experience will be.
Are there hands-on learning opportunities?
Hands-on learning opportunities include projects where you get to apply classroom learning. These can include developing business plans, pitching business ideas to investors, securing funding, market research, branding, developing marketing strategies, innovation competitions, and more. It is through such opportunities that entrepreneurship students really come into their own and start to think more like entrepreneurs and less like students.
Does the college offer scholarships and grants?
Scholarships and grant opportunities are like the cherry on top of that perfect entrepreneurial program. However, they are more than just decoration, and in many cases, the availability of scholarships, financial assistance, and grant opportunities dictate whether a student can or cannot afford to study at a particular school. The higher the number of available opportunities, the better.
Is the program AACSB accredited?
The Associate to Advance College School of Business (AACSB) accreditation is an indicator that the program offers the highest quality of education in their particular field. If you want to choose the best entrepreneurial program out there, choose only those with an AACSB accreditation. The accreditation board ensures a college maintains its quality and standard of education, making it one of the ultimate markers of quality.
What are your career aspirations and goals?
We saved the best for last. A program is only good if it suits your career aspirations and requirements. If you already have knowledge of marketing, finance, and other relevant topics, then you don’t need to find an entrepreneurial program offering the ability to pursue multiple majors. You can choose a concentration track within entrepreneurship, but that, too, is dependent on your personal preferences.
It is due to this one point that there is subjectivity when it comes to ranking entrepreneurial programs. However, in our list, we have included a diverse range of colleges and universities offering an entrepreneur program that qualifies as one of the best in the US.
Best bachelor’s entrepreneurial programs in 2025
The educational landscape in the United States is rich and diverse. Finding the right college to study entrepreneurship from can prove challenging. Here, we have some of the best entrepreneurship schools in the United States.
University of Houston
The University of Houston’s entrepreneurship program tops the chart in both US News and Princeton Review rankings of the best entrepreneurial programs in the US. What sets the University of Houston’s entrepreneurship program apart is its emphasis on community engagement and hands-on learning. The program offers several on and off-campus activities and opportunities to collaborate with various programs such as the Empowering Women Out of Prison Program.
Moreover, the university features a very diverse student base, which is a true representation of what the American population is like. The opportunity to engage and interact with such a diverse student base can expand an aspiring entrepreneur’s horizons, enabling them to be the best entrepreneur possible.
Location | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
Houston, Texas | 66% | 66% | $6,589 in-state
$14,666 out-of-state |
Babson College
Babson College is another name that often pops up as one of the best colleges in the US for entrepreneurship. The college offers the perfect package for entrepreneurship students: an immersive learning experience, incubation centers such as the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship, accelerator programs, and more.
The program comes with a hefty price tag and a low acceptance rate, but the college does offer great value for the money. Here, you will find media rooms, collaborative workspaces, and areas dedicated specifically to the creation of ideas into opportunities. Plus, undergraduate students are also eligible for a merit-based scholarship to make education accessible for talented individuals.
Location | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
Wellesley, Massachusetts | 22% | 93% | $56,032 |
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin features a vibrant community of entrepreneurs with over 125 centers and many more companies in its circle. Students benefit from the chance to participate in over 40 competitions, learn from industry leaders through mentorship opportunities, and more. Here, you get to enjoy all the perks of an excellent entrepreneurial program while also getting opportunities to engage and connect with teachers and students across all departments.
The focus here is to build entrepreneurial skills such as communication, idea pitching, business planning, and strategizing through hands-on learning opportunities. If you are looking for an immersive learning experience, this is the program for you.
Location | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
Austin, Texas | 31% | 85% | $11,678 in-state
$42,778 out-of-state |
University of Tampa
The entrepreneurship program at the University of Tampa may not be among Princeton Review’s top 10, but it is an AACSB-accredited institute offering an unparalleled educational experience. Through the program, entrepreneurs learn to tap into their innovative side to think outside the box and present unique business ideas. The university’s John P. Lowth Entrepreneurship Center applauds innovative thinkers through the C.R.E.A.T.E Competition, where entrepreneurs are encouraged to share their bold and innovative ideas. If you want to be supported for thinking outside the box, this is the place to be.
Location | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
Tampa, Florida | 263% | 57.1% | $33,424 |
Arizona State University
The Arizona State University (ASU) offers multiple entrepreneurship programs and also offers the opportunity to pursue multiple majors. Whether you want to learn management or business administration alongside your entrepreneurship program, you can do so easily at ASU. What’s unique about this program is that it heavily focuses on sustainability and on environmental impact to encourage the creation of environment-friendly business models.
Moreover, students enjoy the ability to collaborate with students from other schools. The chance to engage with peers from other disciplines brings fresh perspectives into mundane discussions, enhancing the overall learning experience.
Location | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
Tempe, Arizona | 90% | 66% | $12,051 in-state
$32,193 out-of-state |
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro offers one of the largest entrepreneurship programs in North Carolina. Students can enroll in the program either online or on-campus and enjoy learning from award-winning faculty comprising industry leaders and experts.
Not only do these thought leaders bring their professional experience and expertise to the classroom but also their individual teaching styles, which range from in-class lectures to competitions, debates, and more.
Location | Acceptance % | Graduation % | Tuition |
Greensboro, North Carolina | 92% | 59% | $7,593 in-state
$23,339 out-of-state |
Final Note – What is right for you is what is best!
Even though we spent the whole guide convincing you to choose only the best entrepreneurial program, only you know what is best for you. When choosing a college, rankings, available resources, and faculty may not be your first consideration. If factors such as location or cost are at the forefront of your selection process, then no list of best entrepreneurial programs can help you find the right entrepreneurial program.
Make sure to keep your career aspirations and personal preferences at the forefront of your selection process, as only then will you be able to make the right choice. You can also look for colleges by state