by our College Data Analytics TeamEntrepreneurs are creative and industrious individuals who have the drive and ability to start up and run their own business. Being an entrepreneur means you are your own boss and make all the decisions. If this sounds like your dream job, a degree in entrepreneurial studies is an excellent way to begin. This program will teach you how to build and promote your own business. Students in this major will learn how marketing and management functions associated with owning and running their business.
Some of the concentrations available are Franchise Operations and Small Business Administration/Management. While majoring in Entrepreneurial Studies, you will take courses in Investor relations and funding, Business Ethics, Leadership and Organization, Human Resource Management, Small Business Management, and Accounting. This major is commonly offered as a Bachelors, but some institutions offer it as an Associate's degree.
In 2020-2021, entrepreneurial studies was the 120th most popular major nationwide with 11,319 degrees awarded. This is a difference of 311 over the prior year, a growth of 2.7%.
Our 2023 Best Entrepreneurial Studies Schools ranking analyzes 310 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for entrepreneurial studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of entrepreneurship programs later in this article.
Individuals who are highly motivated and self-starters are often found in this major. You will be the leader to a group of employees and their performance will determine if you successes or fail, therefore the ability to motivate and lead other is an important skill to possess. In order to be successful in this major you must be innovative and persistent. The ability to think of new ideas and solutions is crucial to compete with others in the marketplace.
In order to prepare for this major, students are advised to take courses in Statistics, Business, Microeconomics, Accounting, and Calculus. After completing a Bachelor's students may also have the option to continue to the Master's or Doctorate level.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most entrepreneurship degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic entrepreneurial studies program qualifications, to serve in some entrepreneurship careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different entrepreneurship degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in entrepreneurial studies to something that takes less time like a . How long it takes to complete some common entrepreneurship degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to entrepreneurship, with approximately 45.8% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to entrepreneurship tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 42.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.7% |
| Doctoral Degree | 9.4% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 6.8% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 5.7% |
83.3% of entrepreneurship workers have at least a bachelor's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in entrepreneurial studies careers have.
The education level required is different depending on the entrepreneurship career you are seeking.
Graduates with a degree in Entrepreneurial Studies can do a few different things in terms of careers. While some graduates go onto start their own business, you can also find work as a Business Manager, Human Resources Manager, Management Analyst, and Top Executive.
Want a job when you graduate with your entrepreneurship degree? Entrepreneurial Studies careers are expected to grow 7.9% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to entrepreneurial studies.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 2,468,300 | 9.1% |
| Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
| Chief Executives | 296,800 | -3.9% |
| Business Professors | 123,000 | 18.0% |
Entrepreneurial Studies graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $42,599 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $11,608 to as high as $161,907. As you might expect, salaries for entrepreneurship graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for entrepreneurial studies graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers entrepreneurship grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $200,140 |
| General and Operations Managers | $123,880 |
| Managers | $115,590 |
| Business Professors | $103,330 |
With over 1,302 different entrepreneurship degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased entrepreneurship school rankings to help you with this.
One of 21 majors within the Business, Management & Marketing area of study, Entrepreneurial Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Entrepreneurship | 8,484 |
| Small Business Administration/Management | 2,345 |
| Other Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 427 |
| Social Entrepreneurship | 48 |
| Franchising and Franchise Operations | 15 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Administration & Management | 416,590 |
| Accounting | 99,265 |
| Finance & Financial Management | 57,778 |
| General Business/Commerce | 56,042 |
| Marketing | 52,916 |
Image Credit: By Uicbmarketing under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
