Can you learn to be an entrepreneur? It’s a common question in entrepreneurship circles. After all, an entrepreneur is a little of everything—a visionary, hustler, builder, and boss. Can you learn that stuff in a classroom? The answer is yes and no: You don’t have to go to school for it, but doing so can help accelerate your growth and provide you with the fundamentals for entrepreneurial success. Not all elements of entrepreneurship can be found in a book, of course, which is why the best colleges and universities have robust programs that support students’ startups and help build the kind of networks that last a lifetime.
Related: Top 50 Best Undergraduate Programs for Entrepreneurs in 2025
So which are the best schools? Entrepreneur has partnered with The Princeton Review for 19 years to answer that question—ranking the top undergraduate and graduate programs for entrepreneurs. This year’s survey considered hundreds of colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe, and evaluated them on a multitude of factors—including their programming, their available mentors, and their graduates’ success rates in the business world. Read on to see which schools made the grade. (To read more about our methodology, pick up the Dec. 2024 issue of Entrepreneur.)
1. Rice University (#1 Southwest)
Rice University
Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Lilie)
Houston, TX
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 23
Tuition: $74,730
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 325
What Sets Us Apart
Rice Innovation Fellows supports grad students with education, dedicated space, personalized mentorship, and non-dilutive funding to transition research from the lab to the real world. Tech Commercialization Lab pairs MBAs with PhDs to create multidisciplinary teams translating cutting-edge technologies into commercial products. Lilie Launchpad provides equity-free funding, development workshops, community/social events, and 1:1 mentorship. Napier Rice Launch Challenge offers $110K in equity-free funding for competitions. Summer Venture Studio immersive accelerator provides $15K per team and mentorship across eight teams, totaling $120K. Venture Capital E-Lab gives students VC experience, meaningful connections, and networking with a partner VC firm. Owlspark supports Rice-affiliated start-ups and small businesses with resources, funding, and space, having served 103 start-ups and over 215 entrepreneurs, raising more than $105M. Rice Alliance hosts the Texas Life Science Forum and Energy Tech Venture Forums, two of the largest energy and life science VC conferences in the region. The Rice Business Plan Competition is the world’s richest and largest, with 288 past competitors raising nearly $6.1B and $7.6B in exit dollars. The Rice Alliance also runs programming and activation at the Ion, Houston’s innovation hub powered by Rice University.
2. University of California Los Angeles (#1 West)
University of California Los Angeles
Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Los Angeles, CA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 46
Tuition: $80,926 (in-state); $80,926 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 273
What Sets Us Apart
UCLA Anderson has been recognized as a leader in entrepreneurial education for several decades. We offer a wide and deep range of curriculum offerings that provide our students with management skills suited to an entrepreneurial setting while also helping them to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Our elective offerings cut across the functional areas of management and multiple disciplines. We also offer courses tailored to our location in Los Angeles and industries in our economy, in sectors such as consumer tech, media and entertainment, real estate, social impact, private equity, and health tech.
3. University of Michigan (#1 Midwest)
University of Michigan
Ross School of Business, Zell Lurie Institute; College of Engineering, Center for Entrepreneurship
Ann Arbor, MI
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 91
Tuition: $70,724 (in-state); $75,724 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 504
What Sets Us Apart
An entrepreneurial vision began at the University of Michigan in 1927 with the launch of the first family business class. Since this initial offering, the entrepreneurial curriculum at U-M has grown to include courses in opportunity recognition, commercializing a concept, holistic thinking, team development, venture capital and more. The courses and programs bridge the gap between academia and real-world entrepreneurship by providing immersive opportunities for students to apply their skills in practical settings.
Graduate students experience each step of venture creation. From participating in one of six student-led funds to supporting the launch of a company within our Desai Accelerator program, U-M offers a taste of entrepreneurship for everyone.
While not all students pursue an entrepreneurial career path, U-M recognizes entrepreneurship as a foundational skill set. Our courses cover a broad range of topics, including family business, intrapreneurship, entrepreneurship through acquisition, and new venture creation, inspiring creativity and innovation in students from diverse academic backgrounds.
In addition to our top-ranked programs in business, healthcare, technology, and engineering, U-M offers graduate students the opportunity to work on groundbreaking research projects at an institution with over $1.6 billion in research funding. This combination of academic excellence and real-world experience makes U-M an ideal destination for students exploring entrepreneurship.
4. Washington University in St. Louis (#2 Midwest)
Washington University in St. Louis
Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship
St. Louis, MO
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 52
Tuition: $66,586
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 126
What Sets Us Apart
Washington University in St. Louis remains committed to creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship at all levels and across all disciplines. This distinguishes it from its peer institutions that limit entrepreneurship education to the business school. Undergrad students can easily take classes and major or minor in other schools, emphasizing the importance of an interdisciplinary approach. Entrepreneurship classes are highly experiential and collaborative and encourage students to test their concepts. Most courses connect students to the St. Louis community, expanding students’ network, such as the newest offering, The League (of Extraordinary Entrepreneurs). This class brings in successful entrepreneurs to guide student founders who are devoting most of their non-class time to launching their ventures. Complementing WashU’s rigorous academics, the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship acts as a hub for co-curricular entrepreneurship activities. The Center provides hands-on workshops, a year-long fellowship, student-owned business opportunities, mentors, entrepreneurship competitions, and links to the St. Louis entrepreneurial ecosystem. Most notably, the majority of opportunities are open to ALL undergrad and grad students, faculty, staff, postdocs, and alumni. It is this blend of curricular and co-curricular; campus and community; creativity and entrepreneurship; unlimited by discipline or school that distinguishes our entrepreneurial offerings.
5. Babson College (#1 Northeast)
Babson College
Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship
Babson Park, MA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 42
Tuition: $71,564
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 403
What Sets Us Apart
Babson teaches Entrepreneurial Thought and Action® across all disciplines. Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship is the hub for resources, including the Butler Launch Pad, which offers coworking space, mentors, workshops, competitions, experts, and seed funding. Our application-based Summer Accelerator, a 10-week intensive accelerator provides advisors, mentors, and programming worth over $200K in-kind services, to accelerate students launching and growing their businesses. Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) empowers and develops women and people of color entrepreneurs and offers both WIN Lab, an application-based 12-week accelerator for female founders, based on milestone planning, competency building, and connections, and Black Women’s EL, a 6-month virtual action tank. Social Innovation Lab connects a global, interdisciplinary community of students and mentors dedicated to building social impact ventures. All programs may be taken either for credit or for experience (ungraded). Institute for Family Entrepreneurship fosters connections in the family businesses. It offers a 4-year Amplifier Program for students to work with classmates from other family businesses and connect with parents and owners of family firms, with the goal of launching entrepreneurial ventures in their family businesses. Our 10,000 sq. ft. Weissman Foundry offers a collaboration space, media lab, wood shop, kitchen, and performance space where students can create ideas and prototypes.
6. University of Washington (#2 West)
University of Washington
Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
Seattle, WA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 88
Tuition: $41,127 (in-state); $58,965 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 478
What Sets Us Apart
Graduate students pursuing or interested in entrepreneurship quickly discover a robust slate of programming and opportunities at the University of Washington. Graduate students work next to undergraduate students in the Creative Destruction Lab multi-quarter course to help massively scalable, seed-stage, science-based companies. CDL-Seattle is just the third U.S. offering and is hosted in the Foster School of Business. Graduate students choose post-career opportunities like the 12-month Master of Science in Entrepreneurship to launch their own ideas or something new. The Technology Entrepreneurship Certificate offers students a chance to work with UW inventors on their market-ready applications and apply for fellowships in UW technology ventures or local angel funds. The multi-day digital health workshop and consumer product workshops connect students to real-world professionals to develop their ideas. The Engineering Innovation in Health program brings together undergrads, graduate students, post-docs, and more to give students experience in medical device development and innovation. The Institute of Protein Design (IPD) offers graduate and PhD students a chance to become founders of revolutionary technologies. Collectively, IPD spinouts have raised more than $1 billion, fueling Seattle’s biotech boom. Graduate students can also harness real-world start-up investment experience in the 3-quarter Angel Investing course, where real money is invested and earned.
7. The University of Texas at Austin (#2 Southwest)
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 60
Tuition: $51,238 (in-state); $56,814 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 98
What Sets Us Apart
The biggest advantage is the robustness of opportunities that a flagship university offers. Sixty formal classes across 19 departments specifically focus on entrepreneurship, and practically every college at UT has touchpoints with the area. There are approximately 50 organizations across UT that focus on all aspects of entrepreneurial endeavors. See our 17-page Guide to UT’s Startup Ecosystem.
The ensuing cross-fertilization between MBAs and PhD students in science, engineering, and computer science produces powerful and creative new ideas. Roughly 25% of all nonbusiness graduate entrepreneur students come from our School of Engineering, which is currently No. 7 in the nation (U.S. News). We also have an award-winning incubator, world-famous competitions, and mentorship programs that are campus-wide and well-connected to the business community.
McCombs MSTC Program prepares tech and business professionals for moving technologies from concept to market. Candidates learn to evaluate emerging technologies, identify customers and marketing strategies, develop broad, flexible business plans, build a management team to drive the new venture, devise approaches for securing funding, and manage intellectual property.
8. University of Virginia (#1 South)
University of Virginia
Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Technology
Charlottesville, VA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 83
Tuition: $75,600 (in-state); $78,600 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 274
What Sets Us Apart
Darden is distinguished by a long-held and deep-pocketed commitment to developing world-class entrepreneurially minded leaders.
Robust Endowment for Entrepreneurship: A $160+ million endowment is solely dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation.
Renowned Faculty: Instructors in entrepreneurship and innovation comprise over 25% of all faculty. Darden faculty (particularly Profs. Venkataraman and Saravasthy) helped create entrepreneurship as a discipline unto itself in business academia.
Pool of Entrepreneurial Scholarships: The prestigious Batten Scholarships are the largest named scholarship program at Darden, offering dozens of full scholarships annually to MBAs who exhibit entrepreneurial track records and aspirations.
Abundance of Courses: Darden has dozens of graduate courses directly related to entrepreneurship, touching nearly every student and year-round cocurricular programs via our nine dedicated staff and six paid EIRs.
Venture Acceleration: From our “Innovation Series” bringing every student into the entrepreneurial process to our i.Lab Incubator for serious founders with meaningful non-dilutive and in-kind funding, and myriad programs in between—including Batten Innovation Grants and Founder Fellowships—Darden students have plentiful opportunities to nurture their ideas into reality.
Sponsored Internships: The Darden Venture Fund Fellows and Batten Venture Internships support dozens of students in kickstarting careers with high-growth start-ups and VCs.
9. Erasmus University Rotterdam (#1 International)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship, Erasmus Enterprise, Yes!Delft Rotterdam (3 institutes)
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 37
Tuition: $65,000
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 157
What Sets Us Apart
The Master in Strategic Entrepreneurship provides students with the entrepreneurial competencies and skills and the strategic entrepreneurship theories to discover, recognize, and exploit business opportunities for existing firms or by building a new one. Our aim is to provide high-quality training that allows students to start their own company, or have an entrepreneurial job within established firms. One important aspect of our offering is to train for both entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship. Students are exposed to a variety of entrepreneurial challenges that allow them to acquire entrepreneurial skills needed for their careers (either within an existing organization or for a new venture).
10. University of South Florida (#2 South)
University of South Florida
Nault Center for Entrepreneurship
Tampa, FL
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 55
Tuition: $17,000 (in-state); $32,000 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 166
What Sets Us Apart
Our master’s program in Entrepreneurship in Applied Technologies has several distinguishing features. First and foremost, our program requires every student to create a business (virtual or non-virtual) as a solopreneur or founder of a team-based venture. We provide all these students with a support infrastructure that facilitates venture creation (workshops, mentors, seed funding, networking, etc.). Second, we strongly encourage all our students to take part in the many extracurricular programs we offer (same-day pitch competitions, our year-long HUSTLE venture creation competition, the Student Innovation Incubator, networking events, SBDC activities, etc.). And third, we bring the entrepreneurial ecosystem into the classroom in the form of guest speakers, projects proposed by SMEs, and new ventures in the local community where students in teams can work on them for credit and vie for a spot in one of the local incubators or accelerators in the Tampa Bay region.
11. University of Utah (#3 West)
University of Utah
Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
Salt Lake CIty, UT
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 28
Tuition: $34,500 (in-state); $35,000 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 171
What Sets Us Apart
Students have an exceptional academic experience learning entrepreneurship inside of the classroom and then immediately apply what they have learned through our wide array of programs and offerings outside of the classroom. This allows students to bring their educations to life and start their entrepreneurial journeys while still enrolled in college. The opportunities we provide students to learn and explore entrepreneurship include academics, competitions, grants, workshops, prototype assistance, networking, mentoring, and more. Beyond these programs, we provide our students with unique experiences by being a student leader. These students run much of our extracurricular programming and gain valuable project-based experience and leadership skills. Students are welcome to “live, create, launch” at Lassonde Studios, a one-of-a-kind building that mixes a 20,000-square-foot creative space on the main floor with 400 residences above. This building houses students from over 60 different majors and has been featured in the New York Times and Architectural Digest. Utah and the Salt Lake City area are consistently recognized as top locations for business. The state is regularly ranked among the best states for business in the country by Forbes and other national publications. Lastly, we recently launched an alumni program called Lassonde for Life. This program provides free, lifelong entrepreneurial support to all alumni through workshops, networking opportunities, resources, and more.
12. The University of Texas at Dallas (#3 Southwest)
The University of Texas at Dallas
Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Richardson, TX
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 47
Tuition: $17,959 (in-state); $32,704 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 117
What Sets Us Apart
UT Dallas’ approach to graduate entrepreneurship offerings stands out due to its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, real-world application, and experiential learning, all coordinated through a singular, central hub—the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE). We view innovation and entrepreneurship as a “common denominator” across all disciplines. This philosophy is embedded in our curriculum, with two certificate programs being open to all graduate students across the UTD campus, allowing anyone—regardless of their major—to develop entrepreneurial skills and thinking.
The IIE creates a cohesive ecosystem where faculty and students from diverse fields such as engineering, arts, and sciences collaborate on innovation, reflecting the real-world nature of entrepreneurship. By supporting multiple student organizations and hosting signature events like speed networking, lunch and learns, and pitch competitions, the IIE provides students with valuable opportunities to connect with mentors, investors, and cofounders. Its centralized approach fosters collaboration across departments and disciplines, strengthening connections between students, faculty, and industry partners. Its approach also streamlines access to resources, networks, and entrepreneurial growth, empowering the campus community to transform their ideas into real-world solutions, commercialize innovations, and scale their impact across industries.
13. Northeastern University (#2 Northeast)
Northeastern University
Northeastern Center for Entrepreneurship Education, Health Sciences Entrepreneurs, Sherman Center for Engineering Ent, Center for Research and Innovation, Roux Institute for Ent in Maine, Lab for Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Women Who Empower
Boston, MA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 39
Tuition: $44,605
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 206
What Sets Us Apart
NU is known for its experiential education, so the courses tie theory with practice. The courses take advantage of the strong entrepreneurship ecosystem we have on campus and the multiple campuses we have around the world. The courses are populated by students across campus, as entrepreneurship is tied into their curricula. This cross-disciplinary environment is not only with students from multiple disciplines but also with faculty from multiple disciplines. We have faculty in 23 departments teaching entrepreneurship. Our faculty teaching the courses are research-productive, so they are developing courses from their research. This allows us to provide great breadth and depth in offerings. A hallmark of NU is its emphasis on experiential learning and its co-op program. This is reflected in teaching approaches as the culture at NU is to mix the classroom with experiential activities. NU has one of the most active entrepreneurship ecosystems in the country. The Princeton Review rated NU the 4th most entrepreneurial campus. Our students are required to work with startups through the student-run accelerator, IDEA, or to create their own companies. The FT MBA requires a 6-month co-op, where students work full-time with companies in their fields. Students are learning, therefore, both theory and practice.
14. University of Notre Dame (#3 Midwest)
University of Notre Dame
The IDEA Center
South Bend, IN
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 59
Tuition: $71,126
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 71
What Sets Us Apart
Notre Dame’s (ND) graduate entrepreneurship programs align with the university’s mission to be a “force for good in the world.” Key assets include:
The ESTEEM Graduate Program: A highly experiential and intensive 11-month program in technology innovation and entrepreneurship, now in its 15th year.
The Global Partnership for Poverty and Entrepreneurship: A platform for sharing resources for venture creation by people experiencing poverty.
Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship: Research on microenterprise and small business development, especially under conditions of adversity.
The Experiential Classroom: The premier clinic for new entrepreneurship educators, now in its 25th year.
The Urban Poverty and Business Initiative: In 43 cities globally, promoting programs that help people experiencing poverty start and grow businesses.
ND’s global network of 11 campuses, including Jerusalem, Beijing, and Mumbai, helps recruit start-ups to campus where they can leverage resources, including a technology de-risking team, mentoring, prototyping, and office space, as a launchpad for U.S. market entry. ND also has a $22 million venture fund supporting its ecosystem.
ND’s graduate programs exemplify the university’s dedication to global citizenship, scholarship, and economic development while emphasizing poverty alleviation. They are supported by a rich foundation of leading-edge entrepreneurship courses and cocurricular community engagement initiatives that provide a rich experiential learning foundation for students.
15. Depaul University (#4 Midwest)
Depaul University
Coleman Entrepreneurship Center
Chicago, IL
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 51
Tuition: $38,550
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 120
What Sets Us Apart
DePaul University sits in the heart of Chicago’s business district and was ranked in the top 25 “most innovative schools” in 2016 by U.S. News & World Report. DePaul has offered academic programs in entrepreneurship since 1982. The Coleman Entrepreneurship Center (CEC) launched in 2003 and provides experiential programs to complement our strong academic record. The CEC opened a $1 million, 5,000-square-foot center in 2016. As the hub of entrepreneurship at DePaul, the CEC connects students and alumni with the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Chicago. In 2023, the CEC won the Nasdaq Center of Excellence Award from the GCEC. The CEC empowers students, alumni, and community members to build sustainable businesses. Executive Director of the CEC, Bruce Leech (DePaul MBA 1981), founded a $90 million business. He brings strong experiential components to the CEC, connecting the CEC with the entrepreneur community through memberships at 1871, the premier business incubator in the U.S., and 2112, an incubator for music, film, and creative tech. In 2019, Maija Renko, PhD, joined as the Coleman Endowed Chair, bringing years of entrepreneurial research to our curriculum. In 2019, we launched the first Women in Entrepreneurship Institute to provide programs, accelerators, and research to women in entrepreneurship. We also have our new social impact programs, including our Social Impact Incubator to help entrepreneurship in underserved areas of Chicago.
16. Saint Louis University (#5 Midwest)
Saint Louis University
Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship
St. Louis, MO
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 111
Tuition: $52,475
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 88
What Sets Us Apart
We have dense graduate academic offerings: entrepreneurship majors in business, campus-wide minors and supporting areas in entrepreneurship open to all, and 111 classes with entrepreneurship content across 21 departments. We support entrepreneurship in all its forms with a nationally recognized entrepreneurship center, student business and medical technology accelerators, two makerspaces, an NSF I-corps site, a shared-use kitchen and student-led cafe, a student-led entrepreneurship legal clinic, and two on-campus incubator spaces. We strive for innovation in action from our collection of competitions (elevator pitch, new ventures, etc.) to the textbook we have developed that showcases our approach (Entrepreneurial Small Business from McGraw-Hill) and is used in over 250 U.S. schools to innovative pedagogy, such as classes co-taught by standing faculty (many with entrepreneurial experience) and local practicing entrepreneurs and experts. We have tight and deep integration with one of America’s top-ranked start-up cities (see WSJ, Kauffman, etc.). Our team are prominent players in national entrepreneurship efforts like the Chaifetz Fellows Network, Kern Engineering Entrepreneurship Network, and the Experiential Classroom.
17. University of Maryland (#1 Mid-Atlantic)
University of Maryland
Office of Innovation
College Park, MD
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 32
Tuition: $45,499 (in-state); $54,409 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 73
What Sets Us Apart
- UMD’s entrepreneurship programs were featured in two Chronicle of Higher Education cover stories: “Now Everyone’s an Entrepreneur” go.umd.edu/iechronicle (2015) and “Can Design Thinking Transform Higher Ed” (2017). UMD is embedding design thinking and lean start-up into the core curriculum for every student.
- Master of Professional Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship: (mte.umd.edu) Est. 2014, this 15-month, 30-credit online program focuses on launching innovative start-ups and corporate ventures. 100% online benefits: 1) maximum geographic flexibility with 30% of students outside the U.S., and 2) maximum time flexibility for working professionals. In typical years, the program graduates 30+ students.
- National Science Foundation Innovation Hub: As part of the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act, UMD is 1 of only 10 universities selected by NSF to co-lead the operational backbone of the National Innovation Network. UMD manages the Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Hub.
- Dingman Center (est. 1985): Award-winning hub creates an inclusive environment to educate, empower, and equip students with entrepreneurial skills and resources to realize their ideas. go.umd.edu/dingman
- I-Corps Venture Internship and FedTech: With its close proximity to 87 Federal Labs, UMD formed the I-Corps Venture Internship and FedTech partnership to let grad students explore the commercialization of promising technologies from UMD and fed labs like NASA.
18. Arizona State University (#4 Southwest)
Arizona State University
J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute, W. P. Carey Center for Entrepreneurship and New Business Design, E+I @ Fulton, Innovation Space
Tempe, AZ
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 34
Tuition: $30,587 (in-state); $53,345 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 85
What Sets Us Apart
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Online (in 2024) and face-to-face master’s program.
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A 9-month STEM (starting 2024) certified, dual, intrapreneur, and entrepreneur track.
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Business and design “killer” combo with world-class faculty.
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Highly desired degree from the #1 ranked university in innovation and #3 in entrepreneurship.
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An ASU ecosystem that has generated over $1 billion in funding across 1,000 start-ups.
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Top 10 schools for U.S. patents and partnership with government labs to monetize existing patents.
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Partnership with U.S. government program that allows students to work on existing patents and build business models to monetize them, including the grandfathering of the IP technology license.
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J. Orin Edson Entrepreneur and Innovation Institute was ranked #3 in the Kauffman Entrepreneurship growth index and disbursed over $60 million+ in start-up funding.
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Skysong Innovation to protect IP created by entrepreneurs.
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Venture Devils and local angel funding ecosystem give out $450,000 every year to promising start-ups.
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Study abroad program coming in 2024 that allows for a global perspective.
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Dedicated mentor and advisory board for students.
19. The University of Tampa (#3 South)
The University of Tampa
John P. Lowth Entrepreneurship Center
Tampa, FL
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 10
Tuition: $11,444
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 158
What Sets Us Apart
UT’s Master of Science in Entrepreneurship (MSE) offers distinguishing features like experiential learning, allowing students to work on their projects or with companies in UT’s incubator and accelerator programs. This real-world application of concepts is vital for pragmatic business understanding. Additionally, the program offers a customized learning approach tailored to each student’s objectives. Our affiliation with the acclaimed Lowth Entrepreneurship Center provides access to expert advisors and a thriving entrepreneurial community. Students can utilize assignments to prepare business plans and investor presentations, presenting a practical advantage.
20. University of California San Diego (#4 West)
University of California San Diego
Sullivan Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
La Jolla, CA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 14
Tuition: $54,160 (in-state); $66,405 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 55
What Sets Us Apart
The Rady School is the campus epicenter for science and technology-centric entrepreneurial training and venture creation. The most distinguishing, unique, and distinctive aspects of the School’s entrepreneurial offers are:
- Our highly interdisciplinary engagement of graduate disciplines from across campus provides our MBAs with the opportunity to actively work with biologists, medical students, engineers, data scientists, physicists, and designers to address bold problems that only multiple perspectives can solve.
- Our network-centric model deeply integrates successful entrepreneurs and executives into our students’ entrepreneurial journey.
- Entrepreneurship is more than just venture creation—it’s a mindset that benefits any student across all professional fields.
21. Boston University (#3 Northeast)
Boston University
Innovate@BU
Boston, MA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 26
Tuition: $65,062
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 17
What Sets Us Apart
A graduate student at BU who is interested in entrepreneurship has a variety of classes available to them both in their school and in other schools. This leads to a rich classroom environment with students from diverse backgrounds working on projects together. Outside the classroom, we have robust experiential extracurricular programs designed specifically for graduate students. These include the VCIC venture capital competition and the G51 program, which gives students the opportunity to do due diligence on “live” deals. We also have the Catalyst program, which teaches students how to undertake customer discovery on technologies that have been discovered in BU’s research labs. On completion of this experiential program, the student obtains a micro-credential in Customer Discovery. We also have a thriving university-wide co-curricular program that allows students to create their own ventures or work on their own projects. This is through the Innovate@BU initiative, which is now seven years old. A wide variety of programming is held in the IDG Capital Customer Innovation Center, a customer-build innovation space on campus that is closely located to EPIC, a 15,000-square-foot makerspace. Both these facilities are open to all students on campus.
22. University of Arkansas (#4 South)
University of Arkansas
Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Fayetteville, AR
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 23
Tuition: $17,514 (in-state); $39,033 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 64
What Sets Us Apart
Our graduate program is distinguished by pairing hands-on curricula with a deep ecosystem of ancillary mentoring, funding, and support mechanisms for student-led ventures. Students have swept the awards in the scalable ventures track of the statewide business plan competition (AR Governor’s Cup) the last four years and have a record number of wins at international competitions (in 23-24, teams took 1st place at Bangkok Business Challenge, 1st place at Energy TechUP, and placed at other international competitions).
Features of our graduate program:
- Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP), UA accelerator supporting start-ups in the outdoor sector, offers seed money and specialized training. Student start-up UNCL (universal network-controlled lock) simultaneously pursued ENTR curricula while participating in GORP 22-23, securing $45k+ in nondilutive funding.
- Graduate ENTR Fellows program, which provides a fellowship and tuition to graduate students across disciplines committed to pursuing tech-based ENTR.
- New Venture Development Mentor Network, a unique community that spans the globe, including alumni founders, business leaders, and investors who volunteer to visit Northwest AR for an intensive mentor weekend supporting graduate teams.
- Startup Village, an incubator that offers office space, consultation, and community support for UA-affiliated companies.
- Heartland Challenge, an international high-growth start-up competition designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital.
23. Seattle University (#5 West)
Seattle University
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center
Seattle, WA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 15
Tuition: $54,594
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 20
What Sets Us Apart
Our graduate offerings in entrepreneurship are experiential and real-world in nature. Participants gain experience, mentoring, and access to social and financial capital in launching and growing their real-world ventures.
24. Syracuse University (#4 Northeast)
Syracuse University
Blackstone Launchpad powered by TechStars; Couri Hatchery; Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship; Institute for an Entrepreneurial Society
Syracuse, NY
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 40
Tuition: $51,494
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: N/A
What Sets Us Apart
We have a dedicated department of Entrepreneurship, reflecting SU’s commitment to entrepreneurship as a key aspect of its strategic plan. We instill an entrepreneurial mindset in all students, and they have access to many professors who specialize in researching and teaching entrepreneurship. Tenured faculty publish in leading journals and professors of practice have substantial entrepreneurial experience. One PhD graduate in 23-24 received the Best Dissertation Award from AOM-ONE division. Our curriculum allows students to pursue different tracks: new venture creation, social entrepreneurship, family business, and corporate entrepreneurship so students can take courses designed around their interests. We also offer courses in conjunction with other schools on campus, allowing access to skillsets and resources outside the business school. We take experiential learning seriously, and our students work with companies in both for-profit and social settings. We help them take what they learn inside the classroom and put it into action. We pair them up with entrepreneurs from the community via internships, consulting projects, specialized courses, community engagement, etc. We work with over 2,000 entrepreneurs per year in our Women’s Business Center, South Side Innovation Center, and more. Our Blackstone Launchpad has tremendous success with student start-ups, given robust mentoring and coaching activities. This led to students receiving national media exposure (Newsweek, AdWeek, and others).
25. Santa Clara University (#6 West)
Santa Clara University
Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship; Innovation Hub in School of Engineering
Santa Clara, CA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 37
Tuition: $44,695
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 106
What Sets Us Apart
SCU provides a number of opportunities to connect graduates with entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley and the world.
- BEACH – Business graduate students and law students work with practitioners to advise local start-ups.
- Entrepreneurs Law Clinic – Law students advise local start-ups on legal issues.
- BVA Cafe – A monthly meetup where entrepreneurs share their experiences and a networking hour with the local entrepreneurship community—Silicon Valley VCs in the audience with undergrads.
- Startup Meetup – A career fair where students can apply to internships with SCU start-ups.
- Frugal Innovation Hub – Grad students develop digital solutions for mission-driven entrepreneurs locally and internationally.
- Idea Lab – Where it all starts! Students learn how to generate ideas and turn ideas into business plans.
- Prep School – Students learn how to expand business ideas through roadmapping, problem-solving, and pitch development.
- Bronco Ventures Accelerator – Students develop for-profit businesses during our 4-month Bronco Ventures Accelerator. Industry leaders host interactive workshops. Teams pitch to investors at Demo Day, a Shark Tank-like event.
- Student Advisory Board – From a broad range of disciplines, this board provides a formal governance connection between Ciocca Center and students.
- VCIC – Six graduate students participate in the Venture Capital Investment Competition, where they act as VCs.
26. University of Wisconsin-Madison (#6 Midwest)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship
Madison, WI
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 22
Tuition: $28,576 (in-state); $52,224 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 13
What Sets Us Apart
The unique advantage of Wisconsin’s graduate program in entrepreneurship lies within our applied learning. Our students don’t just study entrepreneurship—they live it. By collaborating with businesses to develop growth strategies, exploring commercialization opportunities for cutting-edge university research, or launching their own ventures, students gain invaluable hands-on experience. This dynamic training is available to students across the entire UW campus.
Our program’s blend of academic excellence and practical application has earned us prestigious accolades, including being ranked #9 among U.S. Public University Founders by PitchBook, named a “Model Entrepreneurship MBA Program” by USASBE, and receiving the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching Innovation award from GCEC. Additionally, UW-Madison consistently ranks among the top ten institutions in NSF research funding, underscoring our robust research capabilities.
Our students join a campus with a rich history of success in business, academic, and social entrepreneurship. At UW-Madison, you’ll be part of a vibrant start-up ecosystem, working closely with the community and early-stage investors—an experience setting them on a path to entrepreneurial success.
27. University of Oregon (#7 West)
University of Oregon
Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship
Eugene, OR
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 18
Tuition: $35,112 (in-state); $47,707 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 19
What Sets Us Apart
Programs are co-created with student leaders. We believe that an entrepreneurship program should be entrepreneurial, and students are considered co-founders and leaders of all of our programs.
Proximity to Silicon Valley. We bring tech founders and investors from the Bay Area here on a regular basis, and every year bring our students to SF and Seattle for on-site visits and events. I spent 10 years leading entrepreneurial programs at Michigan in Ann Arbor prior to coming to Oregon, and we’ve been able to productively engage more SF-based stakeholders this year than any of the years I was at Michigan.
Connectivity with cutting-edge biotechnology. The Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact is a $1B initiative to advance bioengineering and applied science research. Students from the Knight Campus participate side by side with business students to develop commercialization plans for deep tech.
Collaborative community building across many disciplines. Our programs serve students across the entire UO campus and we encourage multidisciplinary team formation whenever possible.
Opportunities to work directly with faculty members on IP-based innovations.
28. Clemson University (#5 South)
Clemson University
Greenville, SC
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 22
Tuition: $20,871 (in-state); $33,863 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 66
What Sets Us Apart
The Clemson MBA in Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MBAe) is designed to bring your ideas to fruition, whether you want to start your own company, innovate at your current job, or address societal needs via the not-for-profit sector.
Students gain the essential business knowledge provided in the corporate program with added emphasis on topics specific to the needs of start-ups, including venture finance, intellectual property, and entrepreneurial strategy.
All MBAe classes are taught by distinguished Clemson professors, successful entrepreneurs, and business leaders who illustrate real-life examples of how to take innovative ideas to market. In addition, students have multiple opportunities to interact with local and national entrepreneurs and business leaders at networking events, including the Innovative Leadership Series and special programming developed through the Phyfer Innovation Hub.
The MBAe program culminates with a business capstone course and a pitch competition called the EnterPrize Awards. During this intensive course, students can pitch their ideas to an audience of business owners, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs over multiple sessions and receive feedback that allows them to refine and perfect their presentations. The ability to convey ideas quickly and effectively is valuable for entrepreneurs and executives alike. The EnterPrize Awards are designed to give students ample opportunity to practice and develop this essential skill.
29. New Jersey Institute of Technology (#5 Northeast)
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Martin Tuchman School of Management
Newark, NJ
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 19
Tuition: $21,152 (in-state); $29,992 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 51
What Sets Us Apart
The New Jersey Institute of Technology is a research university focused on technological innovation. This focus is shared by all the colleges at NJIT, and distinguishes NJIT from other universities. The entrepreneurship program offered by NJIT’s Martin Tuchman School of Management (MTSM) also shares in this multidisciplinary focus on technological innovation and exposes students to three unique resources. First, NJIT hosts VentureLink, the largest new venture incubator in New Jersey (110,000 sq.ft.) with 90 companies. Entrepreneurship students work in this ecosystem as part of their experiential learning and establish start-ups there. Second, NJIT hosts the largest and best-equipped makerspace in the state (25,000 sq. ft), with student-centered intellectual property rights. Third, NJIT is a site for the National Science Foundation I-Corps program, which promotes and funds entrepreneurship among university students and faculty. MTSM and the I-Corps program also prepare students for federal Small Business Innovation Research funding, which provides non-dilutive funding for entrepreneurs with technological innovations that address opportunities with societal significance. MTSM seeks to instill such visionary and impactful skills in its students through the entrepreneurship concentrations in its Masters of Science (MS), Masters in Business Administration (MBA), and PhD degree programs.
30. Loyola Marymount University (#8 West)
Loyola Marymount University
Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship
Los Angeles, CA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 20
Tuition: $43,450
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 11
What Sets Us Apart
- Our Mission: We have been teaching entrepreneurship with a focus on ethics and social responsibility since 1972, before it was a hip thing to do. Our students and graduates are values-centered and possess moral courage. They build businesses that have a purpose and leave a positive impact.
- Our Innovative Curriculum: We have two MS programs that are unique, one focused on sustainable innovation and the other on global entrepreneurial experiences. We also have a fabulous entrepreneurship module in our MBA program. Also a spectacular cocurricular program that includes The Hilton Lecture Series, Dinner with a Winner, Startup Weekend, New Idea Pitch Competition, Incubator Showcase, etc.
- Our Location (Silicon Beach): We are located in the center of one of the most vibrant ecosystems for entrepreneurial activity (e.g., from YouTube to SpaceX) that offers immense opportunities for internships, projects, and jobs.
- Our (Family-Like) Atmosphere: Our faculty and staff members are incredibly dedicated to student success. We maintain a close family-like atmosphere between students, alumni, and faculty that is unlike any other.
- Our Track Record: We have a track record of developing successful entrepreneurs. Our graduates go on to found companies like Dave.com (IPO’d at $4B), Liquid IV (sold for ~$500M), General Finance Corp (sold for $1B), and many others. Other graduates become entrepreneurial leaders in established companies and their communities.
31. Florida International University (#6 South)
Florida International University
StartUP FIU, Pino Global Entrepreneurship Center, Small Business Development Center at FIU, and FIU CARTA Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator, Blackstone LaunchPad at FIU
Miami, FL
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 48
Tuition: $34,000 (in-state); $39,000 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 14
What Sets Us Apart
Graduate entrepreneurship offerings across multiple disciplines at FIU are characterized by hands-on experiential learning that simulates real-world scenarios—either through an industry experience or an FlU technology-based start-up. Graduate students with technical expertise thrive at StartUP FIU because of its strategic focus on research translation. Students participate in rigorous boot camps as well as hands-on founder training and are better prepared to launch their own companies or win external competitions. The College of Business has entrepreneurship and innovation specializations in three Professional MBA programs with a heavy emphasis on readings, case studies, and group projects. Additionally, the master’s in engineering management program broadens and deepens the students’ understanding of engineering and technology development and design, and includes courses on manufacturing process design, production systems, technology policies and strategies, technology entrepreneurship, and business plan development. The Chaplin School’s long-established graduate internship program requires students to work with hospitality businesses for one semester, and they are assigned a mentor from that business. The Ratcliffe Arts + Design Incubator at the College of Communication, Architecture + the Arts (CARTA) is exclusively available to graduate students, giving them access to mentorship from successful artists, performers, and designers.
32. Drexel University (#2 Mid-Atlantic)
Drexel University
Close School of Entrepreneurship
Philadelphia, PA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 26
Tuition: $63,994
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 12
What Sets Us Apart
The Close School’s MS in Entrepreneurship and Innovation is designed for recent graduates and working professionals looking to develop and build on their understanding of and experience with entrepreneurship and innovation. The major focuses on developing an entrepreneurial mindset and skills associated with new venture creation and corporate innovation, and the minor is designed to enrich students’ academic discipline-based programming with applied coursework. The MS prepares students to innovate within established companies, work for small/growing ventures, start a new venture, and/or for self-employment. Personally, students learn and apply an approach to building entrepreneurial skills and nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset. The Close curriculum is designed around these skills, including The Lean Launch, which positions students to start a real business; Learning from Failure, which creates the conditions for students to learn from failure and appreciate risks that come with launch and growth; and Entrepreneurship Essentials, which builds skills and competencies that entrepreneurs need in a fast-moving job market. Schuylkill Yards, a 14-acre ‘innovation neighborhood’ located between Drexel and Philly’s Amtrak station, includes 5 million sq. ft. of entrepreneurial space, teaching and research facilities, corporate offices, and residential, retail, and cultural venues, embedding Close within part of an even more extensive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
33. University of Minnesota (#7 Midwest)
University of Minnesota
The Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship
Minneapolis, MN
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 12
Tuition: $47,169 (in-state); $59,929 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 29
What Sets Us Apart
We offer a broad range of experiential courses and programs led by a mix of leading academic researchers and experienced practitioners that enable students to gain practical experience and connections with the entrepreneurial community. Our courses enable students to design new products, commercialize University technology, support corporate innovation, and launch and operate real businesses (both within and outside their classes). Students are able to leverage these resources and connections to test and develop new ventures during their graduate school experience.
As one of the only land-grant research universities located in the heart of a major metropolitan area, our graduate students from across campus are continuously connected with the business community. Despite events pivoting to online over the past year, more than 400 speakers, mentors, and judges frequent our campus each year to advise and inspire our students. MN Cup is the largest statewide new venture competition in the country, awarding $5 million in cash prizes and supporting more than 23,000 entrepreneurs since 2005. Gopher Angels investor network provides invaluable connections with leading entrepreneurs and investors. Grow North initiative connects students and alumni with emerging food/ag start-ups and MN-based Fortune 500 corporations. MBA Fellowships support students’ efforts to launch new social ventures, and more than $150,000 of seed funding is available each year for student-founded companies.
34. University of Connecticut (#6 Northeast)
University of Connecticut
Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Storrs, CT
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 22
Tuition: $17,186 (in-state); $39,098 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 18
What Sets Us Apart
UConn’s graduate offerings in entrepreneurship are distinguished by our integration of industry expertise, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge research. Led by seasoned entrepreneurs and industry veterans, our programs provide graduate students with unparalleled opportunities to engage with real-world start-up projects, work alongside experienced researchers, and tackle complex challenges. Our cross-disciplinary courses foster diverse teams, blending insights from business, law, engineering, and sciences to drive innovation. Notably, our Intellectual Property (IP) clinic enables law students to collaborate with start-ups, addressing critical issues in patenting and commercialization.
Unique to UConn is the Daigle Labs Foundry, where STEM start-up founders receive specialized support in organizational development, customer acquisition, and supply chain management. In just its first year, the Foundry has already propelled graduate start-ups to achieve millions in new sales, accelerating their growth and impact. This, combined with our robust suite of research initiatives—such as the MURI Programs, GANN Fellowship Program, and our Proof of Concept Center at the Innovation Partnership Building—ensures that our graduate students are not only educated but empowered to lead in the entrepreneurial landscape.
35. University of San Francisco (#9 West)
University of San Francisco
MS Entrepreneurship & Innovation
San Francisco, CA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 18
Tuition: $43,250
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 15
What Sets Us Apart
The USF Masagung Graduate School of Management is located in downtown San Francisco and is surrounded by the most innovative firms in the world. Artificial intelligence leaders OpenAI and Anthropic HQ and Mistral AI’s U.S. HQ are mere blocks away. Google, Microsoft, Meta, and other leading software companies also have a significant local presence.
Our academic founder, Prof. Mark Cannice, is the author of the quarterly Silicon Valley Venture Capital Confidence Index; our close ties to the VC ecosystem are a major asset to aspiring founders.
The USF MSEI program consistently attracts global talent, with every continent represented among the diverse body of students and faculty in our classrooms.
36. Temple University (#3 Mid-Atlantic)
Temple University
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Philadelphia, PA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 33
Tuition: Varies
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 32
What Sets Us Apart
- Committed: TU’s entrepreneurial founder, Russell Conwell, envisioned a school serving self-determined youth who seek to improve their lives through education, and TU is committed: “To be a leader in encouraging entrepreneurship across all disciplines, so students can create their own success, regardless of economic conditions.”
- Scope and Breadth: We serve all 17 Schools/Colleges, including undergrads/grads/alumni/faculty/staff/partners, and impact tens of thousands of students every semester.
- Urban: Temple is integral to Philly’s urban educational environment: TU students come from the region (community college and urban high school students are a large percentage of applicants) and TU grads tend to stay in the region. We also run Temple U’s SBDC to support Philly and PA small businesses.
- Accelerator/Early-Stage Funding: Our 1810 Accelerator—a 9,000 sq ft co-working and accelerator space—opened in 2019 with extensive accelerator programs. We also run several other funding/support programs (e.g., Be Your Own Boss Bowl, Lori Hermelin Bush Seed Fund, SmarTemple Innovation Fund, Temple Ventures with Ben Franklin TP, Blackstone Launchpad).
- Philly Ecosystem Keystone: TU is a founding member of the Philadelphia Regional Entrepreneurship Education Consortium (PREEC), runs one of the region’s most significant angel venture groups/programs: MADV, and our Executive Director is ranked among the 100 most influential people in Philly regional business.
37. University of Louisville (#7 South)
University of Louisville
Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship
Louisville, KY
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 18
Tuition: $32,000
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 11
What Sets Us Apart
We have one of the very few PhD programs in the world that is concentrated and dedicated to entrepreneurship. We also have a cohort-based IMBA (Innovation MBA), which is an MBA program with a curriculum committed to entrepreneurship. All students in this program create an investor-ready and viable business plan to be presented at the Cardinal Challenge competition.
38. California State University San Bernardino (#10 West)
California State University San Bernardino
Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE)
San Bernardino, CA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 14
Tuition: $18,000 (in-state); $18,000 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: N/A
What Sets Us Apart
The entire experience is fully intensive on entrepreneurship—all 11 courses are entrepreneurship-focused for a deep dive into learning and experiencing entrepreneurship. The goal is to acquire an entrepreneurial mindset and create innovative, growth-oriented ventures. Our pathway approach helps students acquire the entrepreneurial competencies needed to bring venture concepts to life during the 16-month program.
Our current model: Semester 1—students explore new ventures through ideation and problem-solving projects to develop new venture concepts. In addition, they work on a live commercialization project to understand how to bring emerging technologies to market, in partnership with entities such as the U.S. Navy and NASA. Students participate in our fast pitch competition and student start-up competition, developing their emerging venture concepts and competing for prize money and other resources. Semester 2—students do the customer discovery process, build their business/financial model, and hone their pitch in preparation for our innovation challenge competition and external pitch competitions. Semester 3—as the culminating experience, students finalize a new venture launch plan and present it to local entrepreneurs and angel investors.
This year, students noted the game-changing impact of the commercialization project experience and Entrepreneurial Improvisation course, which focuses on developing skills in creativity, problem-solving, and thinking on your feet.
39. American University (#4 Mid-Atlantic)
American University
Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship
Washington, DC
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 20
Tuition: $51,230
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 40
What Sets Us Apart
Our entrepreneurship program is a dynamic ecosystem fostering innovation and real-world impact. By merging rigorous academics with hands-on experiences, we empower students to transform ideas into scalable solutions. Our program is comprised of seasoned faculty who are experienced entrepreneurs, an extensive and diverse mentor network of entrepreneurs, and an education-first student start-up incubator, which equips students with the tools and knowledge to tackle both local and global challenges. Through a comprehensive curriculum and high-impact initiatives, we cultivate the entrepreneurial and risk-taking mindset and drive tangible results, including a broad range of student ventures working on issues that span the economy and the impact spectrum. Additionally, we offer a wide range of competitions that engage students from across campus, attracting a diversity of interests, perspectives, and experiences into our entrepreneurial community.
40. The George Washignton University (#5 Mid-Atlantic)
The George Washington University
Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence
Washington, DC
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 10
Tuition: $52,826
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 21
What Sets Us Apart
Women’s Leadership: GW’s Business School has the highest proportion of women MBAs in the world. The school is the home to the nationally award-winning women’s entrepreneurship curriculum. GWSB’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership course is the winner of a U.S. Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Award together with the faculty-led ed tech and women’s research initiative: The Hot Mommas Project, which today is the world’s largest women’s case study library. Outside of the classroom, student leadership opportunities exist through the WEL Fellowship and WEL Council, in which student leaders act as leaders and ambassadors in women’s entrepreneurship and interact with mentors from the professional business community.
41. State University of New York – Stony Brook University (#7 Northeast)
State University of New York – Stony Brook University
Innovation Center/Center of Entrepreneruial Finance
Stony Brook, NY
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 9
Tuition: Varies (in-state); Varies (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 20
What Sets Us Apart
Our graduate offerings in entrepreneurship are unique due to the interdisciplinary nature and experiential learning approach of our courses, mentorship experiences, and competitions. MBAs and all other SBU graduate students find entrepreneurial support and opportunities in the Small Business Development Center, Makerspace, Center for Entrepreneurial Finance, and Innovation Center. Entrepreneurial students find support for their start-up aspirations and can further develop an in-depth understanding of various different areas, such as biotech and artificial intelligence. These programs offer various opportunities for students to gain mentorship experiences across various industries. For students who wish to develop or pitch their business ideas, they can proceed and compete in our Hackathon, game development, and business plan and pitch competitions.
42. Nova Southeastern University (#8 South)
Nova Southeastern University
Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 11
Tuition: $42,579
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 19
What Sets Us Apart
Our graduate program recognizes that entrepreneurship goes beyond the world of start-ups and extends into the development and implementation of new projects and products in established corporations, nonprofit institutions, and government. It focuses on developing the capabilities and skills required for displaying an entrepreneurial mindset as a business owner or as a corporate business leader. The program is tailored to professionals dealing with business decisions on a day-to-day basis and, therefore, concentrates on creating value for students who are launching their own business projects or ascending the corporate ladder as difference makers in their organizations. The curriculum covers a wide range of content that is relevant to starting, launching, and scaling a new business while simultaneously offering solutions to small, medium enterprises (SMEs), and big enterprises in the areas of project capital financing, innovation management, product development, and market validation.
Our students substantially improve their business networks during their studies. They learn state-of-the-art business practices by integrating their work experience into their courses. In addition, they have access to our Allan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation, enjoy an opportunity to pitch for funding and learn from faculty with experience in start-ups, SMEs, and corporate entrepreneurship. These attributes make our program unique and appealing to young professionals.
43. Wright State University (#8 Midwest)
Wright State University
Wright State Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE)
Dayton, OH
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 3
Tuition: $16,880 (in-state); $26,868 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 5
What Sets Us Apart
Our New Venture Creation concentration requires business plan development for new venture ideas and a focus on technology start-ups. Students cover advanced topics in innovation and entrepreneurship to help increase their skills and further their career goals. Students study the economics of innovation, including technological change, economic growth, globalization, and longwave cycles that affect innovation in businesses and organizations. Students in the program also take courses on technology-based ventures and entrepreneurship.
44. Concordia University (#2 International)
Concordia University
District 3 Innovation Centre The National Bank Initiative in Entrepreneurship and Family Business Centre for Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Dobson Practicum Bob and Raye Briscoe Centre in Business Ownership Studies KPMG-JMSB Entrepreneurial Indi
Montreal, Quebec, CANADA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 15
Tuition: Canadian, Quebec residents: $7,679; Canadian, non-Quebec: $21,768 (in-state); International students: $53,511 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: N/A
What Sets Us Apart
With research centers like the National Bank Initiative in Entrepreneurship and Family Business, the Centre for Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership, the Bob and Raye Briscoe Centre in Business Ownership Studies, the KPMG Entrepreneurial Indices and the hands-on support from the Dobson Practicum and the District 3 Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the John Molson School of Business is the ideal place for students with an interest in entrepreneurship. Mentorship programs, entrepreneurs-in-residence, speaker series, scholarships, and fellowships bring practical relevance to the academic excellence of our faculty. Experiential learning in the form of the Small Business Consulting Bureau, the Surgical Innovation course, or consulting for nonprofit local ventures in the MBA Community Service Initiative are other features that are unique to the John Molson MBA program.
45. Eastern Michigan University (#9 Midwest)
Eastern Michigan University
Center for Entrepreneurship
Ypsilanti, MI
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 7
Tuition: $17,647 (in-state); $30,278 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 12
What Sets Us Apart
Our graduate offerings in entrepreneurship are available in several flexible formats, such as online and hybrid. Our students have the chance to work with local entrepreneurs through interactions with our Center for Entrepreneurship and our local Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and students have a field study course where they work on a unique problem with small business owners. Students also have access to successful entrepreneurship mentors from the surrounding community. The new Executive Certificate in Entrepreneurship is a unique eight-week Certificate program delivered in a hybrid format. The program features a unique mix of exposure to academics, industry experts, mentors, professional coaches, and start-up investors and includes a venture challenge for cash awards at the end of the eight-week session.
46. Tulane University (#9 South)
Tulane University
Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Tulane University Innovation Institute, and the Phyllis M Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking
New Orleans, LA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 12
Tuition: $59,033
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 12
What Sets Us Apart
Our graduate entrepreneurship offerings excel in addressing complex challenges and fostering collaborative innovation within a supportive ecosystem. The Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation connects students with mentors and investors, catalyzing business creation through our student venture incubator. This provides access to Innovators-in-Residence, legal guidance, and pitch competitions.
The Taylor Center’s Changemaker Institute empowers students to develop ventures tackling societal issues, while the Tulane University Innovation Institute (TUII) bridges academia and industry. TUII offers proof of concept funds and expert support for development and commercialization. Our program emphasizes interdisciplinary, real-world problem-solving and integration with the entrepreneurial community. We equip students with tools to transform ideas into impactful ventures, encouraging risk-taking and creative thinking. By blending rigorous academics with practical experiences and mentorship, we prepare future leaders for modern entrepreneurship challenges. Our approach focuses on collaborative problem-solving, strong industry connections, comprehensive support from ideation to launch, social impact, and access to funding and expert mentorship. Through real-world application of skills and an interdisciplinary approach to innovation, we nurture entrepreneurial leaders poised to make significant contributions to business and society.
47. Hult International Business School (#11 West)
Hult International Business School
Master’s in Entrepreneurship & Innovation
San Francisco, CA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 16
Tuition: $52,400
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: N/A
What Sets Us Apart
Hult’s Master in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program is designed to teach skills at the center of value creation, from start-ups to global enterprises, taking a hands-on approach via real-world business challenges.
Our practical curriculum equips students with the innovation and entrepreneurial skills essential for a successful new venture and that are highly sought-after in existing organizations.
Students will learn how to gain foresight into the future, apply design thinking to explore unmet market needs and devise business model canvas processes to quickly create viable businesses—or pivot. This hands-on program focuses on launching high-growth ventures by taking on real-world business challenges that are integrated into the entire program.
We work with every student individually to set a targeted career strategy, equip them with the right tools, and guide them on a clear path to achieve their ambitions.
48. University of Vermont (#8 Northeast)
University of Vermont
Sustainable Innovation MBA
Burlington, VT
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 6
Tuition: $30,510 (in-state); $52,245 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 20
What Sets Us Apart
The Sustainable Innovation MBA aims to develop the next generation of leaders who will build, disrupt, innovate, and reinvent sustainable businesses and enterprises in a world that demands it.
The Sustainable Innovation MBA program is a one-year, 45-credit AACSB accredited program with a 7-credit summer Practicum Project that provides the “capstone” to integrate and apply all the knowledge, capabilities, and tools garnered in the first nine months to a practical challenge in an actual venture or corporate innovation setting. Students may also use their practicum project to launch their own business.
Students also have access to the Innovators in Residence Speaker Series, which serves several purposes. The first purpose is to give students interesting examples of the kind of innovation that we are preparing them for. The second purpose is to introduce the students to entrepreneurs/innovators that we think are role models of the type of professionals that we hope the students will evolve into. The third purpose is to help students develop ideas and contacts for their career development and job search.
49. Regent University (#10 South)
Regent University
Regent Center for Entrepreneurship
Virginia Beach, VA
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 14
Tuition: $20,715
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: N/A
What Sets Us Apart
Regent’s Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership – Social Entrepreneurship explores how entrepreneurial business models prepare students to advance as social entrepreneurs, leaders in social-purpose organizations, philanthropists, or directors of volunteers in the social sector. Students are also equipped to ideate, establish, and lead a new business venture with innovation, adaptability, research, and planning through the Master of Business Administration – Entrepreneurship program. Regent’s Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) in Entrepreneurial Leadership will prepare students to transform systems and teams. This executive doctoral program grounds them in the theory and practical components of communication, team building, and structure essential to organizational success. Students can also explore entrepreneurship in the global marketplace and leadership dynamics through Regent’s PhD in Organizational Leadership – Entrepreneurial Leadership program. This program equips students to influence and invigorate organizations around the world as scholars, teachers, or business leaders. Regent University’s fully online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) with a concentration in Entrepreneurship prepares students to build strategic business ventures and become leaders in the field. Through its applied multidisciplinary approach, they are grounded in theory and research to strategize innovative, world-changing approaches to business.
50. University of Kentucky (#11 South)
University of Kentucky
Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship
Lexington, KY
Number of Entrepreneurship Courses Offered: 4
Tuition: $38,134 (in-state); $45,495 (out-of-state)
Companies Started by Graduates Over the Last 5 Years: 10
What Sets Us Apart
The ability to earn their concentration with their MBA, and the ability to compete for funds to support their venture creation.
Instruction from experienced entrepreneurs, the applied nature of our courses to gain real-world experience, integration with our entrepreneurship community in terms of learning from successful entrepreneurs, and gaining feedback and guidance from angel investors and venture fund managers.
