by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Entrepreneurship involves the study of Entrepreneurship/entrepreneurial Studies. A Program That Generally Prepares Individuals To Perform Development, Marketing And Management Functions Associated With Owning And Operating A Business. Read on to learn the important information every entrepreneurship major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering entrepreneurship programs.
Nationwide, entrepreneurship is a widely-pursued major, with 10,661 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Entrepreneurship Schools ranking analyzes these 548 schools to determine the best overall colleges for entrepreneurship students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of entrepreneurship programs later in this article.
Coursework for Entrepreneurship emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations entrepreneurship graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a entrepreneurship program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a entrepreneurship major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several entrepreneurship degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 546 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 462 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 4,035 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5,564 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 3 |
People currently working in careers related to entrepreneurship tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 41.1% |
| Master’s degree | 28.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 6.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 6.1% |
| Some college courses | 3.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in entrepreneurship careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying entrepreneurship opens doors to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to entrepreneurship.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to entrepreneurship.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Chief Sustainability Officers | 440,982 | 0.5% |
| Chief Executives | 374,558 | -2.8% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Business Teachers, Postsecondary | 181,317 | 10.6% |
| General and Operations Managers | 163,335 | -2.2% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of entrepreneurship graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $51,538 |
| 4 years | $61,024 |
| 5 years | $67,263 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for entrepreneurship graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers entrepreneurship grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| General and Operations Managers | $149,694 |
| Chief Executives | $138,534 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Chief Sustainability Officers | $96,628 |
With 548 different entrepreneurship programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased entrepreneurship school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in entrepreneurship, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Small Business Administration/Management | 3,118 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other | 437 |
| Social Entrepreneurship | 77 |
| Franchising and Franchise Operations | 13 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
