Entrepreneurship & Innovation
What you'll do in college
Entrepreneurship programs teach you how to spot opportunities, build products, raise money, and grow a company from zero. Coursework mixes core business classes with new-venture creation, design thinking, innovation strategy, and venture finance.
Many programs are built around pitch competitions, incubators, and the chance to launch a real startup as a senior project. Expect heavy mentorship from alumni founders and investors, and plenty of iteration on business models that don't survive first contact with customers.
What you'll do after college
Some grads launch businesses straight out of college; others join startups as early employees, work at venture capital firms, or spend years learning inside a large company before going entrepreneurial. Common early roles include founder, product manager, business development, and operations at small teams.
Early pay can be low and risky, but the upside for founders and early employees at successful startups is significant. The skills—selling, building, recruiting—transfer well if the first venture doesn't work out.
Famous graduates
- Mark Cuban — Entrepreneur and investor; B.S. in Business Administration from Indiana University
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneurship & Innovation | 264 | 4,157 | 59% / 41% | 5% | $69,781 | 95% |
| Entrepreneurship | 217 | 3,293 | 60% / 40% | 5% | $66,416 | 95% |
| Business (Entrepreneurship) | 1 | 148 | 66% / 34% | 4% | $62,023 | 99% |
| Management and Leadership | 1 | 110 | 72% / 28% | 7% | $115,912 | 99% |
| Nonprofit Management | 28 | 70 | 31% / 69% | 7% | $65,261 | 96% |
| Technological Entrepreneurship and Management | 1 | 70 | 87% / 13% | 7% | $88,622 | 96% |
| Leadership Studies | 1 | 65 | 28% / 72% | 0% | $74,971 | 98% |
| Organizational Supervision | 1 | 52 | 52% / 48% | 0% | $71,852 | 97% |
| Entrepreneurship and Innovation | 1 | 50 | 58% / 42% | 2% | $94,076 | 97% |
| Small Business Management | 6 | 49 | 29% / 71% | 6% | $61,670 | 94% |
| Social Entrepreneurship | 5 | 49 | 39% / 61% | 6% | $83,646 | 94% |
| Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation | 1 | 33 | 52% / 48% | 15% | $83,153 | 100% |
| Business and Leadership | 1 | 26 | 85% / 15% | 4% | $63,299 | |
| Community Entrepreneurship | 1 | 25 | 48% / 52% | 12% | $67,721 | 89% |
| Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 1 | 20 | 50% / 50% | 20% | $84,374 | |
| Small Business Administration/Management | 3 | 19 | 47% / 53% | 5% | $66,041 | |
| Leadership and Strategic Management | 1 | 17 | 41% / 59% | 6% | $175,622 | |
| Entrepreneurship & Innovation | 1 | 14 | 57% / 43% | 14% | $236,323 | 95% |
| Nonprofit Leadership and Management | 1 | 11 | 45% / 55% | 0% | $78,150 | 94% |
| Community Leadership | 1 | 7 | 43% / 57% | 0% | $35,310 | 100% |
| Nonprofit Administration | 1 | 6 | 17% / 83% | 0% | $64,023 | 88% |
| Small Business | 1 | 6 | 67% / 33% | 0% | $48,710 | 94% |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 3 | 5 | 60% / 40% | 0% | $63,974 | |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management | 2 | 5 | 40% / 60% | 0% | $77,513 | 92% |
| Entrepreneurial Studies | 1 | 5 | 60% / 40% | 0% | $57,478 | 100% |
| Nonprofit Leadership | 1 | 2 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $70,245 | 95% |