Pennsylvania · Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

Best colleges for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations in Pennsylvania

Ranked by graduate earnings

Temple University, Drexel University and Pennsylvania State University are the top bachelor's Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations programs in Pennsylvania by graduate earnings. Temple University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,876, College Scorecard. University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University and Temple University award the most Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations degrees in Pennsylvania: 255, 88 and 56 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 29 Pennsylvania colleges offer Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations and award 654 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations program focuses on equipping students with the skills necessary to create and manage small businesses effectively. It is ideal for individuals looking to pursue careers in entrepreneurship,…

Institutions
29
offering CIP 52.07
States & territories
52
with a program page
Degrees / yr
654
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$48,319
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,453
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
59%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · General and Operations Managers
$126,200
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 5 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Temple University
Philadelphia Public · Bachelor's degree
$50,8765675%—$24,250
2Drexel University
Philadelphia Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$50,0304078%$36,004—
3Pennsylvania State University
University Park Public · Bachelor's degree
$47,8408886%—$26,000
4Duquesne University
Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$48,319877%$32,060—
5Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Shippensburg Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$42,830856%—$24,000

Top certificate or associate program

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh Public · Certificate
$51,6352185%—$23,063

Colleges awarding the most Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations degrees in Pennsylvania

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Private not-for-profit
255Not reported
2Pennsylvania State University
University Park Public
88$47,840
3Temple University
Philadelphia Public
56$50,876
4Drexel University
Philadelphia Private not-for-profit
40$50,030
5Robert Morris University
Moon Township Private not-for-profit
20Not reported
6Butler County Community College
Butler Public
11Not reported
7Grove City College
Grove City Private not-for-profit
9Not reported
8Duquesne University
Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit
8$48,319
9Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Shippensburg Public
8$42,830
10Bucks County Community College
Newtown Public
7Not reported
Show the other 19 Pennsylvania colleges offering Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Pennsylvania State University - World Campus (Online)University ParkPublic51
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburghPublic21
Community College of Allegheny CountyPittsburghPublic18
Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburgPublic8
Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPrivate not-for-profit7
York College of PennsylvaniaYorkPrivate not-for-profit7
Central Penn CollegeSummerdalePrivate for-profit6
Lehigh Carbon Community CollegeSchnecksvillePublic5
Gannon UniversityEriePrivate not-for-profit4
Westmoreland County Community CollegeYoungwoodPublic4
Pennsylvania Highlands Community CollegeJohnstownPublic4
Lehigh UniversityBethlehemPrivate not-for-profit3
Community College of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPublic3
Pennsylvania Western UniversityCaliforniaPublic3
Juniata CollegeHuntingdonPrivate not-for-profit2
Villanova UniversityVillanovaPrivate not-for-profit2
Waynesburg UniversityWaynesburgPrivate not-for-profit2
Elizabethtown CollegeElizabethtownPrivate not-for-profit1
Pennsylvania State University - Penn State ScrantonDunmorePublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~308,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$102,950
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What General and Operations Managers earn in Pennsylvania

Jobs in Pennsylvania
172,010
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$126,200
median $103,130
Best-paying metro
$145,650
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Related careers

General and Operations Managers
$126,200 avg · 172,010 jobs
Chief Executives
$302,990 avg · 8,850 jobs
Business Teachers, Postsecondary
$111,930 avg · 4,630 jobs
Personal Service Managers, All Other
$89,890 avg · 280 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations programs in Pennsylvania.

Which Pennsylvania colleges award the most Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations degrees?+

University of Pennsylvania (255 graduates a year), Pennsylvania State University (88 graduates a year) and Temple University (56 graduates a year) award the most Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations degrees in Pennsylvania, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 29 Pennsylvania colleges offer Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations.

What is the best college for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations in Pennsylvania?+

By graduate earnings, Temple University leads among bachelor's Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations programs in Pennsylvania, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,876, College Scorecard. Drexel University and Pennsylvania State University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Pennsylvania is the largest, with 255 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations program in Pennsylvania has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Temple University tops the list at $50,876. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Pennsylvania?+

The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Pennsylvania is $126,200 (median $103,130), across about 172,010 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations program?+

The Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations program focuses on equipping students with the skills necessary to create and manage small businesses effectively. It is ideal for individuals looking to pursue careers in entrepreneurship,…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations in other statesMassachusettsWashingtonUtahNorth CarolinaMissouriWest VirginiaDistrict of ColumbiaDelaware

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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