Best institutions to study Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Compare 725 U.S. colleges offering Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 52 states.
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations programs report a median of $43,904 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 52.07 and the General and Operations Managers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations programs
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, small business management, or franchising, fostering innovation and risk-taking in business ventures.
Learn more about Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations →
Students will gain essential skills in administration, management, customer service, and financial oversight. Coursework typically covers topics such as entrepreneurship, small business administration, and social entrepreneurship, preparing graduates for a dynamic business environment.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,446 | 48 | 91% | $21,126 | $19,000 |
| 2 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,177 | 63 | 85% | — | — |
| 3 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $65,028 | 50 | 86% | $25,823 | $25,292 |
| 4 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · Certificate degree | $64,900 | 186 | 90% | — | $19,500 |
| 5 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $64,211 | 22 | 68% | — | $23,962 |
| 6 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $64,061 | 41 | 81% | $13,712 | — |
| 7 | Elon University Elon, NC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $62,626 | 29 | 84% | $33,688 | — |
| 8 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $60,448 | 12 | 45% | — | — |
| 9 | Baylor University Waco, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $59,052 | 66 | 80% | $35,682 | $19,375 |
| 10 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $57,411 | 13 | 80% | $24,886 | $25,000 |
| 11 | University of Dayton Dayton, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $55,864 | 36 | 80% | $28,560 | $25,813 |
| 12 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $55,039 | 40 | 84% | $28,851 | $26,350 |
| 13 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,563 | 81 | 57% | $10,199 | $33,678 |
| 14 | George Washington University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $52,893 | 12 | 84% | $29,789 | — |
| 15 | University of Houston Houston, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,752 | 50 | 65% | — | $11,100 |
| 16 | University of Delaware Newark, DE Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,185 | 31 | 81% | — | — |
| 17 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA Public · Certificate degree | $51,635 | 21 | 85% | — | $23,063 |
| 18 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,876 | 56 | 75% | — | $24,250 |
| 19 | Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,614 | 21 | 76% | $36,137 | $27,000 |
| 20 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,030 | 40 | 78% | $36,004 | — |
| 21 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,625 | 158 | 86% | — | $17,100 |
| 22 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,600 | 52 | 76% | $28,888 | $21,500 |
| 23 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,319 | 8 | 77% | $32,060 | — |
| 24 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,840 | 88 | 86% | — | $26,000 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania State University - World Campus University Park, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,840 | 51 | 34% | — | $26,000 |
| 26 | Miami University - Hamilton Hamilton, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,731 | 77 | 25% | — | $23,350 |
| 27 | Miami University - Middletown Middletown, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,731 | 21 | 32% | — | $23,350 |
| 28 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,731 | 1 | 80% | — | $23,350 |
| 29 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,312 | 15 | 64% | — | $25,000 |
| 30 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public · Certificate degree | $46,878 | 84 | 75% | — | $26,000 |
| 31 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,628 | 169 | 68% | — | $14,154 |
| 32 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,374 | 48 | 75% | — | $21,500 |
| 33 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,869 | 20 | 73% | $33,454 | — |
| 34 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,767 | 41 | 32% | — | $25,666 |
| 35 | University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,373 | 16 | 59% | — | $18,785 |
| 36 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,366 | 54 | 68% | — | $22,500 |
| 37 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,265 | 77 | 61% | — | $19,365 |
| 38 | Suffolk University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,884 | 31 | 61% | $28,895 | $27,000 |
| 39 | University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,853 | 38 | 64% | — | — |
| 40 | South Dakota State University Brookings, SD Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,904 | 5 | 62% | — | $26,031 |
| 41 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,702 | 41 | 67% | — | — |
| 42 | Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,391 | 3 | 67% | — | $26,000 |
| 43 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,146 | 30 | 70% | $37,121 | $22,812 |
| 44 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,002 | 29 | 54% | — | — |
| 45 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,908 | 37 | 59% | — | $27,000 |
| 46 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,830 | 8 | 56% | — | $24,000 |
| 47 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI Public · Certificate degree | $42,545 | 8 | 49% | — | $23,397 |
| 48 | North Central University Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,327 | 2 | 66% | $23,452 | — |
| 49 | The University of Arizona Global Campus Chandler, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,890 | 14 | 11% | $26,445 | $46,438 |
| 50 | Daytona State College Daytona Beach, FL Public · Certificate degree | $40,824 | 58 | 43% | — | $10,740 |
Offered across 52 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 11-1021, General and Operations Managers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can expect a career outlook that is about as fast as average, with an estimated 308,700 annual openings in related fields. The median wage for positions in this area is approximately $102,950, and a typical educational requirement is a bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 52.07.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 52.07 (Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations) maps to 5 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-1011 | Chief Executives |
| 11-1021 | General and Operations Managersprimary |
| 11-9179 | Personal Service Managers, All Other |
| 11-9199 | Managers, All Other |
| 25-1011 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.
- Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
- Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
- Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
Concentrations within Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial StudiesCIP 52.0701
A program that generally prepares individuals to perform development, marketing and management functions associated with owning and operating a business.
- Franchising and Franchise OperationsCIP 52.0702
A program that prepares individuals to manage and operate franchises
- Small Business Administration/ManagementCIP 52.0703
A program that prepares individuals to develop and manage independent small businesses
- Social EntrepreneurshipCIP 52.0704
A program that focuses on blending entrepreneurial ideas and management skills for issue advocacy and social change
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, OtherCIP 52.0799
Any instructional program in enterprise management and entrepreneurship not listed above.
Common questions
What are the specializations within this program?+
Specializations include Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies, Franchising and Franchise Operations, Small Business Administration/Management, Social Entrepreneurship, and more.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, and writing, among others.
What kind of tasks will I learn to perform?+
Tasks include reviewing financial statements, coordinating business activities, and preparing staff schedules.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook is about 4.4% growth, with a median wage of $102,950 and approximately 308,700 annual openings.
How much do Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates earn?+
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates report median earnings of $43,904 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the General and Operations Managers occupation pays about $134,940 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations?+
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations maps to CIP 52.07 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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.
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