Top 25 Colleges for Entrepreneurship for 2015 (Graduate Programs)
This story appears in the October 2014 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Harvard University
At A Glance
About the Program
Harvard University currently offers 33 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 182 companies and have collectively raised $1,200,000,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $300,000 in cash prizes.
57 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 127 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Babson College
At A Glance
About the Program
Babson College currently offers 79 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 181 companies.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $75,000 in cash prizes and $191,230 in prize money was won in other competitions.
100 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 9 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Michigan
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Michigan currently offers 62 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 106 companies and have collectively raised $34,100,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $140,000 in cash prizes and $108,500 in prize money was won in other competitions.
54 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 162 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Rice University
At A Glance
About the Program
Rice University currently offers 31 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 22 companies and have collectively raised $27,773,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $1,400,000 in cash prizes and $564,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
100 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 190 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Stanford University
At A Glance
About the Program
53 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 44 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Northwestern University
At A Glance
About the Program
Northwestern University currently offers 31 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 109 companies and have collectively raised $151,300,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $165,000 in cash prizes and $375,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
67 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 255 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Brigham Young University
At A Glance
About the Program
Brigham Young University currently offers 25 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 60 companies and have collectively raised $17,187,494 in funding.
89 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 201 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Texas at Austin
At A Glance
About the Program
The University of Texas at Austin currently offers 31 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 30 companies.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $178,000 in cash prizes and $20,200 in prize money was won in other competitions.
91 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 511 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Chicago
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Chicago currently offers 30 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 111 companies and have collectively raised $38,600,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $190,000 in cash prizes.
67 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 200 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Virginia
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Virginia currently offers 40 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 62 companies and have collectively raised $10,089,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $370,000 in cash prizes and $22,500 in prize money was won in other competitions.
100 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 17 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
At A Glance
About the Program
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill currently offers 34 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $100,000 in cash prizes and $50,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
95 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 150 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Washington
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Washington currently offers 25 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 140 companies and have collectively raised $11,740,633 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $293,520 in cash prizes and $3,425,520 in prize money was won in other competitions.
62 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 284 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of South Florida
At A Glance
About the Program
The University of South Florida currently offers 49 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 115 companies and have collectively raised $3,000,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $20,000 in cash prizes and $30,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
93 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 83 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Baruch College
At A Glance
About the Program
Bernard Baruch College, The City University of New York currently offers 14 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 500 companies and have collectively raised $58,000,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $250,000 in cash prizes and $250,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
75 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 54 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Washington University in St. Louis
At A Glance
About the Program
Washington University in St. Louis currently offers 21 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $280,000 in cash prizes and $4,330,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
37 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 192 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Temple University
At A Glance
About the Program
Temple University currently offers 57 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 111 companies and have collectively raised $7,680,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $230,000 in cash prizes and $239,357 in prize money was won in other competitions.
100 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 129 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
Syracuse University
At A Glance
About the Program
Syracuse University currently offers 22 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $160,000 in cash prizes and $360,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
100 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 300 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Oklahoma
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Oklahoma currently offers 15 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 11 companies and have collectively raised $670,750 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $295,000 in cash prizes and $54,250 in prize money was won in other competitions.
100 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 300 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Arizona
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Arizona currently offers 15 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 12 companies and have collectively raised $1,500,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $60,000 in cash prizes and $214,550 in prize money was won in other competitions.
70 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 20 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
DePaul University
At A Glance
About the Program
DePaul University currently offers 25 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 102 companies and have collectively raised $2,500,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $10,000 in cash prizes and $11,750 in prize money was won in other competitions.
100 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 35 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Southern California
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Southern California currently offers 31 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $270,000 in cash prizes.
92 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 150 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Louisville
At A Glance
About the Program
University of Louisville currently offers 37 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 12 companies and have collectively raised $5,200,000 in funding.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $68,500 in cash prizes and $207,000 in prize money was won in other competitions.
91 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 17 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
University of Utah
At A Glance
About the Program
The University of Utah currently offers 17 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 196 companies.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $744,550 in cash prizes and $959,550 in prize money was won in other competitions.
92 percent of the total graduate entrepreneurship faculty have started, bought, or run a successful business. 75 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.
* University of Missouri Kansas City was removed from the 2015 Top Entrepreneurial Programs ranking lists due to falsification of data. Schools earn a spot on our entrepreneurship ranking through school-reported data. Every school signs an affidavit to ensure their information is accurate.
Columbia University
At A Glance
About the Program
Columbia University currently offers 38 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses.
The 2013-14 business plan competition awards $14,000 in cash prizes.
58 individual mentors worked with students through an officially sponsored school program.