Entrepreneurs

High School

Take the following classes in high school to build your knowledge and skills:

• marketing and psychology: to learn how to sell a product or service to potential customers
• mathematics, accounting, and computer science: to learn how to create budgets and otherwise manage your company’s finances
• business: to learn basic management practices that you’ll need to operate your business
• writing, speech, English, and foreign language: to develop your oral and written communication skills

Postsecondary Education

You do not need a college degree to become an entrepreneur. Some entrepreneurs who only have a high school diploma or who have completed a small amount of college have launched multi-million dollar businesses. There are even successful teen entrepreneurs who still haven’t graduated from high school. On the other hand, it always pays to receive as much education as possible—whether it’s at a college or university, via an apprenticeship program, or through military or on-the-job training. In these settings, you’ll learn about a particular field (such as engineering, health care, or video games) that can be the inspiration for your product or service. Additionally, in postsecondary institutions, you can learn about accounting, business management, database management, social media marketing, and other subjects that will prove useful to you as you become an entrepreneur.

Some entrepreneurs earn certificates or second degrees in entrepreneurism or business management to augment their skills. Many undergraduate business and entrepreneurism programs are accredited by AACSB International (https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited).

U.S. News & World Report publishes a ranking of the best undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the United States based on peer assessment surveys. To be eligible for inclusion, these programs must be accredited by AACSB International. In 2024, the top programs were:

1. Babson College (Babson Park, MA)
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
3. University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
4. University of California at Berkeley
5. Indiana University at Bloomington
6. University of Texas at Austin
7. University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
8. University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
9. University of Houston (Houston, TX)
10. Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)
11. Baylor University (Waco, TX)
12. Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, CA)
13. Saint Louis University (St. Louis, MO)
14. Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA)

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer certificates in entrepreneurism, business management, and related fields. Certificate programs at postsecondary institutions are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels and typically last six months to a year. Shorter-term certificate programs are offered by professional associations and online learning platforms. Typical classes in a college entrepreneurship program include

Business Law; Entrepreneurial Finance; Introduction to Business; Introduction to Customer Service; Introduction to Entrepreneurship; Introduction to Social Media and Marketing; Principles of Management; Principles of Marketing; and Small Business Accounting. Some schools offer specialized entrepreneurship certificates. For example, the University of Michigan offers a certificate program in Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Other Education or Training

Professional associations, online learning providers, and colleges and universities offer classes about entrepreneurism, business management, accounting, marketing, social media, and other topics that will help aspiring and current entrepreneurs build their skills.