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Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

Students study how to start, manage, and grow new businesses, including business plan development, venture financing, market validation, and small business management. Graduates typically pursue careers as startup founders, small business owners, business development managers, and venture capital analysts. While entrepreneurship carries inherent risk, this major also develops management skills valued in corporate innovation and intrapreneurship roles.

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Schools

Programs analyzed

Earnings

$44,904

Avg 1-yr grad earnings

Range $16,449–$74,446

Outlook

54/100

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

AI Risk

High

53% task exposure

Field Overview

What Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates do

This degree prepares you to run the show, whether it’s your own venture or an established small business. Initially, you might step into a role as an operations manager, where your days are a dynamic mix of problem-solving and planning. You’ll be the one managing budgets, overseeing staffing, and untangling logistical knots to keep daily business on track. Many graduates also find paths as specialized managers, leading a specific department where you get to wear multiple hats.

As you gain experience, your career path can lead toward a chief executive position. Here, the focus shifts from the daily grind to the big picture: setting long-term strategy, negotiating major deals, and steering the entire organization. Across the board, demand for skilled leaders who can drive growth is steady. AI will be your co-pilot, not your replacement. With moderate exposure, you can expect it to automate routine analysis and reporting, freeing you up. Your core job will evolve, placing a higher value on your ability to lead teams, make nuanced judgment calls, and adapt—the distinctly human side of business.

Related majors worth comparing: International Business and Management Sciences.

Career Trajectories

Where Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates work

Common career paths for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 447,800 combined openings per year across these roles.

Role	Median Pay	Annual Openings	10-yr Growth	AI Exposure
Chief executives	$206,420	22,200	+4.3%	High · 56%
Managers, all other	$136,550 $100K–$179K	106,700	+4.5%	Moderate · 47%
General and operations managers	$102,950 $67K–$164K	308,700	+4.4%	Moderate · 48%
Business teachers, postsecondary	$97,270 $63K–$140K	8,100	+5.7%	Moderate · 49%
Personal service managers, all other	$61,340 $48K–$83K	2,100	+6.5%	High · 52%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

Top Institutions

Best schools for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 67.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 79

Brigham Young University

Provo, UT · Private nonprofit

$64,061 1-yr earnings

28.9x ROI multiple

High AI risk

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ · #2

$64,211/yr · 14.5x ROI

Brown University

Providence, RI · #3

$67,900/yr · 3.3x ROI

Utah Valley University

Orem, UT · #4

$60,448/yr · 23.1x ROI

#	School	DW Score	1-yr Earnings	ROI
5	Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH · Public	68	$47,312	12.9x
6	University of North Texas Denton, TX · Public	67	$45,265	14.1x
7	American Public University System Charles Town, WV · Private for-profit	65	$54,563	15.2x
8	Florida State University Tallahassee, FL · Public	65	$48,625	20.5x
9	Kansas State University Manhattan, KS · Public	65	$39,646	15.4x
10	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA · Public	64	$65,177	11.9x
11	Temple University Philadelphia, PA · Public	63	$50,876	6.9x
12	Syracuse University Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofit	62	$55,039	2.7x
13	University of Houston Houston, TX · Public	62	$52,752	12.6x
14	Miami University-Hamilton Hamilton, OH · Public	62	$47,731	15.4x
15	Miami University-Middletown Middletown, OH · Public	62	$47,731	15.4x
16	South Dakota State University Brookings, SD · Public	61	$43,904	13.2x
17	Baylor University Waco, TX · Private nonprofit	60	$59,052	2.6x
18	Drexel University Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit	60	$50,030	2.6x
19	University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit	60	$48,600	3.1x
20	University of Dayton Dayton, OH · Private nonprofit	59	$55,864	2.9x
21	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI · Public	59	$45,373	12.7x
22	University of Delaware Newark, DE · Public	57	$52,185	7.1x
23	Iowa State University Ames, IA · Public	57	$46,374	10.0x
24	Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO · Public	57	$45,767	9.6x
25	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK · Public	57	$45,366	10.1x
26	Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit	56	$74,446	1.7x
27	Elon University Elon, NC · Private nonprofit	56	$62,626	2.5x
28	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ · Public	56	$46,628	8.7x
29	Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI · Public	56	$42,908	8.4x
30	Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX · Private nonprofit	55	$65,028	1.8x
31	Miami University-Oxford Oxford, OH · Public	55	$47,731	5.7x
32	Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN · Public	55	$43,002	10.9x
33	California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA · Public	55	$37,818	14.4x
34	Suffolk University Boston, MA · Private nonprofit	54	$44,884	2.8x
35	Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit	53	$57,411	1.7x
36	Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA · Private nonprofit	53	$49,099	2.8x
37	Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI · Public	53	$43,391	6.4x
38	Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO · Public	53	$39,840	10.0x
39	University of South Florida Tampa, FL · Public	53	$33,249	17.2x
40	Rowan University Glassboro, NJ · Public	52	$43,702	6.0x
41	University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofit	52	$43,146	2.2x
42	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA · Public	52	$42,830	6.9x
43	University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND · Public	52	$40,142	8.2x
44	University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV · Public	52	$27,828	15.7x
45	George Washington University Washington, DC · Private nonprofit	51	$52,893	1.0x
46	Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT · Private nonprofit	51	$50,614	1.4x
47	Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ · Private for-profit	51	$38,454	6.8x
48	Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit	50	$48,319	1.6x
49	University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI · Public	50	$44,853	6.9x
50	University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR · Public	50	$38,105	8.4x
51	North Central University Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofit	49	$42,327	2.6x
52	Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit	48	$45,869	1.2x
53	Lamar University Beaumont, TX · Public	48	$32,129	12.5x
54	Ashford University San Diego, CA · Private for-profit	47	$40,890	6.4x
55	Rollins College Winter Park, FL · Private nonprofit	42	$37,950	0.6x
56	Clarkson University Potsdam, NY · Private nonprofit	41	$37,753	1.7x
57	University of Vermont Burlington, VT · Public	41	$32,386	3.3x
58	Johnson & Wales University-Online Providence, RI · Private nonprofit	41	$30,996	7.5x
59	The University of Tampa Tampa, FL · Private nonprofit	40	$34,038	1.5x
60	Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY · Public	39	$24,387	8.9x
61	Dallas Baptist University Dallas, TX · Private nonprofit	37	$31,694	1.1x
62	Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus San Juan, PR · Private nonprofit	37	$30,378	7.2x
63	Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX · Public	36	$23,682	5.4x
64	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla Aguadilla, PR · Private nonprofit	36	$22,842	11.1x
65	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon Bayamon, PR · Private nonprofit	36	$16,449	12.4x
66	Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI · Private nonprofit	33	$30,996	1.8x
67	Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte Charlotte, NC · Private nonprofit	33	$30,996	1.8x

Find the top Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations schools — ranked by actual earnings data from 67 programs →

Highest Earnings Top 5

Boston College MA	$74,446
Brown University RI	$67,900
University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA	$65,177
Texas Christian University TX	$65,028
University of Arizona AZ	$64,211

Best ROI Top 5

Brigham Young University UT	28.9x
Utah Valley University UT	23.1x
Florida State University FL	20.5x
University of South Florida FL	17.2x
University of Nevada-Las Vegas NV	15.7x

Related majors

Similar fields of study often offered alongside Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations.

Business Administration Marketing Accounting Finance Management Information Systems Hospitality Management International Business Human Resources Business Management Science Business Economics Specialized Sales & Marketing

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →

FAQ

Frequently asked about Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

What's the typical salary after a Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations degree?

First-year earnings for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates average $44,904 annually, based on data from 67 programs. The range spans $16,449 at the low end to $74,446 at the top.

Will AI affect Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations careers?

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations is rated "High" for AI automation risk, with 53% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means most career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.

Which school has the best Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations program?

Our data ranks Brigham Young University first among 67 Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations programs. Its score of 79/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($64,061/yr), return on investment, and career durability.

What's the ROI on a Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations degree?

The average 10-year earnings multiple is 8.0x tuition. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.