Home Schools Elon University Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Business · Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Rank #29 of 67

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operationsat Elon University

Graduates earn $62,626/yr in their first year — about 39.0% above the national Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations average. Base-case 10-year earnings $593K; scenarios range from $535K to $604K depending on AI disruption.

Elon, NC Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
56 SOLID
56
Optimistic
50
Pessimistic
Earnings
$62,626
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.5x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$593K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Elon University

Elon's program in Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations stands out because it doesn't just teach theory; it immerses you in the practicalities of launching and growing ventures. The university's strong emphasis on experiential learning, coupled with a tight-knit alumni network, provides invaluable mentorship and early-stage opportunities. You’ll gain hands-on experience in business planning, market analysis, and operational management, skills highly prized by employers and crucial for successful self-employment. This practical foundation, often supported by regional business development initiatives in North Carolina, prepares you to confidently take on leadership roles or build your own scalable businesses. To truly capitalize on this, actively seek out every internship, venture competition, and networking event available; your future success hinges on building that practical portfolio and cultivating connections.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$535K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score50/100
Earnings Multiple3.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$593K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple3.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$604K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Elon University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Chief executives
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 22,200 openings/yr
$206,420/yr
High
2
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
3
General and operations managers
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 308,700 openings/yr
$102,950/yr
Moderate
4
Business teachers, postsecondary
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 8,100 openings/yr
$97,270/yr
Moderate
5
Personal service managers, all other
+6.5% 10-yr growth · 2,100 openings/yr
$61,340/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

How Elon University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Boston College
MA · Private nonprofit
56
DW Score
$74K
1-yr earn
1.7x
ROI
Brown University
RI · Private nonprofit
69
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
3.3x
ROI
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
WA · Public
64
DW Score
$65K
1-yr earn
11.9x
ROI
Texas Christian University
TX · Private nonprofit
55
DW Score
$65K
1-yr earn
1.8x
ROI
University of Arizona
AZ · Public
76
DW Score
$64K
1-yr earn
14.5x
ROI
Also at Elon University

Other top programs at Elon University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Elon University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

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 at Elon University

How does Elon University's Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations program score?

This program scores 56/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates.

How vulnerable is Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 50% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.