Top Universities Producing the Most Business Owners

In this article, we’ll explore the top universities producing business owners, highlight those that excel in specific states, and identify the leading institutions across various industries. You’ll learn which universities are paving the way for the next generation of business leaders and how they stack up against each other.

Key Takeaways:

Arizona State University has the most business-owner alums (14,680).
North Dakota State has the fewest business-owner alums (177).
Cornell is the Ivy League school with the most business owner alums (7,302).

Universities With the Most Business-Owning Alums

In this section, we’ll explore which American institutions have been fostering the most future business leaders.

Arizona State University is well known for its business programs, and for good reason: it led the pack with 14,680 business-owning alums, showcasing its strong emphasis on entrepreneurial education. The W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU is the biggest and highest-ranked business school in the U.S.

Following closely were Southern New Hampshire University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Central Florida, and Texas A&M University. These school’s supportive environments have resulted in promising careers for many aspiring business owners.

On the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota State University had the fewest business-owning alums, with just 177. Other universities with low numbers included the University of Oklahoma, California Institute of Technology, Middlebury College, and Wesleyan University. Despite their academic prestige, these schools had fewer alums who ventured into business ownership.

Cornell stood out among the Ivy League schools we studied, producing the most business-owning alums (7,302). Its academic rigor and its alums’ business success make it a great option for aspiring entrepreneurs ready to meet high academic standards.

Here are the top and bottom five universities that have produced the most and fewest business owners:

Top 5 Universities With the Most Business-Owning Alums:

1. Arizona State University
2. Southern New Hampshire University
3. Pennsylvania State University
4. University of Central Florida
5. Texas A&M University

Bottom 5 Universities With the Fewest Business-Owning Alums:

100. North Dakota State University
99. University of Oklahoma
98. California Institute of Technology
97. Middlebury College
96. Wesleyan University

States Where Universities Produce the Most Business Owners

Next, we’ll look at which universities in specific states produced the most business-owning alums. Find out which institutions in key states are leading the way in fostering entrepreneurs.

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The University of Central Florida had the most business-owning alumni of any Florida university. This demonstrates its support for aspiring entrepreneurs in a state where tourism drives the economy. The University of California, Los Angeles led in California — a state known for its major tech hub, Silicon Valley. New York University topped the list in New York, impacting the entrepreneurial scene where media, finance, and fashion reign. Colorado State University produced the most business-owning alums in Colorado, a state known for its booming outdoor recreation industry.

Top Universities Producing Business Owners by Industry

Let’s see which universities excelled in producing business-owning alums across different industries.

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Business owners from Carnegie Mellon University were more likely than those from other schools to be in the IT industry, reflecting CMU’s strong technical programs. U.S. News and World Report also ranked it No. 1 for computer science, business, and engineering programs.

Yale University produced the most business owners in the media and communications field, while Rhode Island School of Design stood out for producing the most arts and design business owners. These universities have set the standard for fostering entrepreneurial talent in their respective fields.

Universities Shaping the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

The right learning environment can foster innovation and drive. From Arizona State University’s impressive number of business-owning alums to Carnegie Mellon University’s leadership in IT, these institutions have made significant contributions to the business world. Each school has its unique strengths that promote its graduates’ entrepreneurial ventures.

Methodology

We compiled five universities and colleges from each state. We based this selection on schools in the Power Five conferences, the Ivy League, and those ranked in the top 200 by the U.S. News & World Report. If fewer than five schools were available for a state based on that criteria, we chose from the schools in those states with the most LinkedIn alums since 2000. We then filtered for who had “business owner” in their profiles, and then for the number of business owners in each industry. Only universities with 10,000 or more alums were included in our analysis.

About Clarify Capital

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Emma Parker

Senior Funding Manager

Emma holds a B.S. in finance from NYU and has been working in the business financing industry for over a decade. She is passionate about helping small business owners grow by finding the right funding option that makes sense for them. More about the Clarify team →