Consistency is the dream of every entrepreneur. In business school, courses are packed with case studies about flash-in-the-plans. They boasted charismatic founders, booming markets, and game-changing solutions. At first, they were flush with cash. They planned boldly and expanded rapidly, convinced they would set the bar and dominate their industry. All they needed was a clear purpose and consistent delivery.
And then the usual suspects popped up.
Visions clashed and momentum slowed. Founders stretched themselves thin and lost their focus, squandering time and resources along the way. In their haste, they made bad hires and rash bets. They would reimagine and reset. Soon enough, incumbents and upstarts alike nibbled through their share. They may have been the first act, but they were slow to adapt – becoming another cautionary tale for student founders to consider.
There has always been the debate: Is it better to learn how to build a company through painful experience or demanding academics? The former throws founders into the chaos, bringing them close to the customer and the problem at the outset. The latter requires the discipline to master the business fundamentals, be it business modeling or financial statements. If a founder pursues the academic route, the key is consistency – knowing which institutions, year-after-year, offer the widest resources and achieve the highest outcomes.
MBA students walking together at Rice University
THE TEXAS TWOSOME REPEATS
By that measure, Rice University and the University of Houston consistently outperform their peer schools. For the 8th straight year, both institutions have topped the “Top Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies” Ranking, a joint venture between The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine. Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business again earned the nod at the graduate school level. In contrast, the University of Houston, home to the Bauer College of Business, ranked 1st among undergraduate school.
These aren’t the only universities that consistently excel in The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur Ranking, which was released on November 10. At the graduate level, UCLA’s Anderson School of Business finished 2nd for the third straight year. At the same time, the University of Virginia’s Darden School and the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University matched Anderson’s feat by remaining Top 10 from 2025-2027. At the undergraduate level, the University of Maryland’s Smith College and Tecnologico de Monterrey achieved this same consistency as well.
This consistency also connects the same institutions at graduate and undergraduate portions of this ranking too. At the University of Texas for example, the McCombs School has placed 2nd at the undergraduate level for three consecutive years, while finishing Top 10 over the same period in graduate entrepreneurship studies (maxing out at 3rd this year). The University of Michigan’s Ross School has pinballed between 3rd and 5th from 2025-2027 at the graduate level, with its undergraduate ranking doing the same between 4th and 6th over those same years. The same goes for Washington University’s Olin School, which ranked 6th (Graduate) and 3rd (Undergraduate), and Babson College, which placed 9th (Graduate) and 5th (Undergraduate) according to The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur.
“The schools that made our lists for 2027 truly are stand-outs for entrepreneurship studies,” writes Rob Franek, The Princeton Review‘s editor in chief in a press release. “Their faculties are outstanding. Their program offerings have robust experiential components. Their students have access to extraordinary mentors and networking contacts that will serve them well into their careers. We recommend them highly to any student aspiring to become an entrepreneur and to learn from some of the best and brightest in this burgeoning field.”
Morning in Marion Anderson Courtyard at UCLA
DEMANDING COURSEWORK & ENGAGED FACULTY DEFINE UCLA ENTREPRENEURSHIP
What sets some of these entrepreneurship programs apart? As MBA students at UCLA’s Anderson School, Matthew Maxwell (’25) and Jack Schweighauser (’25) bootstrapped Maxwell & Schweighauser. They describe it as a “boutique music advisory firm dedicated to helping artists and songwriters uncover and recover missing royalty revenue.” The venture, say the duo, was inspired by a family member being underpaid in royalties for playing on the recordings of various artists, including Kool & the Gang. For Maxwell and Schweighauser, the classroom experience – both in core courses and electives around entrepreneurship and entertainment – has been instrumental in the development of their practice.
“Learning the foundations of core business concepts in accounting and financial decision-making has helped us better understand how to operate and grow the company. Working through numerous startup case studies gave us a realistic look at the successes and pitfalls new ventures face. These examples taught us how to adjust our business model more quickly and stay responsive to what our customers actually need.”
The duo also points to Anderson faculty as difference-makers. Specifically, they mention Jane Wu, an assistant professor of strategy, for quickly replying to emails and jumping on Zoom calls with them. Even after graduation, they say, professors have opened their rolodexes and offered guidance, particularly when it comes to legal questions. On top of that, UCLA’s setting was a perfect fit. While Los Angeles is home to the tech-rich enterprises and deep-pocketed venture capitalists of Silicon Beach, it is also a cultural and artistic capital, say Maxwell and Schweighauser. This location has made for valuable connections that have fueled their firm’s growth.
“Given our work in creative intellectual property, it is the connection point for all things entertainment, especially on the financial side. There are constant events throughout the city to connect creatives, which is great for client discovery. At the same time, there are several events for those on the business side to connect, which is helpful for collaborations. We’ve attended formal events such as LA Tech Week and Music Tectonics. However, the fun part of L.A. is that, even when casually going to the grocery store or grabbing a coffee, there’s a chance of building connections quite serendipitously.”
Students and entrepreneurs at the 2025 B.E.T.A. Challenge at Babson College. Courtesy photo
BABSON CONNECTS STUDENTS TO ALUMNI … AND MORE
Across the country, Daniel Berlin attracted $200,000 from investors to launch Dirty Gut, a healthy chocolate. A ’26 graduate of Babson College’s undergraduate program, Berlin says his venture is rooted in growing up “addicted to sweets.” By the end of his junior year, he had placed his product in 13 Boston-area stores, along with another 53 retail outlets in California. Aside from a strong grounding in business fundamentals, he also credits the college with introducing him to professional champions who invested in him. That started with his Professional Sales Practicum.
“I was paired up in an entry-level sales role with David Marks, Babson class of ’75 and CEO of Medtrition. Coincidentally, I took this course at the same time I was launching DIRTY GUT in the Spring of 2025, a time in which I was trying to sell our chocolate online and into retail stores. David and his team taught me how to sell. The biggest lesson I learned from David is that selling is not about getting someone to buy your product, but about solving real problems and building deep, lasting relationships. I’ve carried that lesson through to every part of DIRTY GUT, from the way I approach retail store buyers, to calling customers, to building a community on social media.”
Babson’s support continued beyond the classroom, Berlin continues. “Local retail stores like Volante Farms (owned by a Babson alum) took a chance on me to become my first retail customers. Their willingness to work with DIRTY GUT gave us the credibility needed to go to more stores. Through Babson’s programming and CPG industry-focused events in Boston, I have met a plethora of other founders who have advised me, made fruitful connections with other industry members, and even invested in me to support my success.”
McCombs School of Business at University of Texas-Austin. Courtesy photo
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS A SKILL AS MUCH AS A MINDSET
When it comes to entrepreneurship, the various universities boast a different advantage. On the surface, the University of Texas benefits from its location in Austin, a startup and tech hub headlined by firms like Tesla, Oracle, and Dell Technologies. However, the university also brings scale into the mix. At the undergraduate level, Texas students can choose from 102 courses related to entrepreneurship. Beyond Austin’s startup ecosystem, these same students can connect with 8,258 alumni who have launched businesses within the past five years. At Texas Christian University’s Neeley School, undergrads can parse through an entrepreneurship catalog that includes 197 courses.
Moving to the graduate level, led by the Darden School of Business, the University of Virginia features 99 entrepreneurship courses, while the University of Michigan reports 695 graduates starting businesses over the past five years. And let’s not forget Rice University. It is home to Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC), the largest competition of its kind that doled out $1.3-million to 42 ventures in 2026 alone. That doesn’t count Rice resources ranging from the Owl Spark accelerator to the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to The Ion innovation District in Midtown Houston.
“Entrepreneurship involves a wide range of skills that can be taught, practiced and sharpened,” writes Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur, in a statement. “The schools on this year’s lists prove it. Their students aren’t just studying startups; they’re launching them, pitching them and learning what to do when the plan stops working. That’s the real education, and it’s why we’re proud to spotlight the programs turning curious students into founders.”
THE METHODOLOGY
Now in its 21st year, The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur Ranking brings together two powerhouses. The Princeton Review is a leading resource for tutoring, test prep, and admissions support solutions –
not to mention a groundbreaking Business School Ranking. In print, Entrepreneur reaches over 500,000 readers – not to mention 16.5-million followers across its social media followers. Together, they attract a widely experienced and educated audience.
To produce this year’s graduate and undergraduate rankings, which feature 50 schools across each segment, The Princeton Review performed a survey over the summer of 2026, collecting 60 data points across nearly 300 colleges and universities. The ranking measured six dimensions:
Academics: Majors, minors, and concentrations; Access to accelerators, incubators, or prototyping studios; Course offerings (Entrepreneurial Law, Finance, Strategy, Management, Marketing; Design Thinking; Venture Capital, Family Business, Franchising, Product Development, etc.); and Team projects.
Students and Faculty: Total enrollment; Percentage of students enrolled in entrepreneurship programming during the 2025-2026 school year; Number of faculty teaching one or more entrepreneurship courses; Percentage of faculty who have started, bought, or run a business; and Percentage of students with a viable business plan.
Alumni Entrepreneurship Ventures: Number of companies started by graduates over the past 5 and 10 years, along with the money raised by these ventures and the percentage still in business over these periods.
Outside the Classroom: Sponsored mentorship programs and the number of mentors involved during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Competitions Hosted By The Schools: Includes Business Plan, Hackathon, Shark Tank, Pitch Deck, Game Development, and New Venture competitions during the 2025-2026 school year, along with measuring total cash and in-kind prizes.
Scholarships & Aid: Number of scholarships and grants reserved for entrepreneurs and average dollar amounts involved.
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN EXECUTION
Data-driven, The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur Ranking covers quite a bit of ground, ranging from academic demands and faculty experience, to hands-on experience and financing. However, the methodology doggedly clings to practices that undermine its credibility.
For one, it fails to supply how much weight each data point carries. For example, does a school’s total value for scholarships and grants carry a 10% of 5% weight – and how does that compare, for example, against how much collective investment a school’s alumni receive over a 5- or 10-year period? In other words, a reader can discern what the ranking values through the ranking – but not how much each data point is valued. Even more, the ranking makes no mention of whether it adjusts how it evaluates schools of different sizes. For example, the University of Texas encompasses over 45,000 undergraduate students, while Washington University’s enrollment is roughly 8,000 students. Does this mean that both institutions are measured the same in terms of scholarships, investment, and courses – particularly when the smaller institution’s numbers may be more impressive on a per student basis. That’s hard to tell when you can’t re-engineer the ranking due to the data point weights being kept secret.
Aside from the number of courses focused on entrepreneurship and the number of alumni starting their own business, The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur Ranking also doesn’t disclose any underlying data. This lack of transparency means that readers can only compare schools head-to-head in two criteria. As a result, the ranking possesses limited value when placed against the Poets&Quants Entrepreneurship Ranking, which makes all of its underlying data available, school-by-school and measure-by-measure, to readers. By the same token, The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur Ranking eschews a student survey – a critical element featured in other Princeton Review rankings – that reflects customer satisfaction with various elements of the academic experience.
Leeds-MBA-students-visiting-businesses-focused-on-sustainability-during-their-program.
SOME SPLASHY DEBUTS
Despite this, the ranking’s value comes in terms of consistency: which programs hold their own year-after-year. Like any ranking, there is further value in knowing which programs are risking (or slipping) in terms of data (however opaque).
At the graduate level, Erasmus University, home of the Rotterdam School of Management, inched up to 7th, buoyed by its startup alumni raking in $520-million in funding over the past decade according to The Princeton Review. The University of Utah also entered the Top 10, while the University of Seattle (24th to 11th) and Georgia Tech (46th to 16th) made hard-to-miss moves. Equally noticeable, the University of Colorado debuted at 13th in the 2027 Ranking, while the University of Oregon and Southern Methodist University also made their first appearance – in the Top 30, no less. Less noticeable – but equally profound – the University of Washington and Northeastern University, which ranked 4th and 18th last year, dropped out of the Top 50 altogether.
Moving to undergraduates, the University of Maryland made a statement, rising from 7th to 4th. Over the past two years, the University of St. Thomas has jumped 11 spots, ending up at 8th in 2027. The University of Utah’s impressive run wasn’t relegated to just the graduate ranks. It improved from 22nd to 15th in the past year alone. The undergraduate ranking also showed three schools debuting in the Top 20: University of Seattle (16th), Loyola Marymount University (18th), and the University of Illinois (19th). To make room, you’ll find several schools losing ground, led by DePaul University (15th to 32nd) and Northeastern University (14th to 43rd). Like the graduate ranking, the University of Washington tumbled out of the Top 50 after placing 5th last year. The same goes for Drexel University, which had finally broken into the Top 20 last year.
HOW THE PRINCETON REVIEW COMPARES TO POETS&QUANTS
The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur results also diverges sharply from the Poets&Quants’ Graduate Entrepreneurship Ranking. Both list four schools in their Top 10: Rice University, University of Michigan, Washington University, and Babson College. Notably, P&Q ranks Washington University’s Olin School 1st, while the The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur place it at 6th. In contrast, Rice University finishes 7th in P&Q, despite consistently topping The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur ranking. P&Q also places less emphasis on the UCLA’s Anderson School and the University of Texas’ McCombs School, while The Princeton Review / Entrepreneur Ranking didn’t include EDHEC Business School, IE Business School, Cornell Tech, or ESADE Business School – all of which ranked in P&Q’s Top 5.
Go to these pages to see the following rankings:
PAGE 2: PRINCETON REVIEW TOP 50 GRADUATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS
PAGE 3: PRINCETON REVIEW TOP 50 UNDERGRADUATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS
PAGE 4: POETS&QUANTS VS. THE PRINCETON REVIEW GRADUATE RANKING
DON’T MISS:
POETS&QUANTS’ 2026 WORLD’S BEST MBA PROGRAMS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ALL OF THE DATA BEHIND P&Q’S 2026 TOP MBA PROGRAMS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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