Economy

This 'Party School' Actually Pumps Out the Most Entrepreneurs in America

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Stories abound about entrepreneurs dropping out of college and making it big. But these stories capture our attention because they tend to be the exception. Many business owners are also alumni of different universities, and some universities are perhaps better at pumping out entrepreneurs.

To find the universities producing the most business owners, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed small business lending company Clarify Capital’s report Top Universities Producing the Most Business Owners. Clarify Capital compiled five universities and colleges from each state with 10,000 or more alums and filtered them by those who had “business owner” in their LinkedIn profiles. We listed here the 25 universities with the most business owners and added information on each university from school ranking and review site Niche. The net price is the average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid.

Why this matters

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Before applying to a college or university, prospective students consider different aspects, including programs offered, price, student life, location, and more. One more factor could be how a school is able to provide the right learning environment to foster drive and entrepreneurship.

25. Indiana University Bloomington — Bloomington, IN

  • Number of business owner alums: 5,906
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 34,665
  • Acceptance rate: 82%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1180-1400; ACT: 27-32
  • Net price: $16,234 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Business, Public Administration, Communications

24. University of Arizona — Tucson, AZ

  • Number of business owner alums: 5,959
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 30,230
  • Acceptance rate: 87%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1140-1370; ACT: 21-29
  • Net price: $17,075 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Psychology, Liberal Arts and Humanities, Communications

23. Brigham Young University-Idaho — Rexburg, ID

  • Number of business owner alums: 6,025
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 12,978
  • Acceptance rate: 96%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 990-1200; ACT: 19-25
  • Net price: $7,899 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, Human Development

22. Harvard University — Cambridge, MA

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  • Number of business owner alums: 6,190
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 7,516
  • Acceptance rate: 3%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1490-1580; ACT: 34-36
  • Net price: $19,491 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Social Science Research Methods, Economics, Computer Science

21. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA

  • Number of business owner alums: 6,237
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 20,185
  • Acceptance rate: 12%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1450-1550; ACT: 32-35
  • Net price: $36,808 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Business, Biology, Communications

20. University of Colorado Boulder — Boulder, CO

  • Number of business owner alums: 6,285
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 30,707
  • Acceptance rate: 81%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1160-1390; ACT: 26-32
  • Net price: $21,836 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Business, Psychology, Computer Science

19. Michigan State University — East Lansing, MI

  • Number of business owner alums: 6,693
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 37,492
  • Acceptance rate: 88%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1160-1360; ACT: 25-31
  • Net price: $22,803 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Advertising, Biology, Psychology

18. Purdue University — West Lafayette, IN

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  • Number of business owner alums: 6,950
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 36,484
  • Acceptance rate: 53%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1200-1470; ACT: 27-34
  • Net price: $12,576 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Business, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering

17. Florida State University — Tallahassee, FL

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  • Number of business owner alums: 7,002
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 29,579
  • Acceptance rate: 25%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1210-1370; ACT: 26-31
  • Net price: $14,003 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Psychology, Finance, Criminal Justice and Safety Studies

16. University of California, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA

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  • Number of business owner alums: 7,041
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 31,763
  • Acceptance rate: 9%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: N/A; ACT: N/A
  • Net price: $16,999 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Economics, Sociology, Political Science and Government

15. Cornell University — Ithaca, NY

  • Number of business owner alums: 7,302
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 15,735
  • Acceptance rate: 7%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1470-1570; ACT: 33-35
  • Net price: $26,060 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Computer Science, Biology, Business

14. Ohio State University — Columbus, OH

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  • Number of business owner alums: 7,406
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 42,360
  • Acceptance rate: 53%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1310-1480; ACT: 29-32
  • Net price: $19,582 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Finance, Research and Experimental Psychology, Communications

13. Grand Canyon University — Phoenix, AZ

  • Number of business owner alums: 7,548
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 23,945
  • Acceptance rate: 81%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: N/A; ACT: N/A
  • Net price: $21,939 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Nursing, Business, Human Services

12. University of South Florida — Tampa, FL

  • Number of business owner alums: 7,567
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 30,097
  • Acceptance rate: 44%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1140-1330; ACT: 24-29
  • Net price: $11,004 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Health Service Preparatory Studies, Psychology, Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Medicine

11. New York University (NYU) — New York, NY

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  • Number of business owner alums: 7,665
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 28,354
  • Acceptance rate: 12%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1470-1570; ACT: 33-35
  • Net price: $29,499 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Liberal Arts and Humanities, Economics, Research and Experimental Psychology

10. Brigham Young University — Provo, UT

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  • Number of business owner alums: 7,868
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 28,254
  • Acceptance rate: 67%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1280-1460; ACT: 27-32
  • Net price: $13,521 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Accounting, Exercise Physiology, Psychology

9. University of Texas at Austin — Austin, TX

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  • Number of business owner alums: 7,999
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 38,591
  • Acceptance rate: 31%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1230-1500; ACT: 26-33
  • Net price: $17,434 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Natural Sciences, Information Science, Liberal Arts and Humanities

8. Colorado State University — Fort Collins, CO

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  • Number of business owner alums: 8,015
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 28,635
  • Acceptance rate: 91%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1080-1290; ACT: 23-29
  • Net price: $16,926 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Business, Family Studies and Consumer Sciences, Psychology

7. University of Washington — Seattle, WA

  • Number of business owner alums: 8,045
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 29,226
  • Acceptance rate: 48%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: N/A; ACT: 27-33
  • Net price: $10,603 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Research and Experimental Psychology, Computer Science, Biology

6. University of Florida — Gainesville, FL

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  • Number of business owner alums: 8,706
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 31,017
  • Acceptance rate: 23%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1300-1490; ACT: 28-33
  • Net price: $11,740 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Psychology, Biology, Business

5. Texas A&M University — College Station, TX

Jujutacular / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number of business owner alums: 8,710
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 51,150
  • Acceptance rate: 63%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1150-1390; ACT: 25-31
  • Net price: $20,375 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Liberal Arts and Humanities, Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Medicine, Psychology

4. University of Central Florida — Orlando, FL

  • Number of business owner alums: 9,275
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 41,098
  • Acceptance rate: 41%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1200-1360; ACT: 25-29
  • Net price: $13,108 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Liberal Arts and Humanities, Psychology, Health Service Preparatory Studies

3. Pennsylvania State University — University Park, PA

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  • Number of business owner alums: 9,306
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 40,528
  • Acceptance rate: 55%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1210-1390; ACT: 26-31
  • Net price: $26,747 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Information Science, Biology, Finance

2. Southern New Hampshire University — Manchester, NH

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  • Number of business owner alums: 10,595
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 33,290
  • Acceptance rate: 96%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: N/A; ACT: N/A
  • Net price: $32,043 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Business, Liberal Arts and Humanities, Psychology

1. Arizona State University — Tempe, AZ

  • Number of business owner alums: 14,680
  • Full-time enrollment, undergrads: 59,884
  • Acceptance rate: 90%
  • Average score ranges: SAT: 1100-1320; ACT: 21-28
  • Net price: $14,808 (compared to $15,523 nat’l avg)
  • Most popular majors: Business Support Services, Biology, Psychology

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