Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 67 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations pays
Career outlook for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates
The job market for the occupations Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and operations managers | 3,712,900 | +4.4% | $102,950 | Bachelor's degree |
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Chief executives | 309,400 | +4.3% | $206,420 | Bachelor's degree |
| Business teachers, postsecondary | 103,100 | +5.7% | $97,270 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Personal service managers, all other | 25,100 | +6.5% | $61,340 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations vs similar majors
How Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations stacks up against the closest fields in Business, Management & Marketing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations Business, Management & Marketing · this major | Taxation | Real Estate | Construction Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 49 D | 86 A | 89 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $62,155 | $115,802 | $106,858 | $93,418 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $49,442 | $82,899 | $75,222 | $72,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +110% | +744% | +657% | +500% |
| Typical debt | $26,121 | $32,642 | $26,560 | $23,977 |
| Colleges offering it | 67 | 30 | 27 | 47 |
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Associate's | $65,704 | — | +3,313% | Strong return |
| 2 | Ensign College Salt Lake City, UT | Certificate | $70,780 | — | +2,282% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Certificate | $239,096 | $41,000 | +1,396% | Strong return |
| 4 | Brown University Providence, RI | Associate's | $118,561 | $18,000 | +1,192% | Strong return |
| 5 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL | Certificate | $90,312 | — | +1,055% | Strong return |
| 6 | Washington State University Pullman, WA | Associate's | $77,036 | — | +970% | Strong return |
| 7 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | Associate's | $77,782 | — | +953% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Certificate | $71,245 | — | +903% | Strong return |
| 9 | Duke University Durham, NC | Certificate | $162,879 | — | +895% | Strong return |
| 10 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ | Associate's | $84,481 | $24,425 | +835% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV | Associate's | $60,917 | — | +668% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | Certificate | $68,295 | $24,250 | +643% | Strong return |
| 13 | Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ | Associate's | $81,583 | — | +638% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN | Associate's | $86,169 | $21,500 | +522% | Strong return |
| 15 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | Certificate | $159,581 | $70,114 | +506% | Strong return |
| 16 | University of North Texas Denton, TX | Associate's | $67,277 | $18,750 | +484% | Strong return |
| 17 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS | Associate's | $71,863 | $20,150 | +482% | Strong return |
| 18 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA | Associate's | $87,315 | — | +449% | Strong return |
| 19 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY | Associate's | $92,585 | $26,350 | +446% | Strong return |
| 20 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH | Associate's | $71,620 | $25,000 | +425% | Strong return |
| 21 | Belmont University Nashville, TN | Associate's | $73,233 | — | +326% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Dayton Dayton, OH | Associate's | $73,481 | $25,492 | +317% | Strong return |
| 23 | Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI | Associate's | $57,487 | — | +305% | Strong return |
| 24 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $86,057 | $17,574 | +298% | Strong return |
| 25 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA | Associate's | $69,655 | $20,949 | +285% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.