Entrepreneurship

Our 2023 graduates

$56,875

average entrepreneurship starting salary
$20.67

average entrepreneurship internship wage

Choose Iowa State University — ranked #1 in Iowa and #14 in the nation for undergraduate entrepreneurship programs!

— 2025 The Princeton Review

Entrepreneurship has been a theme at Iowa State for more than 25 years, with much of it revolving around programs offered through the Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and the Ivy College of Business.

The entrepreneurship major offers many great courses combined with state-of-the-art resources that enhance your classroom experience by providing opportunities to collaborate with other entrepreneurial-minded students across campus. You can pitch your ideas together, receive feedback, and network with successful entrepreneurs.

Participate in CYstarters, an award-winning student accelerator at Iowa State. Work part-time in the CyBIZ Lab where you collaborate with other students to solve challenges for real businesses. It will never be dull! Start your own business, market your product, or lead a group of innovative thinkers. Start Something is how you can start anything you want.

Explore the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship

What sets us apart

Everything you need to explore the world of entrepreneurship can be found here at Ivy, including world-class academics. Our program is embedded in one of the strongest university entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems in the world. We’re ranked #14 in the nation for undergraduate entrepreneurship programs — 2025 The Princeton Review.

We’re #1 in Iowa — 2025 Princeton Review. Visit our rankings page for more.

Earning back-to-back global awards in entrepreneurship is a clear sign that entrepreneurship is on a hot streak at Iowa State University. The Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, part of the Ivy College of Business, received top awards in 2021, 2022, and 2023 prominent and long-standing organizations related to entrepreneurship:

2023 Entrepreneurial University of the Year – Americas – The Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU).
2022 NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Award – Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC).
2021 United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Model Program Award, the highest of the organization’s four prestigious annual Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Awards.
We were the first public university in Iowa to offer a major in entrepreneurship.

How we prepare you

How we support you

In the Ivy entrepreneurship program, you will:

Learn side-by-side with internationally known faculty who support you.
Meet and learn from entrepreneurs.
Have the opportunity to participate in an internship or co-op during your studies.
Work directly with career coordinators who support you in finding internships and full-time employment.
Have the opportunity to work with experts in the Ivy Writing and Speaking Center.
Have access to a devoted academic advisor who supports you.
Have access to scholarships — learn more about the scholarships we offer to our business students.

A degree in entrepreneurship is an asset if you’re a creative thinker, providing you with an important foundation to help you navigate your career, no matter how many exciting twists or turns you take on your path. Here, you can start a business, help a business grow, work at your family business, or be a spark of energy within a large company or a non-profit organization. A degree in entrepreneurship prepares you for this and more.

Entrepreneurs learn from their successes, and their failures, in order to improve the world around them. Whether you want to start your own business, or not, a degree in entrepreneurship helps you gain experience, develop entrepreneurial skills, build a personal network, and resume — all before graduation. Classes are taught by creative faculty members who are dedicated teachers and researchers. The Ivy entrepreneurship curriculum blends cutting-edge theories and concepts with the essential real-world skills needed for a successful entrepreneurial career.

Our program is designed with a focus on you! At Ivy, you will focus on problem-solving and hands-on learning.

Here are some real-world opportunities for you to explore:

CYstarters

CYstarters is an 11-week summer accelerator for Iowa State University students or recent graduates. Here, you will meet mentors, content educators, and professional service providers and focus on your startup or business idea. You will share co-working space with team members, and access many resources to help get your venture launched.
Start Something

Create your own educational experience where innovation is nurtured. Through Iowa State’s Start Something network, you can find academic opportunities, all fostering innovation or entrepreneurship in your favorite area of study, which range from credit-earning coursework to capstone projects to internships.
CyBIZ Lab

Set yourself up for success by getting real-world experience at CyBIZ Lab. Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, you will collaborate with other students to help real businesses find solutions. Projects include market research, market validation, business planning, and other business needs. As a student, you’ll gain valuable experience and grow your leadership skills.