Best HBCUs for Entrepreneurship

Bowie State University serves 6,275 undergraduate and graduate students across 66 academic programs. Known as Maryland’s first historically Black public university, the institution was also the first HBCU in Maryland to launch a small business incubator. Called the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center, this program combines research with experiential learning. The EIC is housed in the Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community, which is home to 557 students and includes the Bowie Business Innovation Center, the Entrepreneurship Academy, and, of course, classrooms.

Bowie State University offers a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship and small business management. Students take 48 general business credits and 26 entrepreneurship credits. Courses include electronic commerce, managing the venture financing process, business plan development, and a small business practicum.

Bowie State University hosted the first annual HBCU Entrepreneurship Conference in 2021 and has continued to do so each year during the last week of September, which is regarded as National HBCU Week.

Langston University, Oklahoma’s only HBCU, was established in 1887 and is located in Langston, Oklahoma. It maintains campuses in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, serving more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The school also has a 17-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, and 70% of its enrollees are first-generation college students.

Business students can concentrate on one of several specialty areas, including entrepreneurship. This specialization requires 15 credits, including courses in marketing management and financing new ventures. Langston’s School of Business holds national accreditation with the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

LU offers a master of entrepreneurial studies, with a business and a nonbusiness track. The program is housed in the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Research with the goal of preparing competent and business-educated leaders. Additionally, the Small Business Development Center, which is one of few minority specialty centers in the region, serves three neighboring counties, Logan, Oklahoma, and Payne. Management assistance is provided to existing and potential business owners.

Founded in 1875, Alabama A&M University sits on a hill just outside downtown Huntsville, serving 6,100 students in 60 academic programs. The school is the largest HBCU in the state of Alabama. It also made our list of best HBCUs for entrepreneurship since it offers both a major and a minor in the discipline. The program includes courses on new venture funding and experiential learning opportunities in entrepreneurship.

Alabama A&M University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Development provides education and opportunities to assist underrepresented communities in establishing businesses. Additionally, the entrepreneurship program is part of NASA’s Technology Transfer University Program. Learners work in teams to enhance commercialization opportunities for technology in NASA’s patent portfolio.

Morgan State University, a Maryland-based public institution, enrolls more than 9,100 students in 140-plus academic programs. About 68% of the school’s students are Black, and 69% are 22 or younger. Morgan State’s student body is 62% women.

The school’s BS in entrepreneurship requires students to complete 48 credits in business and supporting courses and 30 credits in entrepreneurship. Courses include customer identification and validation and startup and business plan development. Students can also choose an entrepreneurship minor, which requires learners to complete just 15 credits. This school made our list because of its commitment to student success and international footprint.

The Morgan State University Entrepreneurial Development Assistance Center educates and provides resources to the community regarding how to start a business. Workshops, training, and mentoring are offered, serving roughly 1,000 individuals each year.

Founded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Xavier University of Louisiana enrolls more than 3,400 graduate and undergraduate students. About 80% of its enrollment is Black, and 8% is Catholic.

Xavier University offers both a minor and a certificate in entrepreneurship. The minor requires 18 credits, including principles of marketing and organization and operation of a small business. The certificate calls for 16 credits, which students can complete in 6-9 months. The school’s 14-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures learners get a personalized experience. The Entrepreneurship Institute strives to prepare students to be global leaders and provides networking opportunities, coaching, and mentorship.

Located in Jackson, Mississippi, Jackson State University offers more than 90 academic programs, including a BBA in entrepreneurship. In this program, students take courses such as venture creation, business statistics, and urban, social, and nonprofit e-ventures, along with a hands-on internship.

In 2014, Jackson State enrolled 11 first-year students in its entrepreneurship program. Of these, about 36% graduated within six years. The school made our best-of list because of its 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio and its emphasis on interdisciplinary research.

JSU’s Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development strives to educate the community on establishing successful businesses. It collaborates with business, education, and research partners in order to address some of society’s most pressing problems