The Streak Hits 30! Babson Ranked the No. 1 School for Entrepreneurship

Thirty, entrepreneurial, and thriving.

For the 30th consecutive time, Babson College has been ranked the No. 1 undergraduate school for entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report.

The impressive streak, which began in 1995 when the magazine first included entrepreneurship rankings, once again validates Babson as the top college in an academic field that the College has pioneered and championed for the last half-century.

“Babson built the academic discipline of entrepreneurship and continued building as the field grew,” said Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD. “As more institutions have embraced entrepreneurship as an academic discipline, the approach we developed has become the standard others measure against.”

30 for 30: Why Is Babson No. 1 for Entrepreneurship? Here Are 30 Reasons

In its annual comprehensive list of college rankings, U.S. News & World Report also ranked Babson No. 9 nationally for co-ops and internships, joining schools such as Northeastern, Georgia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon in the top 10.

Beyond the milestone of the No. 1 ranking for the 30th time—an anniversary traditionally marked by pearls—Babson earned a few other notable No. 1 rankings. This year was the first time that Babson was considered in the magazine’s regional university rankings, and the College topped the list. Here are a few more pearls from the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings:

No. 1 regional university in the North
No. 1 among top private colleges in the North
No. 1 among best value schools in the North
No. 1 among most innovative schools in the North

“The next generation of entrepreneurs will not just build the newest ventures and companies; they will innovate to address healthcare, climate, emerging technologies, and crises we cannot yet name,” said Poonam Arora, dean of Babson’s undergraduate school. “Being recognized for the 30th consecutive time as the best school to prepare and inspire those entrepreneurial leaders is humbling. This remarkable achievement sharpens our sense of purpose and brings with it a special responsibility for our community of educators.”

Rankings Roundup

The U.S. News & World Report ranking is a long-standing source of pride among Babson’s alumni, students, faculty, and community members around the world. And this year’s 30th consecutive ranking extends a lengthy string of recent rankings successes for the College.

In August, Babson was listed as one of 15 Alt-Ivies by Town & Country and IvyWise in their annual list of the nation’s top colleges that rival the Ivy League.

“Babson yields graduate outcomes that rival the nation’s most prestigious universities,” Town & Country wrote in its story. “This translates into exceptional professional returns, with graduates consistently commanding mid-career salaries that match or exceed those from Ivy League institutions, Stanford, and MIT.”

Among other recent rankings highlights for Babson:

Babson was ranked the No. 2 Best College in America for the second year in a row by The Wall Street Journal, last September.

Babson was ranked No. 12 in among America’s Best Colleges by Time magazine in August.

For the second straight year, Babson was ranked No. 1 for the largest share of alumni who are founders and entrepreneurs by LinkedIn in August. The professional networking site also ranked Babson No. 3 for alumni network strength and No. 13 overall in its second annual ranking of the 50 best colleges for long-term career success.

Babson was named No. 1 for Entrepreneurship in the Northeast last November for both undergraduate and graduate programs for the fifth year in a row by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine in their 20th annual rankings of colleges for entrepreneurship studies.

“We take great pride in our rankings, which are a reflection of the incredible work happening across Babson every day and a recognition that we’re continually innovating,” Spinelli said. “As entrepreneurial leaders, we are always seeking opportunities to create value—economic value and social value—everywhere, whether on our campus, in our programs, or through our students and alumni.”

Advancements in Entrepreneurship Education

Even as the undisputed top school for entrepreneurship for three decades, Babson has continued to evolve over the past couple of years on multiple fronts, not only with its undergraduate school but also with its F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business and its Professional and Executive Education offerings.

In June, Babson announced the launch of the Master of Science in Management in Business Creation (MSBC), a fully online graduate degree for future founders who want to build a business while earning a master’s degree. Unlike traditional master’s programs, the MSBC makes venture creation the centerpiece of the educational experience, as students develop their own businesses under the guidance and mentorship of Babson faculty and experienced entrepreneurs from across the College’s global network.

This past year, the inaugural cohort of Babson’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program completed its first year. The 33-month DBA program is a transformative initiative designed to equip career professionals with academic research skills and the tools to address today’s complex business challenges while fostering innovative solutions.

“Babson built the academic discipline of entrepreneurship and continued building as the field grew. As more institutions have embraced entrepreneurship as an academic discipline, the approach we developed has become the standard others measure against.”
Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD

The Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership recently launched two new institutes: the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Technology and Entrepreneurship, with a generous donation by C. Dean Metropoulos ’67, MBA’68, H’26; and the TARCO Institute for Real Estate and Entrepreneurship, thanks to the generosity of Todd Ruderman MBA’99.

A year ago, Babson also launched an expanded Professional and Executive Education portfolio that includes Babson On-Demand™, a collection of online and flexible courses with an emphasis on the entrepreneurial mindset, innovation, and practical, in-demand business skills.

Last year, the College announced a historic capital plan to transform its executive conference center to complete the full vision of the Herring Family Entrepreneurial Leadership Village and build a new Executive Lodge and Conference Center, a lodging and event space for its professional and executive learning programs.

The Executive Lodge and Conference Center is due to open in 2027, positioning the College for even further growth and advancement in entrepreneurship education.