The University of Nebraska–Lincoln debuted at No. 42 in the world and No. 12 in the Midwest in The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Top 50 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Programs rankings.
The list includes the 50 undergraduate institutions with the best offerings in entrepreneurship studies for 2025. Based on a survey, The Princeton Review conducted in the summer of 2024 of administrators at nearly 300 schools, the ranking tallies took into account more than 25 data points about the schools’ entrepreneurship programs, faculties, students and alumni.
"The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s recognition is a testament to our dynamic, cross-university collaboration and comprehensive ecosystem that nurtures innovation," said Chancellor Rodney D. Bennett. "Nebraska was one of the first institutions to dedicate a Center for Entrepreneurship more than 35 years ago. From the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts to the Clifton Builders Program and the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, our students benefit from a network of outstanding entrepreneurship resources."
The five areas across the university worked together to submit data for The Princeton Review's survey. Sam Nelson, director of the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship and associate professor of practice in management, and his team initiated the collaborative effort.
Through the process, they found that the university awards more than $357,000 annually to aspiring entrepreneurs through competitions and scholarships. Also, students who take entrepreneurship courses represent 92 of 120 majors offered at the university, and 84% of the faculty who teach the entrepreneurship courses started, ran or bought a business.
"We have an outstanding entrepreneurial ecosystem at Nebraska, and this ranking helps to get the word out about all of our offerings at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln," Nelson said. "The Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship is proud to be at the heart of this effort, driving innovation and empowering students to build, create and lead. We often say, 'Entrepreneurial success starts here,' and our center is a great starting point for everyone to get connected to the resources and people who can best help them. This recognition reflects our commitment to fueling the entrepreneurial spirit across the university for all students in any major, so Nebraska graduates are prepared to create the future.”
Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship
With a more than 35-year history of preparing students for entrepreneurial success, the faculty and staff in the Center for Entrepreneurship serve as advisers, mentors and collaborators for thousands of students taking entrepreneurship classes. They connect students with a local, national and global network from day one. The center also hosts university-wide competitions like 3-2-1 Quick Pitch, 48-Hour Challenge and the New Venture Competition—one of the world's longest-running business plan competitions and offers cohort-based scholarship programs like the Entrepreneurship Catalysts for first-year students and the Nebraska Entrepreneurship Accelerator. The classes, competitions, events and programs are open to any major to explore entrepreneurial potential.
"The center is fortunate to have a strong relationship with many alumni and business professionals throughout Nebraska and beyond, including a group of more than 60 Community Fellows who enrich the student experience through mentoring, speaking in classes and judging competitions," Nelson said. "Nebraska graduates founded Hudl, Home Instead and Opendorse to name a few. Alums also serve as CEOs of national companies like Lincoln Industries, Nelnet and Resort Lifestyle Communities. All of them chose to be home based in Nebraska."
Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program
Cattleman and entrepreneur Paul Engler, a 1972 UNL graduate, provided a $20 million gift to create the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program to cultivate future generations of entrepreneurs and problem-solvers with the goal of growing and sustaining rural communities. The program launched in 2012 to provide experiential, community-based learning to help students build their own enterprises from the ground up. The program, which is part of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, includes classes to help students discover their entrepreneurial spark and build skills to succeed in the industry and events to gain hands-on experiences and make lasting connections.
Prospective students first apply to the university if they are not current students and submit a separate scholarship application by Jan. 15. In the first 10 years, the program generated nearly $150 million in total revenue, creating more than 120 employment opportunities in Nebraska with many alumni choosing to make Nebraska their home.
"Spend some time in Nebraska’s communities, and you will notice that no one is waiting to be rescued — instead, there is a gritty and resilient determination to build families, enterprises, communities and opportunities. Nebraskans roll up their sleeves, put their shoulders and creativity to the wheel, turn their faces into the wind and take the next step no matter what the circumstances," said Tom Field, director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program. "To honor that spirit, UNL nurtures entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity broadly across campus. Having a national ranking system recognize the shared commitment to entrepreneurship across our campus is a feather in the cap as we fuel the flames of entrepreneurship across every corner of UNL and be worthy of the entrepreneurial spirit reflected in the citizens we humbly serve."
Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts
The Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts launched in 2015 with a $20 million gift from iconic talk show host Johnny Carson, who hailed from Nebraska. Opening its doors in 2019 as part of the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, the Carson Center includes the school’s film and new media curriculum.
With close faculty mentoring, students gain a foundational knowledge of storytelling, visual expression, entrepreneurship and computational media. Prospective students first apply to the university, indicate pre-emerging media arts as their first-choice major and then apply for admission into the program by Jan. 15.
In 2022, the Johnny Carson Foundation provided $2.5 million to create an endowed directorship for the center with Megan Elliott, its founding director, named the Johnny Carson Endowed Director in Emerging Media Arts.
"This ranking is testimony to the interdisciplinary collaborations and experiential-based learning opportunities that take place across campus. Emerging media arts students partner with business and engineering students to solve human-scale problems and win business cases. These kinds of frictionless and exciting student-centric opportunities are rare and are why we are being celebrated," Elliott said. "I’m excited that Fortune 100 companies like Infosys are partnering with the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts on entrepreneurship and storytelling internships on their Bangalore, India, campus. UNL’s entrepreneurial activities happen globally."
Clifton Builders Program
The Clifton Builders Program started in 2015 with a $30 million gift from Gallup and the Clifton Foundation to establish the Clifton Strengths Institute. The Builder program identifies and develops entrepreneurially minded students from across campus who aspire to change the world by building new businesses, teams or communities. Students of any major can apply to the program each fall to join the next fall's cohort.
A management major and minor are offered at the College of Business exclusively for those selected as Clifton Builders. Graduates of the program are now leading startup organizations, from within existing organizations or by attending graduate or law school to further their education. Many are involved in consulting, finance or other aspects of the startup ecosystem.
"We use three words to describe the Clifton Builders: stretch, disrupt and transform," said Tim Hodges, executive director of the Clifton Strengths Institute and assistant professor of practice in management. "We are intentional about helping students stretch and develop their unique strengths through one-on-one strengths coaching. Builders disrupt the status quo and work to make it better. They also transform their lives and the lives of those they lead and serve. We've had more than 250 students participate in nine Clifton Builders' cohorts, and the Center for Entrepreneurship has been a wonderful hub of much of the entrepreneurial activity, bringing together faculty, staff and students from across campus to participate in pitch competitions, student organizations, new course offerings and more.”
Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management
In 2008, a donation transformed what is now the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management, naming it after the co-founder of the Raikes Foundation and former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Created in 2001, the program was formerly known as the J.D. Edwards Honors Program in Computer Science and Management.
The Raikes School builds future leaders in technology-driven industries through interdisciplinary education in computer science, business, entrepreneurship and innovation. With 155 current students representing 22 unique majors and 19 states across the country, Raikes School students continue to drive innovative solutions that benefit the state of Nebraska and change the world. Prospective students first apply to the university and then submit the shared honors application through MyRED by November 15.
"The Raikes School believes in the importance of equipping each student with the unique resources necessary for them to succeed in pursuing their passions. Students learn to utilize the full resources across campus, the local community and the state of Nebraska when exploring their educational journey. Showcasing the students’ successes and celebrating the collaborations happening here are vital to attracting and retaining talent in the state," said Jake Koperski, design studio program lead.
"Entrepreneur" has partnered with The Princeton Review in reporting the entrepreneurship rankings since 2006.
"Since we debuted this project nearly two decades ago, the number of colleges and universities offering courses or degrees in entrepreneurship has grown tremendously, as has student interest in becoming entrepreneurs,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief. “We highly recommend the stellar schools that made our entrepreneurship studies ranking lists. Their faculties are outstanding. Their programs have robust experiential components. Their students have access to extraordinary tools, resources and mentoring that will serve them well into their careers.”
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s recognition is a testament to our dynamic,
cross-university collaboration and comprehensive ecosystem that nurtures innovation.
The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur published the ranking lists on their respective websites.
“Entrepreneurs know that the best ideas often come from competition and pressure,” said Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine. “Higher education is a great example of that. As more schools build out world-class entrepreneurship programs, their energy, excitement and powerful resources only grow — making the schools on our list the best at helping young leaders develop into tomorrow’s world-changers.”
