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While you don't need a degree to start a business, there may be times when formal education can be beneficial, especially as you expand your business and seek new opportunities or partnerships. It can be a helpful way to develop your interpersonal skills, build your network, and put together a basic foundation of business knowledge.听

If you look at some of the more successful business leaders, you'll find that some have a degree, while others do not. Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg are all wildly successful entrepreneurs who didn't earn a college degree. On the other hand, Elon Musk, Larry Page, Phil Knight, and Michael Bloomberg have undergraduate degrees and even MBAs in some instances.听

Learn more about valuable degrees to consider if you're interested in starting a business and other ways to build that knowledge that don't involve attending a degree program. Afterward, build your entrepreneurial skills in the University of Pennsylvania's Entrepreneurship Specialization.

What degree do you need to own a business?

You don't need an undergraduate degree to start or own a business, but having one can potentially increase your chances of success. Depending on your major and the classes you take, you can learn more about how businesses operate, how the economy works, how to market products and services, and how to be a strong leader.

Earning a degree can also lay a foundation for pursuing a graduate business degree, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), later in your career.

Certain majors may be more helpful for launching, running, and expanding your business. Let's review some of the stronger possibilities.

Business administration

A bachelor's degree in business administration (BBA) is a logical choice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Some schools even offer various specializations and concentrations within the degree program, such as business management or entrepreneurship, so you can tailor your education to meet your larger goals.

Common coursework: Introduction to business, accounting, finance, human resources, marketing, business law, business ethics, and organizational behavior.

Key skills: You'll also pick up leadership skills along the way, as well as human skills such as critical thinking, communication, and organization. If, for some reason, you decide you don't want to own your own business one day, having a bachelor's degree in business administration can still open doors to other career opportunities.

Entrepreneurship

Studying entrepreneurship is a chance to identify business opportunities and how to make your ideas a reality. During your studies, you will learn the mindset you need as an entrepreneur, how to increase your understanding of target markets, proper financial skills for success, and how to communicate with investors to gain investments.听

Common coursework: Business planning, venture finance, market analysis, startup management, and innovation strategy to understand how to launch and grow successful businesses

Key skills: Your program should help you develop skills in opportunity recognition, strategic thinking, financial management, leadership, and creative problem-solving.

Finance

As a business owner, it's important to understand a business's financial aspects and how the economy works. Majoring in finance can help you understand these concepts and more. As with a BBA, a finance degree can also lead to exciting and high-paying careers, should you decide that you don't want to be an entrepreneur after all.

Common coursework: Personal finance, accounting, economics, statistics, marketing, and business law, and you'll gain a basic understanding of how important money management is for a business owner.

Key skills: You'll develop essential skills in financial analysis and modeling, risk assessment, data interpretation, market research, statistical analysis, and strategic planning.

Marketing

A marketing major is another strong option for any business leader. According to Franklin University, entrepreneurs with marketing degrees can effectively brand their business, promote their products and services, and reach the right customers. Undergraduate degrees in marketing also provide a broad base of business knowledge, which often includes a business core of accounting, finance, and management. These essential business skills can help you start, run, and manage your business as it grows [闭.听

Common coursework: Business, consumer behavior, market research, digital marketing, brand management, and marketing analytics.

Key skills: You'll develop your abilities in data analysis, strategic planning, creative problem-solving, digital communication, and project management.

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Building a business means building relationships with various stakeholders, including employees, customers, and investors. For this reason, earning a communications degree is another great option for entrepreneurs. Many communications courses and concentrations overlap with business topics, including marketing, public relations, interpersonal communication, and technical communication. Some colleges even offer a business communication degree or concentration, which teaches you the basics of both areas.听

Common coursework: Public speaking, media writing, mass communication theory, interpersonal communication, and digital media production to build a strong foundation in the field.

Key skills: You can expect to hone your written and verbal communication skills, public speaking, critical analysis, media literacy, and storytelling.

Computer science

Computer science may not be the first major that comes to mind when you think of owning a business, but a computer science degree can help you gain the skills and knowledge to create and maintain an important online presence. According to Entrepreneur magazine, "It's also an exceedingly valuable field for entrepreneurs. The better you understand and use the technology, the better you can streamline operations, crunch numbers, and much more. A computer science education can help you run your business more efficiently and scale more effectively" [闭.听

Common coursework: Programming languages, data structures, algorithms, software engineering, and database management to build a comprehensive technical foundation

Key skills: You'll develop skills in problem-solving, coding, analytical thinking, system design, and debugging.

What do I need to be a business owner?

To be a business owner, you鈥檒l need a solid, well-researched business idea, a well-developed business plan, and funding to get your business off the ground. Education can support you as you grow your business. With your business plan in place, you鈥檒l be ready to register your business at the federal and, sometimes, state level for tax purposes.

Reasons to get a degree before starting a business

While a degree is optional for business owners, the reasons to earn one often outweigh the reasons not to. Some reasons why you might want to get that college degree before starting your business include:

• Increasing your reputation and credibility among your stakeholders

• Building a foundation of business knowledge

• Gaining confidence in your ability to become an entrepreneur听

• Gaining a better understanding of areas like marketing, accounting, and human resources

• Becoming a strong leader

• Honing important human skills like communication, organization, and time management听

• Networking

• Learning more about business laws and ethics

• Gaining a better understanding of economics and how the economy works

Consider a master's degree

For many entrepreneurs, a bachelor's degree is only a starting point in their educational journeys. Going on to earn a master's degree in one of these areas allows you to continue building both your technical and human skills, as well as the skills you'll need to be a great leader.

One option for entrepreneurs is a Master of Business Administration (MBA). It can help you round out your knowledge. For example, an MBA may help you learn more about finance and the economic side of running a business than if you majored in marketing or communications for your undergraduate degree. It's also a great way to network and expand your worldview, two elements that may provide unanticipated benefits for growing your business. An MBA on your resume is also impressive and could attract investors.

You may even find a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship available at select schools. If you choose this option, you'll likely gain skills such as creativity and innovation. You'll also study important topics, such as business models, selling your business, gaining insights through customer feedback, financing new ventures, and learning how to manage a new venture.

Other ways to prepare for business ownership

Earning a degree is not an option for everyone, but you can still work toward business ownership. You may discover countless other ways to gain knowledge and improve your skills to become a successful entrepreneur.

Hone your human and technical skills.

As a business owner, you'll likely need both technical and human skills. Technical skills might include social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), budgeting, user experience (UX) design, and data analysis. Human skills might include time management, confidence, communication, and leadership. You can hone these skills without a formal education in many ways. For example, you can join professional communities, read books about these subjects, and become a lifelong active learner.

Earn certificates.

If you still want a formal education but don't have time to finish a bachelor's degree, consider earning a certificate instead. Many colleges and universities offer certificates in entrepreneurship that you can earn in just a few months. Each school's program will vary, but you might learn about e-commerce, product planning, technology management, funding your venture, and contemporary economic issues.

Work with a mentor.

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and Babson College, the US had a total entrepreneurial activity (TEA) of 19 percent in 2024-2025, a record high []. That means you have plenty of options to search for a mentor or talk to someone about their experience starting a business. You can ask that person if they have a degree and if they felt it contributed to the success of their business. It can also expand your network.

Take classes.

If you want some formal education but don't want to take time to earn a full degree, another option is to take some related classes in your spare time. For example, you can take a few marketing classes if you don't want to earn a marketing degree. You can still take a public speaking or writing class if you don't want to earn a communications degree.听

Earn your business degree on 糖心vlog官网观看听

Explore courses, Specializations, and Professional Certificates on 糖心vlog官网观看 to build or advance your business knowledge. Get started with the University of Pennsylvania's Entrepreneurship Specialization, or learn more about online bachelor's and MBAs available to earn with esteemed university partners.