TAMPA — The University of South Florida's Nault Center for Entrepreneurship has once again earned national recognition in The Princeton Review’s annual list of Top Schools for Entrepreneurship Studies for 2026 — with the undergraduate program making a large jump in this year’s ranking.
USF’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program rose to No. 24 overall and No. 14 among public universities, up from No. 33 and No. 17 last year. This shift reflects students’ growing interest and personal investment in early-stage entrepreneurial education.
Meanwhile, the graduate program continued its strong national showing, ranking No. 11 overall and No. 7 among public universities, maintaining its multiyear presence in the top tier of programs nationwide.
Now in its 20th year, The Princeton Review and its reporting partner, Entrepreneur magazine, evaluate nearly 300 institutions that offer courses or degrees in entrepreneurship studies across North America and Europe. Programs are assessed on more than 40 data points, including academic offerings, faculty credentials, mentorship and experiential learning opportunities, and alumni startup success.
“The colleges and universities that made our lists for 2026 are truly exceptional,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor in chief. “Their entrepreneurship studies programs have robust experiential components. Their students have access to extraordinary mentors and networking contacts that will serve them well into their careers.”
“These rankings speak to the quality of the learning environment our students experience,” said Dirk Libaers, director of the Nault Center and the John and Beverly Grant Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship. “It’s encouraging to see that reflected on both the graduate and undergraduate sides.”
Entrepreneurship studies is housed within the School of Management at the USF Muma College of Business. Faculty say the program’s applied structure — grounded in mentorship, industry collaboration and venture-building — helps students turn ideas into action.
That support has made a tangible difference for alumni like Nathaniel Willis, a working professional who launched a business while completing the graduate program.
“The Nault Center has been tremendous. It has been transformative in my entrepreneurial journey,” Willis said. “I didn’t want much of theoretical. I wanted to be a practitioner, and I could not have launched the business that I now have without them.”
“The faculty, the mentors, the business expertise that is available through this program is invaluable,” he said.
As Tampa Bay’s entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to grow, the Nault Center’s role in preparing future founders — through nationally ranked, high-impact programs — is gaining visibility well beyond the region.
Learn more about USF's nationally ranked entrepreneurship studies programs.