Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at The University of Tampa

The University of Tampa's entrepreneurship program sits in an uncomfortable middle ground: not quite competitive with the best Florida schools, yet saddling students with more debt than most alternatives. While first-year earnings of $34,038 land right at Florida's median for this major, they trail the national median by more than $11,000—placing graduates in just the 16th percentile nationally. That's a significant gap considering the program charges above-average tuition for a moderately selective private university.

The debt picture tells a revealing story. At $27,000, Tampa's graduates carry about $5,000 more than the typical entrepreneurship student in Florida and nearly $3,000 above the national median. This matters because entrepreneurship careers often involve volatile early earnings, and this program's 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio leaves little cushion. Compare this to Florida State, where entrepreneurship graduates earn $48,625—enough to make loan payments far more manageable during the uncertain startup years that often follow this degree.

For a family paying private school tuition, the expected return here doesn't justify the premium. If your child is drawn to entrepreneurship education in Florida, FSU offers dramatically better earnings outcomes. If Tampa's campus environment is the draw, understand that you're paying for the experience rather than a financial advantage—the graduate will likely start their career on shakier financial footing than peers from comparable programs.