UNC Charlotte debuts on Princeton Review’s top graduate schools for entrepreneurship

The national recognition arrives the same day the Belk College of Business launches the RA Session II School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

UNC Charlotte has been named one of the nation’s top graduate schools for entrepreneurship studies in The Princeton Review’s 2027 rankings, released Nov. 10 in partnership with Entrepreneur magazine. It is the first time the University has earned a place on the list.

UNC Charlotte ranks No. 48 among graduate programs nationally and No. 12 in the South for entrepreneurship.

Now in their 21st year, the rankings draw on a summer 2026 survey of more than 300 schools that offer entrepreneurship studies. The Princeton Review analyzed more than 40 data points covering academic offerings, faculty credentials, experiential learning and mentorship, and alumni ventures. The ranked schools will be featured in Entrepreneur’s November/December issue, on newsstands Nov. 17.

The ranking coincides with the Nov. 10 announcement of the RA Session II School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Belk College of Business. The school was established through the support of alumnus and serial biotech entrepreneur RA Session II ’02, who earned a finance degree from Belk College. It brings together CO-LAB and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to connect students and community entrepreneurs with mentors, investors and the University’s research and innovation resources.

“As founder of the School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, I’m proud to see the University earn national recognition for empowering entrepreneurs to turn bold ideas into enduring businesses,” said RA Session II ’02.

“My vision for this school is rooted in opportunity and purpose, driven by faith. We want students from every background to have the education, mentorship and access to capital to take smart risks, launch and scale companies, and solve meaningful problems. Their success can create jobs, strengthen communities and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

Led by Laura J. Stanley, professor of management, the school is home to the M.S. in Entrepreneurship, a one-year program that combines coursework, mentoring and incubator space at CO-LAB at UNC Charlotte Center City. It is the only program of its kind at a public university in North Carolina. The school also offers an undergraduate certificate in entrepreneurship, a graduate certificate in corporate venturing and the Doctor of Business Administration program.

“Learning that The Princeton Review ranked our graduate entrepreneurship program among the nation’s best on the same day we announced the RA Session II School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation made both announcements more meaningful,” said Richard Buttimer, dean of the Belk College of Business.

“The ranking recognizes the work already happening here, and RA’s investment is a vote of confidence in how much further we can go. We can build on the programs we’ve developed and the relationships we have with entrepreneurs across Charlotte to give more students the chance to test an idea, learn from people who have built businesses and start companies of their own.”

Written by: Andrea McDowell