Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business has taken the No. 1 spot in the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine's rankings of top schools for graduate entrepreneurship programs for the sixth year running.
The Princeton Review’s 2025 list identifies the 50 undergraduate and 50 graduate schools in the U.S. that offer the best programs in entrepreneurship studies based on its survey of more than 300 institutions. The Princeton Review has partnered with Entrepreneur to report these rankings annually since 2006.
“At Rice Business, our students learn both inside and outside the classroom, drawing on our strong industry and community connections in Houston and beyond,” said Peter Rodriguez, dean of Rice Business. “With small class sizes and tailored programs, we aim to equip our students with the skills to create new ventures and excel in a fast-changing business landscape.”
Rice Business has one of the only MBA programs in the country with an entrepreneurship specialization, and the school has multiple programs and accelerators that provide guidance and support needed to launch and grow businesses. The university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem features a collaborative culture, a willing network of mentors, paths to funding and multiple pitch competitions, including the Rice Business Plan Competition, the largest and richest student startup competition in the world, Rodriguez said. The ecosystem also combines academic courses and co-curricular programs led by the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) and regional, national and co-curricular programs led by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship.
Students learn from leading professors and practitioners in classrooms and labs but can also take advantage of the lively community of events meant to inspire, competitions to hone business plans or selling points, accelerators that validate ideas and provide resources, and numerous opportunities to network with investors, said Yael Hochberg, head of the Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative and Lilie.
“Our students engage with entrepreneurship throughout their time at Rice Business,” Hochberg said. “From courses to competitions, they’re encouraged to innovate, knowing they have access to support through a network of creative thinkers and successful alumni.”
“We benefit from close connections to Houston’s dynamic business community, where students can pitch their ideas and gain insights from angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate leaders,” said Brad Burke, executive director of Rice Alliance and associate vice president of industry and new ventures in Rice’s Office of Innovation. “These ties foster mentorship opportunities and serve as launchpads, supporting both our students and the broader Houston area.”
To learn more about Rice Business and the entrepreneurship ecosystem at Rice, visit here.
Rice University will recognize Owls who have served in the United States military, including the veterans among faculty, staff and students, at its 21st annual Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 in Rice Memorial Chapel and Ray Courtyard. Kyle La Rue, copy center assistant from Rice Business, is this year’s honoree.
Following a “generous philanthropic gift” by Farid and Asha Virani, the undergraduate business program at Rice University will be named after the family.
Rice University has officially opened the doors to the Virani Undergraduate School of Business, a significant enhancement to the university's business education offerings, thanks to a substantial financial contribution from Houston entrepreneur Farid Virani and his wife, Asha Virani.
