Entrepreneurial Women Find Success Through B-School

Overview

In recognition of International Women’s Day, this research brief shares details about aspiring female entrepreneurs in the business school candidate pipeline and highlights the professional and personal success many alumnae have found through starting their own business.

Quick Facts

• Among women who registered on mba.com in 2017, 22 percent say their career goal is to be self-employed as an entrepreneur, up from 16 percent in 2010.
• Overall, entrepreneurial activity among alumnae increases with time removed from graduation. For example, seven percent of alumnae from the graduation years of 2011 to 2015 are currently self-employed, compared with 17 percent of alumnae from 1991 to 2000.
• Among business school alumni entrepreneurs, women are more likely than men to be in the consulting industry (50% vs. 32%) and their businesses are more likely to have 25 or fewer employees (92% vs. 80%).
• Overall, most alumnae entrepreneurs agree that their business school experience prepared them for their chosen career (73%) and, knowing what they know now, more than 9 in 10 would still pursue a graduate management education (92%).