Entrepreneur / Startup Founder
Also known as: Founder, Business Owner
Launch and grow your own business, turning ideas into products and building something from scratch.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for entrepreneur / startup founders.
About 1 in 200 reaches this level
No BLS occupation code covers entrepreneurs; about 5M new businesses start yearly (US Census Business Formation Statistics, est., no BLS code) and ~90% fail. A growth-stage CEO (Series B+) drawing ~$325K requires surviving to roughly the top 0.5%. Most founders pay themselves $0 for the first 1-2 years (Series B median founder salary is ~$214K per Kruze 2025; salary excludes equity, where founder wealth actually concentrates).
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a bachelor's degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
AI is a massive force multiplier for entrepreneurs. AI-native startups attract 33% of total VC funding. Founders can now build products, generate marketing, and run operations with far smaller teams. Entrepreneurship is the ultimate AI-proof career because you deploy AI rather than being displaced by it.
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
Related Careers
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