Education & Entrepreneurship
Since the early oil boom days,Tulsans have leaned into opportunity and embraced the idea of doing it our way. We foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurialism that can be seen in every industry, from Fortune 500 energy companies right down to the neighborhood family-run craft brewery. Tulsa has been celebrated as a top city for entrepreneurs and young professionals looking to make their mark. There are countless business incubators, shared work spaces, venture capitalist firms, SBA lenders, and professional organizations with the sole purpose of encouraging and supporting entrepreneurial endeavors.
Education
Early Childhood & K-12
The foundation of any community is its focus on education. Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) is the largest district in the state, educating more than 42,000 students from pre-kindergarten through high school. In fact, Oklahoma leads the nation in early childhood education, setting a precedent for achievement and success and creating a progressive model for school systems across the country to emulate.
The Tulsa region is a community committed to connecting a quality education with a well-paying job. In 2017, Lumina Foundation named Tulsa a Talent Hub, elevating the city’s efforts to attract, retain, and cultivate talent, particularly among today’s students of color, the first in their families to go to college, and those from low-income households.
In addition to Tulsa’s public school system, other school districts in surrounding communities attract national attention for their students’ accomplishments. Jenks, Union, Owasso, Broken Arrow, and Bixby are known for their nationally ranked academics, athletics and fine arts programs.
Tulsa is also known for having a rich tradition of parochial and non-parochial private schools, including several well-known college preparatory schools.
Higher Education
As a region poised for excellent millennial growth, it’s important to provide advanced educational opportunities to not only attract new families to Tulsa but to retain the talent we’ve been preparing since pre-k. Tulsa is fortunate in the fact that graduating high school students not only have the opportunity to take advantage of two state schools, Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma, but they can stay right here and enjoy exceptional institutions of higher learning. From a nationally acclaimed private university, the University of Tulsa, to a progressive community college, to several vocational and industry-specific colleges, there’s opportunity for everyone.
Regional Education Institutions
Langston University
Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow
Oklahoma Weslyan University
Oklahoma State University-Tulsa
OU-Tulsa
Oral Roberts University
Rogers State University
Southern Nazarene University
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
Tulsa Community College
Tulsa Technology Center
University of Tulsa
Entrepreneurial Resources
The Forge
The Forge helps entrepreneurs with proven business models cultivate their ideas into successful, scalable businesses.
36 Degrees North
This gathering point provides a high-quality work - space as well as fosters a passionate community, allowing entrepreneurs to create impactful businesses.
Tulsa StartUp Series
This annual startup competition gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to network with business coaches and community leaders to bring their ideas to life.
Kitchen 66
Kitchen 66 supports Tulsa food entrepreneurs by providing key resources: affordable commercial kitchen space, business development programs, and sales support.
Fab Lab
The lab provides open community access to advanced manufacturing and digital fabrication tools, equipment, technology and resources.
