Older can mean better, when it comes to entrepreneurs. And that bodes well for a resurgence in entrepreneurial activity.

That’s one conclusion of a study in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report, a joint project of Babson College in Wellesley, MA and the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in Kansas City, MO.

Although 50 percent of entrepreneurial activity is accounted for by men and women between 25 and 44 years old, a large number of entrepreneurs in the U.S. are in the 45-to-84 age range. That means more industry experience, larger personal networks and greater amounts of capital to back new businesses, according to Larry W. Cox, a study co-author. Men and women in that age bracket are responsible for 36 percent of the entrepreneurial activity in the U.S., much greater than the global average of 22 percent.

Education also makes a difference, but more schooling doesn’t always mean an increase in independent businesses. Entrepreneurship rises sharply for men and women with a high-school education in the U.S., but in general decreases beyond college. One likely reason, according to the study, is “opportunity costs.” In the U.S. especially, more education means more pay in the marketplace. Starting up a business can mean longer hours and carry greater risk of losses for an individual who is already earning a high salary.

Taken from the Wall Street Journal.