Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the effect of participation in business and economics education programs on the student's entrepreneurial intention in terms of perceptions of the desirability and personal feasibility of starting a business. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used to measure the student's entrepreneurial intention is the data envelopment analysis (DEA). This approach involves mathematical programming and as a new tool in this field has permitted enrichment of the results achieved. Findings: Results reveal that the explanatory factors for both types of students are different. This could be explained because the students choose one career or another according to their expectations of employment. In this sense, the student's entrepreneurial intention decreases in the business students when they progress in their studies and they are closer in contact with the business reality. However, the student's entrepreneurial intention increases in the case of business students when they choose a future work option different to work in public administration. Research limitations/implications: Although the work reaches conclusive findings, further research is required in a longitudinal way. Practical implications: The article provides new methodology and results in the field of entrepreneurship and employability in higher education in Spain. Originality/value: In the context of the theory of planned behavior, the article is innovative on a methodological level in arguing for "connected" perceptions of the desirability and personal feasibility of starting a business with an approach toward employability and enterprise development for students. The authors think that the understanding of the sources of "entrepreneurial intention" at the students' level is crucial for policymakers to develop appropriate educational polices to improve entrepreneurship performances. (Contains 7 tables and 1 note.)