Our Mission

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

LET'S TALK ABOUT DECA

DECA is organized into two unique student divisions each with programs designed to address the learning styles, interest and focus of its members.

282,006
High School Members
4,112
High School Chapters
4,319
Collegiate Members
203
Collegiate Chapters

Our Guiding Principles

Innovative Learning to Engage Students


The DECA experience starts in the classroom where students learn business concepts in preparation for college and careers. A powerful instructional component, DECA brings the classroom to life by empowering the teacher-advisor to make learning relevant with educational programs that integrate into classroom instruction, apply learning, connect to business and promote competition. The successful integration of each of these four interconnected components, also part of DECA’s guiding principles, results in a strong program that produces college- and career-ready students.

DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program...

Integrates into Classroom Instruction

An integral component of classroom instruction, DECA activities provide authentic, experiential learning methods to prepare members for college and careers.

Applies Learning

DECA members put their knowledge into action through rigorous project-based activities that require creative solutions with practical outcomes.

Connects to Business

Partnerships with businesses at local and broader levels provide DECA members realistic insight into industry and promote meaningful, relevant learning.

Promotes Competition

As in the global economy, a spark of competition drives DECA members to excel and improve their performance.

DECA Prepares the Next Generation to Be...

Academically Prepared

DECA members are ambitious, high-achieving leaders equipped to conquer the challenges of their aspirations

Community Oriented

Recognizing the benefit of service and responsibility to the community, DECA members continually impact and improve their local and broader communities.

Professionally Responsible

DECA members are poised professionals with ethics, integrity and high standards.

Experienced Leaders

DECA members are empowered through experience to provide effective leadership through goal setting, consensus building and project implementation.

Our Members

Emerging Leaders Focused on the Future

Our diverse, highly-motivated DECA members have college and career interests that closely align to our program areas. DECA members understand the need for career preparation and choose to enroll in more business courses than other business students.

College Major
DECA
National
Business/Management
38.2%
15.0%
Marketing/Advertising
21.4%
4.0%
Entrepreneurship
12.0%
5.0%
Finance
10.6%
2.0%
Accounting
10.6%
4.0%
Economics
9.2%
3.0%
Communications
3.4%
2.0%
Travel/Hospitality
2.4%
2.0%
Career Plans
DECA
National
Business/Management
44.2%
18.0%
Entrepreneurship
41.0%
21.0%
Marketing Communications
31.8%
10.0%
Race/Ethnicity
White/Caucasian
50.1%
Latino/Hispanic
16.6%
Black
12.7%
Asian
11.7%
Middle-Eastern
1.5%
American Indian
0.6%
Other
6.8%
Gender
Female
53.5%
Male
45.9%
Other
0.7%

Our Programs

Engaging Learning Programs to Promote College and Career Readiness

Our Comprehensive Learning Program features a variety of educational programs across both divisions designed to engage and motivate DECA members to prepare for their futures. DECA provides an opportunity for chapter advisors to select and implement the programs that best align with their courses and curriculum.

High School

DECA's high school programs include more than 60 competitive events, chapter campaigns, online simulations, school-based enterprises and more.

Educational Programs

College

DECA's college programs include more than 25 competitive events, the leadership passport program, online challenges and more.

Educational Programs

SUPPORTING EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES

Ensuring Relevancy to Business and Industry

Our educational programs help support important key initiatives in education, business and industry. DECA reinforces career and academic standards identified by business and industry in an effort to help close the 21st Century Skills gap.

Learn more
National Curriculum Standards
21st Century Skills
Entrepreneurial Mindset
Financial Literacy
Project Management
Teacher Recruitment, Engagement + Retention

DECA Partners

Supported by Business and Industry

DECA’s partners include corporations, foundations, associations and colleges and universities that seek to support the development of leaders and entrepreneurs who will be successful in a global economy and will be their companies’ employees and leaders, their associations’ members, and responsible community leaders. Our partners provide strategic advice for the organization, professional insight on content and crucial financial support for educational programming.

View All Partners

OUR IMPACT

Dynamic Impact on College + Career Success

DECA members understand the critical need to obtain a solid education, as well as the valuable connection between what they are currently learning and a successful career. DECA members seek challenging courses and advanced programs of study, and pursue college and career readiness with determination that outpaces the national average. In addition, the more engaged members are with DECA, the higher their GPAs, and the more likely they are to be successful self-challengers, choosing more relevant business courses and rigorous classes than their peers.

Learn more
21st Century Skills
College + Career Plans
Preparing the Next Generation
98%
of DECA members report they gained skills in problem solving.
97%
of DECA members report they learned how to communicate thoughts and ideas.
86%
of DECA members report they learned how to work as part of a team.
98%
of DECA members report they gained skills to improve personal and professional behavior.
73%
of DECA members report that DECA has influenced their career plans.
69%
of DECA members report that DECA has influenced their college plans.
91%
of DECA members report that participation in DECA prepared them academically for college and a career.
66%
of DECA members have an increased desire to own a business.
92%
of DECA members report that DECA experiences empowered them to become an effective leader.
91%
of DECA members report that DECA experiences connected school to the real world for them.
82%
of DECA members recognized the benefit and responsibility of community service.
76%
of DECA members report they are more interested in attending school.

ABOUT DECA

An Integral Component of Career and Technical Education

DECA Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Career and Technical Student Organization with more than 227,000 members in nearly all 50 United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Germany. The United States Congress, the United States Department of Education, and state, district and international departments of education authorize DECA’s programs.

Questions?

Contact DECA staff
for more information.

View All DECA Staff Contacts
Christopher Young, CAE
Chief Program Officer
Contact

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DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

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Reston, VA 20191
(703) 860-5000
info@deca.org
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