DECA competition pairs a multiple-choice business exam with a live roleplay or written project. Members compete at district, then state, and the top performers advance to the international conference.
Explore events by career cluster, and check the official DECA guide for current requirements.
Events in this cluster focus on planning, organizing and running a business — operations, human resources, risk and project management.
Entrepreneurship events ask you to identify an opportunity, build a concept and defend a plan for launching or growing a venture.
Finance events cover accounting, banking services, business finance and investment decisions for individuals and companies.
Hospitality events place you in lodging, food service, travel and event settings where guest experience drives every decision.
Marketing events test how you research a market, position a product and build promotion and selling strategies that move customers.
This cluster focuses on personal money decisions — budgeting, credit, insurance, saving and investing for your own future.
A written business situation places you in a role — an employee, consultant or manager — with a specific problem to solve for a client or company.
The scenario lists the specific skills the judge will look for. These are the scored criteria, so every one of them should show up in your presentation.
Most individual roleplays give 10 minutes of prep; team events typically give 30. You take notes on paper — that's your only aid.
You meet the judge in role, walk through your recommendation, and support it with reasoning. Individual presentations usually run about 10 minutes.
The judge asks follow-ups, then scores each performance indicator plus overall impression. That score combines with your exam score for your final result.
Exact timing, event lists and scoring vary by event and year — always check the official DECA guidelines for your event.
