NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Entrepreneurship in the U.S. has remained relatively constant over the past 10 years and is highest among immigrants and Latinos, according to a study published Thursday.

The study, sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, showed that the number of small businesses in the U.S. grew by 550,000 per month from 1996 to 2004, despite swings in the economy.

Robert W. Fairlie of the University of California, Santa Cruz, who drew on Census data and Bureau of Labor Statistics for the study, also reported that Latinos have a higher rate of entrepreneurship than white, non-Latinos.

The study also found that the average rate of entrepreneurship was higher for immigrants than native U.S. residents. Approximately 0.46 percent of immigrants were considered entrepreneurs while only 0.35 percent of native-born went into business for themselves.

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