Top 10 Universities Whose Graduates Became Billionaires

A global ranking of universities that have produced the most billionaires has been published. A recent study by Salas Díaz & Young revealed which institutions provide a launchpad for future successful entrepreneurs, investors, and financiers.

Leaders of the List

The honorary first place goes to Harvard University. Its diploma is held by 104 billionaires, including Steve Ballmer and Michael Bloomberg. The combined net worth of Harvard alumni on the list approaches $600 billion. Thanks to its influential alumni network and the prestige of its education, Harvard is rightly considered the “Alma Mater of Billionaires.”

In second place is Stanford University (69 billionaires), whose notable alumni include Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo, and Andy Fang of DoorDash. The university is especially renowned for its ties to Silicon Valley and its culture of technology startups.

The University of Pennsylvania, where Elon Musk studied, ranks third with 38 billionaires. Following are Columbia University (32 billionaire alumni, including Warren Buffett) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (28 billionaires, including Charles Koch).

The list also includes Yale University, Cornell University, and New York University, whose graduates successfully combine business ventures and investments on a global scale.

The U.S. Leads, but Asia Is Also in the Game

Most of the top 10 universities are based in the United States. However, some Asian universities are also among the global leaders. For example, the University of Mumbai in India and Tsinghua University in China rank eighth and ninth, respectively.

Additionally, Peking University and Seoul National University are included in the top 20 universities by number of billionaire alumni. These high rankings reflect the economic growth of Asian countries and the strengthening of their financial markets.

Top 10 Universities by Number of Billionaire Alumni

Source: Salas Díaz & Young (2024).

What This Means for Future Students

Of course, simply attending a top 10 university does not guarantee that every student will become a billionaire. However, it reflects the broader opportunities these institutions provide: from a strong academic foundation and unique educational environment to extensive professional networks, career opportunities, and support for developing one’s own startups.

Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and other prestigious universities remain not only symbols of academic excellence but also springboards for future global-scale entrepreneurs.