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List of colleges and universities in the United States by endowment

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Harvard University, with a $51.977 billion endowment as of FY2024, is the wealthiest university in the world.

Many colleges and universities in the United States maintain a financial endowment consisting of assets that are invested in financial securities, real estate, and other instruments. The investment yields a return that funds a portion of an institution's operational expenses while the principal exists in perpetuity. U.S. colleges and universities maintain some of the largest endowments in the world and make up the vast majority of higher education institutions with endowments greater than $1 billion.

The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) maintains information on endowments at U.S. higher education institutions by fiscal year (FY).[1] As of FY2024, the total endowment market value of U.S. institutions stood at $837.720 billion, with an average across all institutions of $1.322 billion and a median of $244.426 million.[2][3]

Enhancements and levies

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The tabulated data below are from NACUBO. Some universities benefit from endowments that are not under their direct control but which are nonetheless dedicated to the welfare of one or several institutions. Examples of these foundations include The Duke Endowment, the Robert A. Welch Foundation, and the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust.

Taxes

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In 2017, a federal endowment tax was enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 in the form of an excise tax of 1.4% on institutions that have at least 500 tuition-paying students and net assets of at least $500,000 per student. The $500,000 is not adjusted for inflation, so the threshold is effectively lowered over time. $244M in taxes was raised from 58 institutions in 2022.[4][5]

The endowment tax provision of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been criticized as funding tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy at the expense of education. Critics note that the tax could threaten financial aid for low-income students, stifle social mobility, and obstruct life-saving research.[6][7][8] Lobbyists representing wealthy private universities continue to advocate for its repeal.[9][10] The Don't Tax Higher Education Act, which would repeal the endowment tax, was introduced in the 115th United States Congress,[11] 116th United States Congress,[12] and 117th United States Congress[13] but failed in the Ways and Means Committee each time.

Endowments greater than $1 billion

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Private schools

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Rank Institution State Endowment[3]
(billions USD – FY2024)
Change
Private Overall 1‑year[3] 5‑year[14] 10‑year[15]
1 1 Harvard University Massachusetts $51.977 +5.0% +31.8% +44.8%
2 3 Yale University Connecticut $41.442 +1.7% +36.7% +73.4%
3 4 Stanford University California $37.631 +3.1% +35.9% +75.5%
4 5 Princeton University New Jersey $34.052 0.0% +30.4% +62.2%
5 6 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts $24.573 +4.8% +39.9% +97.8%
6 7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania $22.348 +6.6% +52.5% +133.2%
7 11 University of Notre Dame Indiana $17.897 +7.7% +58.8% +122.6%
8 12 Columbia University New York $14.782 +8.4% +35.0% +60.3%
9 13 Northwestern University Illinois $14.210 +3.7% +28.1% +45.3%
10 14 Johns Hopkins University Maryland $13.063 +24.0% +108.1% +278.4%
11 15 Washington University in St. Louis Missouri $11.981 +4.5% +50.6% +80.4%
12 16 Duke University North Carolina $11.890 +16.1% +38.1% +69.0%
13 17 Emory University Georgia $11.044 +7.8% +40.3% +65.3%
14 18 Cornell University New York $10.658 +6.2% +45.4% +81.0%
15 19 Vanderbilt University Tennessee $10.248 +5.8% +63.4% +150.8%
16 21 University of Chicago Illinois $10.105 +2.4% +22.3% +33.9%
17 22 Dartmouth College New Hampshire $8.273 +4.3% +44.4% +85.2%
18 23 University of Southern California California $8.145 +9.1% +42.1% +77.3%
19 24 Rice University Texas $8.066 +11.4% +24.5% +45.9%
20 26 Brown University Rhode Island $6.719 +8.3% +69.0% +124.0%
21 27 New York University New York $6.546 +11.4% +50.6% +91.2%
22 34 California Institute of Technology California $4.145 +13.1% +39.3% +98.0%
23 36 Carnegie Mellon University Pennsylvania $3.997 +2.8% +57.2% +149.8%
24 38 Boston College Massachusetts $3.778 +9.2% +49.7% +77.2%
25 40 Williams College Massachusetts $3.656 +4.8% +26.5% +62.2%
26 41 Georgetown University District of Columbia $3.638 +10.3% +99.6% +149.0%
27 42 Amherst College Massachusetts $3.550 +6.2% +43.5% +65.2%
28 43 Boston University Massachusetts $3.537 +13.0% +53.5% +118.9%
29 45 University of Richmond Virginia $3.245 +3.0% +28.9% +40.3%
30 48 Wellesley College Massachusetts $3.005 +4.0% +38.3% +66.2%
31 49 Pomona College California $2.992 +7.7% +28.7% +42.4%
32 50 University of Rochester New York $2.989 +5.9% +33.5% +48.3%
33 54 Swarthmore College Pennsylvania $2.728 +0.3% +28.0% +45.4%
34 55 Texas Christian University Texas $2.676 +3.8% +56.6% +85.5%
35 56 Grinnell College Iowa $2.671 +6.6% +29.0% +46.0%
36 57 George Washington University District of Columbia $2.640 +4.6% +48.4% +67.4%
37 58 Bowdoin College Maine $2.582 +6.5% +48.1% +112.3%
38 59 Smith College Massachusetts $2.564 +3.8% +34.0% +46.0%
39 60 Tufts University Massachusetts $2.534 +5.3% +35.6% +59.4%
40 64 Rockefeller University New York $2.420 +2.3% +5.5% +21.9%
41 66 Case Western Reserve University Ohio $2.397 +6.0% +28.4% +36.3%
42 69 Tulane University Louisiana $2.274 +7.9% +59.1% +92.1%
43 73 Southern Methodist University Texas $2.122 +4.0% +27.5% +44.7%
44 74 Syracuse University New York $2.097 +10.5% +50.6% +77.3%
45 75 Baylor University Texas $2.094 +6.5% +56.3% +81.5%
46 77 Washington and Lee University Virginia $2.043 +3.5% +21.9% +38.2%
47 78 Wake Forest University North Carolina $1.997 +5.1% +45.2% +74.0%
48 81 University of Delaware[a] Delaware $1.930 +6.0% +31.6% +47.3%
49 82 Saint Louis University Missouri $1.879 +8.6% +50.0% +74.5%
50 83 Lehigh University Pennsylvania $1.873 +6.6% +32.7% +54.0%
51 85 Trinity University Texas $1.834 +10.9% +43.2% +55.4%
52 86 Medical College of Wisconsin Wisconsin $1.798 +9.7% +91.7% +140.1%
53 91 Berea College Kentucky $1.649 +9.3% +35.3% +45.0%
54 92 Middlebury College Vermont $1.598 +8.8% +38.0% +47.7%
55 94 University of Miami Florida $1.590 +16.4% +59.4% +83.7%
56 96 Wesleyan University Connecticut $1.583 +6.8% +57.6% +106.1%
57 97 Santa Clara University California $1.555 +5.2% +52.5% +77.7%
58 100 Baylor College of Medicine Texas $1.481 +0.5% +13.9% +45.0%
59 102 Princeton Theological Seminary New Jersey $1.454 +2.7% +28.9% +39.5%
60 106 Davidson College North Carolina $1.375 +4.0% +56.0% +111.7%
61 107 Rochester Institute of Technology New York $1.373 +7.7% +45.3% +82.4%
62 108 Berry College Georgia $1.371 +8.7% +29.5% +49.5%
63 110 Hamilton College New York $1.362 +6.2% +40.5% +58.5%
64 111 Loma Linda University California $1.346 +3.1% +25.0% +170.1%
65 112 Villanova University Pennsylvania $1.335 +9.5% +74.1% +161.4%
66 113 Vassar College New York $1.301 +6.3% +16.4% +33.5%
67 114 Pepperdine University California $1.296 +10.8% +46.0% +64.3%
68 115 University of Tulsa Oklahoma $1.285 +2.0% +15.3% +26.5%
69 116 Oberlin College Ohio $1.270 +6.0% +34.7% +55.7%
70 117 Brandeis University Massachusetts $1.265 +4.0% +17.8% +46.9%
71 118 Carleton College Minnesota $1.255 +7.1% +40.7% +58.4%
72 120 Bryn Mawr College Pennsylvania $1.247 +6.7% +37.4% +46.1%
73 121 Claremont McKenna College California $1.240 +10.4% +43.3% +77.3%
74 124 Bucknell University Pennsylvania $1.167 +7.3% +34.7% +55.4%
75 125 Colby College Maine $1.160 +3.9% +33.4% +56.6%
76 127 Lafayette College Pennsylvania $1.125 +6.9% +35.2% +40.5%
77 129 College of the Holy Cross Massachusetts $1.109 +6.3% +41.2% +52.8%
78 130 Mount Holyoke College Massachusetts $1.102 +6.3% +38.7% +55.1%
79 131 University of Denver Colorado $1.089 +6.5% +38.5% +133.1%
80 132 Drexel University Pennsylvania $1.069 +10.7% +31.4% +62.0%
81 133 Loyola University Chicago Illinois $1.060 +9.1% +53.1% +96.4%
82 135 American University District of Columbia $1.051 +7.6% +45.3% +85.6%
83 137 Denison University Ohio $1.039 +3.7% +18.4% +34.7%
84 138 Howard University District of Columbia $1.032 +11.4% +49.0% +76.2%
85 140 Fordham University New York $1.025 +4.8% +39.7% +51.8%
86 141 DePaul University Illinois $1.019 +12.3% +46.4% +127.9%
87 143 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York $1.000 +8.2% +35.2% +51.8%

Public schools

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The University of Texas System has the largest system-wide endowment of any American public higher education institution.

For public universities, larger endowments are often associated with flagship state universities, especially those associated with a medical school. Sixteen states do not have institutions included in this list: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Many of these states have small populations. The New England states, however, are known for well-endowed private institutions. New York is one of the few populous states without a public university with a large endowment.

Rank Institution State Endowment[3]
(billions USD – FY2024)
Change
Public Overall 1‑year[3] 5‑year[14] 10‑year[15]
1 2 University of Texas System Texas $47.465 +5.6% +53.3% +86.7%
2 8 Texas A&M University System[b] Texas $20.381 +5.7% +50.8% +83.5%
3 9 University of Michigan Michigan $19.166 +7.2% +54.0% +97.0%
4 10 University of California System[c] California $19.103 +8.0% +61.9% +158.7%
5 20 University of Virginia Virginia $10.217 +4.3% +44.8% +71.8%
6 25 Ohio State University Ohio $7.932 +7.4% +50.9% +123.6%
7 28 University of Minnesota[d] Minnesota $5.935 +7.9% +50.2% +87.5%
8 29 University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania $5.804 +5.7% +34.6% +66.2%
9 30 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill[d] North Carolina $5.728 +10.1% +56.0% +112.5%
10 31 Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania $4.769 +7.3% +4.9% +38.4%
11 32 Michigan State University Michigan $4.419 +9.0% +45.7% +106.0%
12 33 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin $4.305 +12.2% +36.5% +84.6%
13 35 Purdue University System Indiana $4.106 +8.2% +56.4% +88.2%
14 37 Indiana University System Indiana $3.821 +7.4% +53.7% +92.2%
15 39 University of Illinois System[d] Illinois $3.689 +9.0% +56.7% +61.9%
16 44 University of Iowa[d] Iowa $3.502 +7.5% +121.8% +179.8%
17 46 Georgia Institute of Technology[b] Georgia $3.167 +6.5% +46.0% +67.7%
18 47 University of California, Berkeley California $3.112 +6.8% +50.3% +108.0%
19 51 University of California, San Francisco California $2.948 +8.4% +60.2% +212.4%
20 52 Texas Tech University System Texas $2.904 +69.2% +120.5% +142.9%
21 53 Virginia Commonwealth University[e] Virginia $2.886 +11.7% +41.3% +91.2%
22 61 University of Nebraska System Nebraska $2.527 +11.5% +76.0% +63.3%
23 62 University of Kansas Kansas $2.525 +7.1% +39.0% +71.7%
24 63 University of Florida Florida $2.454 +5.0% +34.4% +61.5%
25 65 University of Missouri System Missouri $2.411 +7.9% +38.3% +67.4%
26 67 University of Alabama System Alabama $2.379 +13.9% +56.5% +92.6%
27 68 University System of Maryland Maryland $2.291 +9.3% +59.5% +139.7%
28 70 University of Colorado System Colorado $2.245 +7.1% +54.6% +111.2%
29 71 North Carolina State University[b] North Carolina $2.220 +9.4% +58.5% +150.8%
30 72 Rutgers University System New Jersey $2.180 +9.7% +47.7% +137.3%
31 76 University of Georgia[b] Georgia $2.056 +13.5% +53.0% +118.9%
32 79 University of Kentucky Kentucky $1.979 +9.4% +40.6% +74.1%
33 80 Virginia Tech Virginia $1.954 +10.1% +43.9% +145.3%
34 84 University of Utah Utah $1.860 +13.2% +51.8% +120.2%
35 87 University of Tennessee System Tennessee $1.766 +10.4% +30.4% +64.7%
36 88 Iowa State University Iowa $1.717 +4.5% +55.9% +121.0%
37 89 University of Arkansas at Fayetteville[d] Arkansas $1.666 +9.1% +36.3% +79.2%
38 90 University of Oregon Oregon $1.651 +10.8% +78.9% +163.2%
39 93 Arizona State University[d] Arizona $1.592 +8.5% +72.7% +154.4%
40 95 University of California, San Diego California $1.589 +16.8% +100.5% +209.7%
41 98 University of Massachusetts System Massachusetts $1.547 +17.7% +75.5% +104.2%
42 99 Oklahoma State University System Oklahoma $1.482 +5.9% +63.7%
43 101 College of William & Mary[d] Virginia $1.454 +6.9% +46.0% +82.4%
44 103 Texas State University System Texas $1.407 +95.4% +575.1% +772.7%
45 104 University of Arizona[d] Arizona $1.387 +7.7% +33.6% +82.4%
46 105 Washington State University Washington $1.383 +9.1% +29.5% +59.3%
47 109 University System of New Hampshire New Hampshire $1.367 +7.0% +70.1% +106.6%
48 119 Oregon Health & Science University Oregon $1.253 −0.3% +42.8% +139.9%
49 123 Auburn University[d] Alabama $1.187 +10.0% +49.7% +91.2%
50 126 Louisiana State University System Louisiana $1.138 +7.3% +22.9% +44.4%
51 128 Clemson University South Carolina $1.124 +9.4% +45.1% +80.4%
52 134 University at Buffalo New York $1.059 +9.1% +33.3% +69.6%
53 136 University of South Carolina South Carolina $1.044 +9.7% +32.5% +75.1%
54 139 Florida State University Florida $1.030 +8.8% +46.3% +64.9%
55 142 University of Louisville Kentucky $1.008 +9.8% +40.0% +15.0%

Endowments per student greater than $1 million

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Princeton Theological Seminary has the largest endowment per student in the United States.

Counterbalancing the effect of the large endowments per student for private institutions, average tuition and fees at private four-year institutions were approximately two to four times the average tuition and fees of four-year public institutions in academic year 2021–22.[16] It is these high dollar per student endowments that are particularly affected by the endowment tax.

Rank Institution Enrollment[3]
(FTE – fall 2023)
Endowment per student[3]
(USD – FY2024)
Change[3][17]
(1‑year)
1 Princeton Theological Seminary 282 $5,154,575 +12.2%
2 Princeton University 9,079 $3,750,669 −2.1%
3 Yale University 15,269 $2,714,107 −2.4%
4 Stanford University 17,623 $2,135,335 +1.5%
5 Harvard University 24,357 $2,133,974 +5.0%
6 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 11,777 $2,086,500 +4.1%
7 Pardee RAND 158 $1,981,314 −11.4%
8 Amherst College 1,910 $1,858,417 +5.6%
9 Pomona College 1,652 $1,810,914 +11.4%
10 Williams College 2,140 $1,708,205 +4.3%
11 California Institute of Technology 2,463 $1,682,826 +10.2%
12 Columbia Theological Seminary 167 $1,676,212 +11.1%
13 Swarthmore College 1,712 $1,593,734 −0.5%
14 Grinnell College 1,750 $1,526,198 +5.0%
15 Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary 110 $1,445,756 +7.4%
16 University of Notre Dame 12,785 $1,399,873 +8.7%
17 Bowdoin College 1,847 $1,397,968 +10.2%
18 Wellesley College 2,362 $1,272,249 +16.3%
19 Dartmouth College 6,700 $1,234,823 +5.0%
20 Principia College 838 $1,141,078 +10.3%
21 Berea College 1,487 $1,108,849 +4.2%
22 Medical College of Wisconsin 1,656 $1,085,649 +9.7%
23 Smith College 2,495 $1,027,705 +18.5%

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ NACUBO classifies the University of Delaware as a private institution. It is chartered as a state-assisted, privately governed university.[18]
  2. ^ a b c d Endowment value includes related foundation(s).
  3. ^ System-wide endowment pool managed by the Regents of the University of California.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Endowment value includes foundation(s).
  5. ^ Endowment value includes affiliated entities.

References

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  1. ^ "Historic Endowment Study Data". National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 17, 2023. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  2. ^ "Number of Respondents to the 2024 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments, and Total Endowment Market Values, by Endowment Size and Institution Type" (PDF). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 12, 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "U.S. and Canadian 2024 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2024 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY23 to FY24, and FY24 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student" (XLSX). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 12, 2025. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  4. ^ "What is the tax treatment of college and university endowments?". The Tax Policy Briefing Book. Tax Policy Center. January 2024. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025.
  5. ^ Seltzer, Rick (February 17, 2020). "How Much Are Most Colleges Paying in Endowment Tax?". Inside Higher Ed. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  6. ^ The Crimson Editorial Board, ed. (February 20, 2018). "End the Endowment Tax". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  7. ^ Wilson, John (January 15, 2018). "Why the Endowment Tax Is Unconstitutional". Inside Higher Ed. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  8. ^ Powell, Alvin (December 21, 2017). "Tax on university endowments passes". The Harvard Gazette. Harvard University. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  9. ^ Kreighbaum, Andrew (April 23, 2018). "Endowment Tax Fight Not Over Yet". Inside Higher Ed. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  10. ^ Fang, Lee (July 25, 2022). "Ivy League Universities Push for Special Tax Cut". The Intercept. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "H.R.5220 – Don't Tax Higher Education Act". Congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  12. ^ "H.R.4438 – Don't Tax Higher Education Act". Congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  13. ^ "H.R.4438 – Don't Tax Higher Education Act". Congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY18 to FY19 (Revised)" (PDF). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 10, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  15. ^ a b "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY2013 to FY2014 (Revised February 2015)" (PDF). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 27, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  16. ^ "Tuition costs of colleges and universities". National Center for Education Statistics. United States Department of Education. August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  17. ^ "U.S. and Canadian 2023 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2023 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY22 to FY23, and FY23 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student" (XLSX). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 15, 2024. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  18. ^ Alamdari, Natalia (March 3, 2020). "Is UD public or private? 'We're special,' lawyer says, and have to agree to charter changes". The News Journal. Gannett. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2023.