Harvard has topped many of the "rich lists" that rank universities: Richest endowment, most billionaire graduates, richest students. Now, it adds another rich distinction: The largest number of alumni worth $30 million or more.
According to a new report from Wealth-X, 3,130 of Harvard's alumni are "ultrahigh net worth individuals" worth at least $30 million—the most of any university. That's about 1 percent of its total graduates.
By comparison, the top 1 percent of all Americans by wealth have a minimum net worth of around $7.8 million—meaning the richest 1 percent of Harvard grads are nearly four times as wealthy as the richest 1 percent of Americans.
The cause and effect, of course, is unclear. Are alumni rich because they went to Harvard, or does Harvard have a larger number of students who are already wealthy?
Either way, wealth in America is highly concentrated among the top universities. According to Wealth-X, the top 10 schools for ultrahigh net worth alums account for 5 percent of the world's 211,275 people worth $30 million or more.
Here are the top 10 schools for ultra-wealthy alumni.
Top 10 schools for ultra-wealthy alumni
Rank | Name of institution | UHNW alumni population |
---|---|---|
1 | Harvard University | 3,130 |
2 | University of Pennsylvania | 1,580 |
3 | Stanford University | 1,240 |
4 | Columbia University | 940 |
5 | New York University | 860 |
6 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 670 |
7 | University of Chicago | 665 |
8 | Northwestern University | 575 |
9 | Yale University | 570 |
10 | Cornell University | 560 |
Source: Wealth-X