The top five wealthiest people globally all received their education from renowned universities, including three who attended Ivy League schools.
Elon Musk
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The Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, addressed an event in Hawthorne, California on April 30, 2015. The photograph was taken by Reuters. |
Elon Musk tops Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List with a fortune valued at $342 billion this year.
The co-founder of seven firms, such as the electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX, began his academic journey at Queen’s University in Canada. He later transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, an institution among the prestigious Ivy League group, to study both business administration and physics.
He subsequently joined Stanford University to pursue a PhD in energy physics.
The University of Pennsylvania secured the 11th spot in the QS World University Rankings for 2025, whereas Stanford University held the 6th rank.
Musk, however, has expressed an unconventional view on higher education, saying that a college degree is “overrated,” according to one of his posts on social media platform X last year.
In my view, the worth of a college education might be overestimated. Many individuals invest four years, amass significant debts, and frequently lack applicable skills once they graduate.
The wealthy individual also stated that he holds great admiration for those who work hard, noting that having a bachelor’s degree doesn’t necessarily determine one’s success in their professional journey.
Mark Zuckerberg
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The Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, spoke in San Jose, California, United States, on April 18, 2017. The photograph was taken by Reuters. |
The second wealthiest person globally, Mark Zuckerberg, is famously a dropout from the prestigious
Harvard University
, an Ivy League institution ranked fourth in the QS World University Rankings for 2025.
In 2002, Zuckerberg began his studies at Harvard University, concentrating on both psychology and computer science. Various personal initiatives he undertook during this time laid the foundation for what was eventually developed into the massive social platform known as Facebook.
Regarding the importance of a college education, Zuckerberg credits his achievements to the relationships he formed while on campus.
The person you choose to spend your time with during college is “the most crucial choice” you can make on campus, according to him in a 2022 interview. He further noted that “your surroundings significantly influence who you turn into.”
Jeff Bezos
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Jeff Bezos, president and CEO of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post, speaks at the Economic Club of Washington DC’s “Milestone Celebration Dinner” in Washington, U.S., September 13, 2018. Photo by Reuters |
The third spot on the global billionaires list belongs to Amazon’s creator, Jeff Bezos, who has an estimated wealth of $215 billion.
He obtained degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University, an Ivy League institution ranked 22nd globally.
Prior to Jeff Bezos beginning his venture into online book sales, he pursued studies in physics at Princeton University during the 1980s.
Even though he was one of the top 25 students in his honors program, Bezos believed he didn’t possess the aptitude for excelling in physics. Therefore, he changed his focus to electrical engineering and computer science, a choice that significantly influenced his path ahead.
Bezos said, “I surveyed the room and realized that there were three individuals in the class who excelled far beyond my capabilities in [physics], and it seemed considerably simpler for them.”
Wired
in 1999.
In 1995, he opted for a different strategy by deciding to establish his own enterprise and initiated Amazon as an online bookstore. Today, the firm boasts a market capitalization of $1.78 trillion.
Larry Ellison
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The co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison, presented the company’s newest SPARC servers at the Oracle Conference Center in Redwood Shores, California, on March 26, 2013. The photograph was taken by Reuters. |
Larry Ellison, co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, presented the company’s newest SPARC servers at the Oracle Conference Center in Redwood Shores, California, on March 26, 2013.
Larry Ellison, who leads the major software company Oracle as its chairman, ranks as the fourth wealthiest individual globally, boasting a fortune of $192 billion.
The wealthy individual went to the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois but left these educational establishments without finishing their degree.
Many of Ellison’s acquaintances encouraged him to pursue medicine, but he couldn’t bring himself to delve into a subject that didn’t captivate his curiosity. This lack of interest led to his withdrawal from studies, as he explained to university students during a talk in 2016.
In his twenties, he kept venturing into different opportunities and often changed jobs. His explorations culminated in cofounding a revolutionary database system, which was considered a key innovation at the dawn of the information age.
He co-founded Oracle and turned it into one of the world’s top technology powerhouses.
“I enjoyed how each day brought me new and fascinating knowledge – information I lacked the previous day,” he stated.
“He mentioned that he had found his place in the world,” referring to how his family eventually forgave him for not completing medical school, and nobody questioned his drive and determination anymore.
Bernard Arnault
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CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, was present at the Viva Technology conference held in Paris, France, on June 15, 2017. The photograph was taken by Reuters. |
Boasting a fortune of $178 billion, French tycoon Bernard Arnault serves as both the chairperson and chief executive officer of the prestigious luxury fashion conglomerate.
LVMH Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy
And supervises a domain comprising 75 fashion and cosmetic labels.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree from École Polytechnique de Paris, which ranks as the 34th best university globally.
Arnault places importance on the experiences he gained during his higher education.
I gained strong analytical and synthesizing abilities from my time at École Polytechnique,” he stated during a discussion at the institution in 2017, noting that this education enabled him to approach any issues with a fact-based and thorough analysis.
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