The Richest Universities in North America

US Universities and Their Multi-Billion Dollar Endowments

The cost of attending college continues to escalate, prompting the need for American students to access grants, scholarships, and other types of financial aid to help them finance higher education. Through their endowments, which are invested funds primarily from contributions and used to support the institution’s educational goal, many schools can provide students with financial aid.

A college or university’s endowment is a collection of assets that are invested for the long-term benefit of the institution’s educational and research goals. It serves as a binding agreement between a donor and an organization and unites the generations of the past, present, and future.

Universities can hire great faculty thanks to endowments, albeit some may face competition from other universities. The money can also reduce the gender wage gap, which still exists in even the most famous and forward-thinking organizations.

Additionally, university endowments improve academic quality by enabling the institution to create cutting-edge teaching methods, support faculty and student research, and support new fields of study.

These institutional successes assist schools and universities in luring new students, faculty, and donors in addition to serving their stated functions. Students will be provided with more substantial financial aid alternatives as the university draws in more contributors.

Why Universities with Large Endowments Still Charge and Raise Tuition

It’s often a shock why universities that receive multi-billion dollar endowments still charge or raise tuition fees. This is one of those sensitive topics that critics of the country’s higher education system discuss.

Endowments are not often set up to support financial aid for students. These funds are designated for certain areas only. Remember that donors get to decide how universities should use the endowments.

When a donor donates money to cover the cost of establishing a facility but not enough to maintain it, some endowments may actually end up costing the school money in the long term. This will often cause a rise in tuition fees.

The truth is that American universities view tuition as a source of income that helps them grow or just maintain themselves. Even if a university used most of its endowments to reduce tuition, the rising costs of operating a higher education institution would eventually exhaust the endowment since operating expenses would surpass investment income.

Just a little FYI, plenty of wealthy universities have already reduced tuition costs. Particularly for kids from the poorest backgrounds, the richest universities are already doing a fairly excellent job of ensuring that these students don’t experience massive burdens in tuition fees.

The poorest students with the most talent probably won’t have to pay anything to attend several Ivy League institutions.

For instance, no tuition is required at Harvard for any household making less than $65,000. Additionally, people who earn between $65,000 and $150,000 will only be required to pay 10% of their income.

Even if a college doesn’t make such a lofty pledge, many offer scholarships and grants, which significantly reduce the net price that families pay compared to the sticker price.

1. Harvard University

   

   Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $51,925

   Average Full Professor Salary: $235,604

   Annual Research Expenditures: $1,123,160,000

   Endowment: $39,427,896,000

   Perhaps it is fitting that the oldest university in the U.S. is also the richest university in the world. In fact, Harvard’s wealth is more than that of many countries. Established in 1636, the university is named for its initial benefactor, John Harvard. It is a foundational institution of the country, the epitome of Ivy League universities, a cultural touchpoint in American society, and boasts an alumni list that includes eight U.S. presidents, 30 foreign heads of state, and 160 Nobel laureates. The private university, though founded and initially run by clergymen, is now secular. Harvard is recognized among the world’s best universities, with a degree (in any field, but especially in law) from Harvard serving as a gold seal on the resumes of its alumni. Considering that its alumni also includes over 180 living billionaires (Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg among them), it should be no surprise that a significant portion of its wealth comes from alumni donations. Harvard’s largest donation ever came from John A. Paulson in 2015, a sum of $400 million.

   Harvard ranks #8 among highest annual research expenditures.

2. The University of Texas System

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $38,326

Average Full Professor Salary: $168,499

Annual Research Expenditures: $652,187,000

Endowment: $30,958,239,000

Consisting of 14 institutions, the public University of Texas System is a huge educational system that serves all corners of Texas with well-regarded universities and programs. Its flagship university, UT Austin, was established in 1883, and has one of the largest student enrollments in the country, topping 50,000. Its alumni list includes 12 Nobel prize winners. A significant source of the UT system’s wealth comes from land ownership and investment, as is the case with most colleges. In this case, however, it means hundreds of thousands of acres of Texas land that is leased for oil, gas, and surface rights, as one might expect in Texas. Additionally, the University of Texas has received some impressive donations through the years, including from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Hearst Corporation, and the Moody Foundation. As UT Austin is a major athletics school, it has also reaped significant benefits from its “Longhorn Network,” developed in collaboration with ESPN.

3. Yale University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,500

Average Full Professor Salary: $236,442

Annual Research Expenditures: $951,084,000

Endowment: $30,314,800,000

The third-oldest university in the country, and another Ivy League institution, Yale University was founded in 1701, one of nine U.S. universities to predate the American Revolution. Like its Ivy League brethren, Yale is highly regarded in a wide range of fields, especially for its Law School and School of Medicine, and its alumni often go on to be successful and high-earners, if not also famous and influential. Yale’s alumni list includes five U.S. presidents, 19 supreme court justices, 31 living billionaires, and 62 Nobel laureates. Initially known as The Collegiate School, the university owes its current name to Elihu Yale, a head of the British East India Trade Company, who gave the university a sizable gift in 1716. Generations of benefactors have since followed suit, and Yale amassed great wealth through large donations, with its largest ever being $250 million in 2013 from alumnus Charles B. Johnson.

Yale University ranks #14 among highest annual research expenditures.

4. Stanford University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $53,529

Average Full Professor Salary: $254,232

Annual Research Expenditures: $1,109,708,000

Endowment: $27,699,834,000

Established in 1885, Stanford University is a private, secular university that has become one of the world’s richest in its (relatively) short history. Though not an Ivy League university, Stanford goes toe-to-toe with the best of them, boasting a massive endowment fund, along with an alumni list that includes a U.S. president (Herbert Hoover), 30 living billionaires, 83 Nobel Laureates, 28 Turing Award Laureates, and loads of members of congress (not to mention 270 olympic gold medals among its athletic alumni). Stanford traces its name to Leland and Jane Stanford, and is well regarded for its School of Engineering, School of Education, School of Law, School of Medicine, and Graduate School of Business. Its endowment includes massive boosts from alumni donations, such as a $400 million gift in 2016 from Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike and graduate of the Stanford Business School.

Stanford University ranks #9 among highest annual research expenditures.

5. Princeton University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $52,800

Average Full Professor Salary: $248,252

Annual Research Expenditures: $326,207,000

Endowment: $26,116,022,000

The fourth-oldest university in the U.S., Princeton University is one of the original nine colonial colleges, dating back to 1746. Unlike some of the other, older institutions on this list, Princeton has relocated; twice, in fact, taking its current name in 1896, 150 years after its founding. As an Ivy League institution, Princeton is regarded among the best in the world, for its School of Engineering and Applied Science and Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in particular. The alumni list at Princeton includes two U.S. presidents (and Michelle Obama), 12 U.S. Supreme Court justices, numerous members of congress, and 68 Nobel laureates. Princeton also boasts a high rate of donations from its wealthy and notable alumni; however, its largest donation ever came in the form of rare books (worth $300 million) from the estate of William H. Scheide.

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $53,790

Average Full Professor Salary: $232,216

Annual Research Expenditures: $952,017,000

Endowment: $17,569,328,000

Commonly known as MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university best known for its School of Engineering and School of Management, as well as its scientific research. In fact, MIT is often considered the best university in the world for engineering across the board. The university traces its 1861 founding to the industrial revolution in the U.S., and is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant institution. Its alumni and faculty list includes 96 Nobel laureates and 26 Turing Award winners. MIT is famous for research, in particular its work in defense with the U.S. military; this activity, however, has not been without controversy, especially among MIT faculty and students. Like others on this list, MIT has benefited from consistent and sizable donations through the years, including its largest gift ever in 2018 from Stephen A. Schwarzman, a sum of $350 million.

MIT ranks #13 among highest annual research expenditures.

7. University of Pennsylvania

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $57,770

Average Full Professor Salary: $223,693

Annual Research Expenditures: $1,374,293,000

Endowment: $14,649,762,000

Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania represents another Ivy League entry on the list, as well as one of the nine colonial colleges. UPenn has been the home to many influential figures, as students and faculty. Its alumni list includes 14 heads of state, 46 U.S. governors, 3 supreme court justices, and 8 signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. In fact, the university was founded by none other than Benjamin Franklin, who was also its first president (and who is also the inspiration for the school’s athletic teams name, the Penn Quakers). Notable, living alumni include Elon Musk, Warren Buffett, and John Huntsman Jr. Academically, UPenn is best known for its Wharton School of Business, the School of Education, the Law School, the School of Medicine, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. The university is also not short of generous benefactors; in 2019 it raised over $626 million in donations, more than every other university in Philadelphia combined.

The University of Pennsylvania ranks #4 among highest annual research expenditures.

8. The Texas A&M University System

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $38,602

Average Full Professor Salary: $147,703

Annual Research Expenditures: $905,474,000

Endowment: $13,514,528,000

The Texas A&M University System is a public, state university system that encompasses 11 universities. Its flagship institution, located in College Station, boasts one of the largest student enrollments in the country, nearing 60,000. The flagship Texas A&M University was established in 1876 and is the founding member of the System, becoming the flagship in 1948. Texas A&M University is the only university in the state to hold space-grant, land-grant, and sea-grant designations, and is strongly associated with research for organizations including NASA, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science foundation. Accordingly, the university is highly regarded for its Dwight Look College of Engineering. Its alumni list includes notables such as foreign heads of state, presidential cabinet members, NASA astronauts, and NFL athletes. It is also home to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. Year after year, the system pulls in hundreds of millions of dollars in donations to boost its endowment.

Texas A&M University – Austin ranks #18 among highest annual research expenditures.

9. University of Michigan

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $51,200

Average Full Professor Salary: $174,125

Annual Research Expenditures: $1,530,139,000

Endowment: $12,448,817,000

The public University of Michigan is a research university established in 1817. Its founding precedes the statehood of Michigan by 20 years. The University of Michigan is as famous for its research as it is for its academics; in fact, it sits near the top of the list when it comes to highest annual research expenditures. Among its alumni and faculty, the university counts 25 Nobel Prize laureates, six Turing Award winners, and a Fields Medalist. It is well known for its College of Engineering, Law School, College of Engineering, and Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Beyond academics, UMichigan is famous for its Wolverines athletic teams, especially in football. Notable alumni include U.S. President Gerald Ford, over 250 legislators and congresspeople, and several foreign heads of state. Other alumni include writers and essayists such as Arthur Miller and Susan Orlean, as well as a cadre of professional athletes. UM’s endowment has grown steadily in recent years, due in no small part to sizable alumni donations in the last decade, with at least 10 topping $50 million each.

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor ranks #2 among highest annual research expenditures.

10. University of California System

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: N/A

Average Full Professor Salary: N/A

Annual Research Expenditures: N/A

Endowment: $11,797,543,000

The University of California System is a public college system composed of 10 distinct institutions. Unlike other university systems on this list, the system includes a central administration (in Oakland) separate of its flagship institution (Berkeley, #52 on this list). Accordingly, the system has an endowment separate from the endowments of its individual institutions. The University of California was established in 1868 in Oakland before moving to Berkely; the system underwent a reorganization in 1951, separating the system from the Berkely campus. Seven of the system’s ten campuses are members of the Association of American Universities, and the system boasts faculty and alumni that include nearly 400 members of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, and 61 Nobel Laureates. Other UC institutions on this list include the University of California Los Angeles (#37), and the University of California San Francisco (#59).

11. University of Notre Dame

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,553

Average Full Professor Salary: $185,719

Annual Research Expenditures: $212,823,000

Endowment: $11,268,365,000

The University of Notre Dame is a private, Catholic research university, established in 1842. Like so many others on this list, Notre Dame owes much of its wealth to generous donations, going all the way back to its founding. The land on which Notre Dame is built was donated by none other than the Bishop of Vincennes, Célestine Guynemer de la Hailandière, to Edward Sorin, its founder. Since then, the university has gone on to excel in academics, and is well known for its Business School, Law School, and School of Architecture. The university claims notable alumni such as Condoleeza Rice, Regis Philbin, and numerous NFL stars, Joe Montana chief among them. On that note, Notre Dame is well known for its Division I athletics teams (especially in football), collectively named the “Fighting Irish.” Such alumni have certainly been beneficial to the university; in 2017 it received its largest donation ever, a sum of $100 million from Kenneth Ricci.

12. Northwestern University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,691

Average Full Professor Salary: $214,273

Annual Research Expenditures: $751,809,000

Endowment: $11,091,516,000

Northwestern University is a private, nonsectarian university established in 1851. It draws its name from what had previously been known as the Northwest Territory, which the university was intended to serve; rather than trace its namesake and founding to a specific, enterprising individual, the university’s origins find root in a cadre of nine prominent Illinois residents. Since then, the university has gone on to feature notable faculty and alumni including 19 Nobel Laureates, 10 living billionaires, 84 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and two U.S. Supreme Court Justices. The university features 12 schools, the Kellogg School of Management, the Feinberg School of Medicine, the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the School of Law well-recognized among them. The university has benefited from many generous alumni donations, including $100 million in 2015 from Roberta Buffett Elliott.

Northwestern University ranks #27 among highest annual research expenditures.

13. Columbia University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $61,788

Average Full Professor Salary: $223,716

Annual Research Expenditures: $893,062,000

Endowment: $10,950,738,000

More commonly known simply as “Columbia,” Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League research university, and one of the nine colonial colleges. Unlike others on this list (which were founded by Americans), Columbia was actually founded in 1754 by King George II of Great Britain as a response to the founding of Princeton College. The university’s original name was King’s College; the name was changed in 1784 following the revolution. Columbia claims a long list of notable, influential, and famous alumni and faculty, including five founding fathers, three U.S. presidents, 29 foreign heads of state, 10 supreme court justices, and 96 Nobel Laureates. The university is well known for excelling in a range of fields, from public health and medicine, to nuclear physics and artificial intelligence, to drama and journalism (125 Pulitzer Prize winners are associated with Columbia). In fact, Columbia University is the origin site for much of the research that went into the Manhattan Project. The university regularly receives a great deal of donation money, including $400 million in 2007 from John W. Kluge, for student aid.

Columbia University ranks #19 among the highest annual research expenditures.

14. Duke University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $58,031

Average Full Professor Salary: $201,860

Annual Research Expenditures: $1,126,924,000

Endowment: $8,609,004,000

Duke University is a private research university established in 1838. Initially founded by Methodists and Quakers, the university is now nonsectarian (and is still recognized as having a high-quality divinity program). Though it has humble beginnings as Brown’s Schoolhouse, what is now known as Duke University benefited immensely from donations. The university was originally located in what is now Trinity, North Carolina. It moved to Durham in 1892 after a land donation from Julian S. Carr and Washington Duke, the latter of whom the university was renamed to honor after his son James B. Duke established the Duke Endowment in 1924 with a $40 million trust fund. Today, Duke is known for its Fuqua School of Business, School of Law, and Pratt School of Engineering, as well as its highly successful men’s basketball team. Among its alumni and faculty, Duke counts notable figures including 15 Nobel Laureates, 50 Rhodes Scholars,14 living billionaires, and U.S. President Richard Nixon. Every year, Duke receives large amounts of money by way of donations, tallying $516 million in 2018.

Duke University ranks #7 among highest annual research expenditures.

15. The University of Chicago

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $60,552

Average Full Professor Salary: $247,117

Annual Research Expenditures: $433,328,000

Endowment: $8,263,868,000

Established in 1890, the University of Chicago is a private research university. UChicago traces its origins to sizable donations from the American Baptist Education Society, and the famed philanthropist John D. Rockefeller., as well as several wealthy Chicagoans. The university counts among its faculty and alumni 100 Nobel Laureates, 25 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 54 Rhodes Scholars. Academically, the university is known for its Booth School of Business, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, Law School, and Pritzker School of Medicine. The university is also associated with groundbreaking work in areas including literary criticism, legal theory, nuclear science, and carbon dating. It is home to the largest university press in the country, the University of Chicago Press. UChicago has benefitted from generous donations from the start, and continues to do so, with recent donations including $100 million to the School of Medicine in 2017, and $125 million from Ken Griffin in 2018 to the Economics department.

16. Washington University in St. Louis

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,292

Average Full Professor Salary: $201,104

Annual Research Expenditures: $754,462,000

Endowment: $7,953,986,000

Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university established in 1853. Initially named the Eliot Seminary, the institution changed its name in 1854 to honor former president George Washington (and because William Greenleaf Eliot, its original namesake, was uncomfortable having a college named after him). Among its alumni and faculty, the university counts 24 Nobel Laureates, as well as notable names including Clyde Cowan (co-discoverer of the neutrino), J.C.R. Licklider (pioneer of artificial intelligence), and Peter Mutharika (the President of Malawi). Academically, the university is recognized for its George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Olin Business School, and Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts. The university has benefited greatly from donor gifts, and tallied $3.378 billion from 2012-2018 through its Leading Togethercampaign.

Washington University in St. Louis ranks #26 among the highest annual research expenditures.

17. Emory University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $53,804

Average Full Professor Salary: $179,478

Annual Research Expenditures: $664,888,000

Endowment: $7,872,381,000

Emory is a private research university associated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1836 by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named to honor John Emory, a Methodist Bishop. Its founding date puts it among the oldest private universities in the country. Originally established in Oxford, Georgia, Emory closed in 1861 during the American Civil War, and had significant financial troubles during the Reconstruction period. The university relocated in 1915, owing its current location to a land donation from Asa Griggs Candler, founder of The Coca-Cola Company. The university encompasses nine schools, and is well known for its Goizueta Business School, School of Law, and School of Medicine. Among its alumni, Emory University claims two prime ministers, members of the U.S. congress, two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, and a handful of foreign heads of state. Emory’s distinguished faculty list includes figures such as author Salman Rushdie, poet Natasha Tretheway, President Jimmy Carter, President Desmond Tutu, and the 14th Dalai Lama. In its past and today, Emory has benefited greatly from donations; of particular note is a massive $400 million in 2018 from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation for Medical Research.

Emory University is number #30 among highest annual research expenditures.

18. Cornell University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $57,222

Average Full Professor Salary: $179,893

Annual Research Expenditures: $984,478,000

Endowment: $7,328,241,000

Established in 1865, Cornell University is a private Ivy League Institution. The university traces its name directly to its founder, Ezra Cornell, who donated $500,000 to start the endowment fund. Among its faculty and alumni, Cornell counts 59 Nobel Laureates, four Turing Award winners, 55 Olympic medalists, and 35 billionaires. Notable faculty include Norman Borlagh, John Cleese, and Carl Sagan. The university is well recognized for research in science and engineering, especially aeronautics, computer science, space research, and nuclear physics. Cornell consists of seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions, of which the S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management, the College of Engineering, and the Weill Cornell Medical College are particularly well regarded. Cornell does quite well on donations every year, and received $743 million from donors in 2017.

Cornell University ranks #12 among highest annual research expenditures.

19. University of Virginia

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $50,900

Average Full Professor Salary: $174,539

Annual Research Expenditures: $469,682,000

Endowment: $7,058,235,000

The University of Virginia is a public research university established in 1819. The university owes its founding to none other than Thomas Jefferson, and even included James Madison and James Monroe on its original governing Board of Visitors. Groundbreaking in its time, UVA allowed students to study in a liberal approach, with eight separate schools, rather than just confining students to law, medicine, or divinity. Today, UVA is recognized for its Darden Graduate School of Business, Curry School of Education, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Law, and School of Medicine. Notable alumni include President Woodrow WIlson, numerous NASA astronauts, FBI Director Robert Mueller, U.S. governors, and Edgar Allen Poe. In 2019 UVA received its largest donation ever of $120 million from investor Jaffray Woodriff.

20. Rice University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $49,112

Average Full Professor Salary: $195,897

Annual Research Expenditures: $167,277,000

Endowment: $6,481,102,000

Rice University, named after industrialist and real estate mogul William Marsh Rice, is a private research university established in 1912. The university is the result of Rice’s will, in which he requested his estate ($4.6 million) to be used toward founding a university of the highest quality. Incidentally, Rice was murdered in an attempt to steal away his fortune through a false will conspiracy. Today, true to Rice’s last wishes, the university is highly regarded the world over, particularly for its applied science programs, and research in areas including nanotechnology and space science. Rice’s JSchool of Business and School of Engineering are consistently highly ranked. Per Rice’s original charter, the university was tuition-free until 1964 (though it was also strictly segregated). Since the U.S. set its sights on space, Rice University has been closely associated with NASA; in fact, its alumni list includes 14 astronauts. The largest donation made to Rice University came in 2015 by way of venture capitalist John Doerr, a sum of $50 million.

21. Johns Hopkins University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,350

Average Full Professor Salary: $169,266

Annual Research Expenditures: $2,562,307,000

Endowment: $6,275,939,000

Johns Hopkins University is a private research university established in 1876. It owes its name to abolitionist and philanthropist Johns Hopkins, who offered up $7 million of his own wealth to establish the university, as well as the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital. The university was modeled after Heidelberg University (in Germany) and is considered the first research university in the U.S., integrating research and teaching instead of just offering higher education. Today, the university is still highly regarded for its commitment to research, especially in the medical sciences, but also in space sciences. It is also well known for programs in the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the School of Education, the Whiting School of Engineering, and the School of Medicine. The university is affiliated with 39 Nobel Laureates, and its notable alumni include President Woodrow Wilson. Johns Hopkins University has benefited immensely from the generosity of donors. In 2018, the university received the largest individual donation ever made to a single university in the U.S. from former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, a whopping $1.8 billion.

Johns Hopkins University ranks #1 among highest annual research expenditures.

22. Vanderbilt University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $52,070

Average Full Professor Salary: $193,619

Annual Research Expenditures: $640,842,000

Endowment: $6,270,877,000

Established in 1873, Vanderbilt University is a private research university. It was initially founded as Central University, with the intent of training ministers. It adopted its current name in tribute to its early benefactor, Cornelius Vanderbilt, who gave the then-struggling school a $500,000 endowment in 1878; it also later split with the Methodist Church, and remains secular today. Vanderbilt is often recognized among the top research institutions in the U.S. in areas including health sciences, space science, defense, and computer and electrical engineering. The university is also well known for its Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Owen Graduate School of Management, School of Engineering, Law School, School of Medicine, and School of Nursing. Notable alumni include foreign heads of state, two U.S. Vice Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, and presidential cabinet members. Vanderbilt University received its single largest ever donation, $340 million, in 1998.

23. University of Southern California

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $58,195

Average Full Professor Salary: $184,286

Annual Research Expenditures: $764,322,000

Endowment: $5,732,101,000

Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California is the oldest private research university in the state. USC is famous for its research and as the origin place of many useful technologies, including ARPANET and the Domain Name System (which lead to the development of the internet itself). Academically USC is well-regarded for its School of Business, School of Education, School of Engineering, School of Law, School of Medicine, and School of Social Work. The university counts nine Nobel Laureates and six MacArthur Fellows among its alumni and faculty, and notable USC grads include George Lucas, WIll Ferrell, Neil Armstrong, and John Wayne. In 2018, USC received $260 million from the Lord Foundation of California, the largest in school history.

The University of Southern California ranks #25 for highest annual research expenditures.

24. Dartmouth College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $57,638

Average Full Professor Salary: $191,230

Annual Research Expenditures: $308,445,000

Endowment: $5,731,322,000

Dartmouth College, a private Ivy League research university, was established in 1769, and is one of the nine original colonial colleges to predate the Revolution. Dartmouth is often cited as one of the best universities in the country, especially for its Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering, and Geisel School of Medicine. Though it produces high-level research in many areas, Dartmouth is perhaps best known for advances in economics and political science. Among its alumni, Dartmouth counts 120 members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, two U.S. Supreme Court Justices, three Nobel Prize Laureates, and 10 billionaires. Notable alumni names include Robert Frost, “Dr.” Theodor Seuss Geisel (yes, that one), Mindy Kaling, and Daniel Webster. In 2014 Dartmouth College received its largest donation ever, $100 million from an anonymous donor.

25. Ohio State University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $32,061

Average Full Professor Salary: $143,306

Annual Research Expenditures:$864,327,000

Endowment: $5,256,759,000

With nearly 70,000 students, Ohio State University routinely sits at the top of the list when it comes to largest student enrollments. Established in 1870 from a land-grant, OSU is a public research university. Originally founded as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, OSU has since significantly expanded its focus, and is especially well known for its research in medical science, environmental science, and astronomy. Among its alumni, OSU counts Nobel Prize Laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as notables including golfer Jack Nicklaus, author R.L. Stine, George Steinbrenner, and Larry Sanger (a co-founder of Wikipedia). OSU regularly benefits from donor generosity, and had a record year of fundraising in 2018 with a total of $601 million.

26. Pennsylvania State University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $35,514

Average Full Professor Salary: $149,472

Annual Research Expenditures:$825,561,000

Endowment: $4,546,105,000

Pennsylvania State University is a public research university established in 1855. Originally founded as the Farmer’s High School of Pennsylvania, the institution initially focused squarely on agricultural studies, and gradually expanded its offerings over time, with some expansion (of campus and programs) made possible by the Morrill Land-Grand Acts of 1862. Penn State is known for research in areas including psychology, earth and mineral science, applied sciences, and projects with the Department of Defense. Academically, Penn State is well known for its College of Education and College of Engineering. Penn State also operates Penn State World Campus, a huge, fully online college with degree programs at all levels. Notable alumni include Keegan Michael Key, Adam McKay, Mark Parker, and Bruce Banner (in the Marvel Multiverse). Every year, Pennsylvania State University benefits from generous donations, and had a record year in 2017-18, pulling in $362.9 million.

Pennsylvania State University ranks #21 among highest annual research expenditures.

27. New York University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $53,308

Average Full Professor Salary: $205,079

Annual Research Expenditures:$917,744,000

Endowment: $4,345,608,000

New York University is a private research university established in 1831 in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. The university was founded by Albert Gallatin, who was previously the Secretary of Treasury under both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The university is best known for its Stern School of Business, School of Law, School of Medicine, and Silver School of Social Work. Not content to serve New York alone, NYU also operates campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, and academic centers in a handful of major global cities. Alumni of NYU include foreign heads of state, U.S. governors, 17 billionaires, 37 Nobel Laureates, and notable names such as Alan Greenspan, Jack Dorsey, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, and Oliver Stone. New York University regularly draws large amounts in fundraising, clocking in at $506.4 million in 2015, and $648 million in 2016.

New York University ranks #17 among highest annual research expenditures.

28.University of Pittsburgh

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $33,746

Average Full Professor Salary: $151,956

Annual Research Expenditures:$939,706,000

Endowment: $4,311,387,000

The University of Pittsburgh is a public research university established in 1787. The institution began as the Pittsburgh Academy, and was private until 1966. It adopted its current name in 1908 after purchasing a new campus and consolidating its many departments, which had become spread out through the city over time. UPitt is well recognized for research contributions in the biomedical sciences, especially through the University of PIttsburgh Cancer Institute, but also in areas such as cognition, and supercomputing. Academically, UPitt is known for high quality programs in its School of Medicine, School of Education,and Swanson School of Engineering. Beyond academics, the Pittsburgh Panthers athletic teams bring the school fame, especially in basketball and football. UPitt’s alumni list includes Nobel Laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and american politicians, as well as sports greats like Mike Ditka, Dan Marino, and Tony Dorsett. In 2011, UPitt received its largest donation ever from alum William S. Dietrich II, a sum of $125 million.

The University of Pittsburgh ranks #15 among highest annual research expenditures.

29.Brown University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $58,404

Average Full Professor Salary: $185,331

Annual Research Expenditures:$212,290,000

Endowment: $3,976,694,000

Established in 1764, Brown University is a private research university, and one of the nine original colonial colleges that predate the American Revolution. Historically, Brown is notable as the first institution to accept students regardless of religious affiliation. The university owes its name to the Brown family, who were responsible for moving it from Warren to Providence, and for establishing its endowment. Brown University’s faculty and alumni list includes eight Nobel Laureates, 10 National Medal of Science Laureates, eight billionaires, a Supreme Court Justice, and numerous members of the U.S. Congress. Academically, the university is well known for its liberal arts programs, especially in literature and creative writing, as well as for computer science. Notable alumni of Brown include Daveed Diggs, Tracee Ellis Ross, Emma Watson, and John Krasinski.

30.University of Minnesota

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $33,325

Average Full Professor Salary: $142,413

Annual Research Expenditures:$921,681,000

Endowment: $3,951,464,000

The University of Minnesota is a public research university that encompasses a five campus system; its flagship campus is in the Twin Cities. UMinn was established in 1851 as a preparatory school, and was able to expand thanks to a federal land grant and a large cash donation from John Pillsbury (of Pillsbury biscuits fame). Today, the flagship campus consists of 19 colleges and schools, and is well-recognized for quality programs in its Carlson School of Management, College of Education and Human Development, and Law School. It is a member of the Association of American Universities, and lists among its alumni and faculty 26 Nobel Laureates and three Pulitzer Prize winners. Notable UMinn alumni include Walter Mondale and Bob Dylan. In 2017 the university reported a record fundraising year, totaling $337 million.

The University of Minnesota ranks # 16 among highest annual research expenditures.

31.University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $36,159

Average Full Professor Salary: $160,643

Annual Research Expenditures:$1,102,063,000

Endowment: $3,671,351,000

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, flagship of the University of North Carolina System, is a public research university established in 1789. UNC ranks among the oldest universities in the country, and is considered a “Public Ivy.” UNC counts among its faculty and alumni nine Nobel Laureates, 23 Pulitzer Prize winners, numerous members of the U.S. Congress, and U.S. President James K. Polk. UNC is well known for its Tar Heels athletic teams, particularly its men’s basketball program, which once featured none other than Michael Jordan himself. If that isn’t enough for athletic royalty, look at the old rosters for the university’s women’s soccer team, which once counted Mia Hamm among its ranks. Of course, UNC would not be much of a university without academics, and it consistently ranks high for programs at its Kenan-Flagler Business School, School of Education, School of Law, School of Medicine, and Gillings School of Global Public Health. In 2014, UNC received its largest donation ever, a sum of $100 million from Fred Eshelman.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks #10 for highest annual research expenditures.

32.University of Wisconsin

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $37,785

Average Full Professor Salary: $132,916

Annual Research Expenditures:$1,193,413,000

Endowment: $3,152,578,000

The University of Wisconsin is a public research university established in 1848 with the statehood of Wisconsin. The Madison campus is the flagship institution of the University of Wisconsin System, and benefited from land- and sea-grants over time. The university today still builds on “The Wisconsin Idea” proposed by university President Charles Van Hise in 1904, that the university’s activities, whether research, education, or outreach, should be focused on bettering the lives of the state’s residents. The university is recognized for its high-quality programs from schools including the School of Education, the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, the College of Engineering, and the School of Business. UW is a founding member of the Association of American Universities, and continues to produce top-level research, especially in engineering, molecular biology, and medical sciences. UW is considered a “Public Ivy,” and its alumni and faculty list include 25 Nobel Laureates as well as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Notable alumni include John Muir, Joan Cusack, and Dick Cheney. Additionally, the university is well recognized for its Badgers athletic teams, especially in men’s basketball. In its history, the largest donation the University of Wisconsin has received has been $100 million in 2014, by way of alums John and Tashia Morgridge.

The University of Wisconsin ranks # 6 among highest annual research expenditures.

33.Michigan State University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $39,766

Average Full Professor Salary: $153,973

Annual Research Expenditures:$694,917,000

Endowment: $3,033,279,000

Established in 1855, Michigan State University is a public research university. MSU began as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan with a particular focus on agricultural science. However, the original curriculum was notably rigorous, with thorough scientific and liberal arts components, as well as three hours of required manual labor daily. Though still rigorous, the modern curriculum does not include manual labor requirements. Academically, MSU is most notable for its College of Education and its Broad College of Business. Dating back to its agricultural origins, MSU is known for research in areas including hybrid corn and the homogenization of milk, as well as for research in areas such as cancer drugs, particle accelerators, and galaxy formation. MSU is also home to the Spartans athletic teams. Notable MSU alumni include American politicians, foreign heads of state, and Magic Johnson. In 2018, MSU received its largest single donation ever of $30 million from alum Edward J. Minskoff.

Michigan State University ranks #28 among highest annual research expenditures.

34.California Institute of Technology

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,600

Average Full Professor Salary: $207,794

Annual Research Expenditures:$400,312,000

Endowment: $2,975,376,000

The California Institute of Technology is a private research university established in 1891. Initially founded as Throop University, the institution began as a vocational school, before attracting research scientists, expanding over time, and adopting its current name and model in 1920. CalTech focuses on science and engineering, and is recognized for graduate programs in engineering, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, and biology; accordingly, the university is well-regarded for research in STEM fields, and has worked with organizations including NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense. Among its alumni and faculty, CalTech counts 37 Nobel Laureates and six Turing Award winners. Notable CalTech figures include William Shockley (the inventor of the solid-state transistor), Gordon Moore (co-founder of Intel), and Benoit Mandelbrot (father of fractal geometry). In 2019, CalTech received a jaw-dropping donation of $750 Million for climate research from alum Gordon Moore and wife Betty moore.

35.University of Washington

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $38,166

Average Full Professor Salary: $149,268

Annual Research Expenditures:$1,348,220,000

Endowment: $2,935,220,000

Established in 1861, the University of Washington is a public research university with its main campus in Seattle. UW is a member of the Association of American Universities, and is recognized by the Carnegie Classification as an R1 Doctoral Research University. The university’s founding precedes Washington’s statehood by nearly 30 years, and it owes its original location (downtown Seattle) to land donations from Washington pioneers. Today, UW is considered a “Public Ivy”, and is known for producing lots of top-level research, as well as high-ranking academic programs from its School of Medicine, College of Engineering, and Foster School of Business. UW is also home to the Washington Huskies athletic teams, who have been especially successful in football. Among its faculty and alumni, UW counts seven Nobel Laureates, and 67 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; notable names include Bruce Lee, Kenny G, and Joel McHale. The university’s proximity to Microsoft, Amazon, and Boeing headquarters is fortunate for students seeking lucrative careers, as well as for donations. In 2016, for example, UW received $210 million from the Gates Foundation, the largest gift in school history.

The University of Washington ranks #5 among highest annual research expenditures.

36.Williams College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $57,280

Average Full Professor Salary: $147,644

Annual Research Expenditures:$5,227,000

Endowment: $2,888,962,000

William College is a private liberal arts school established in 1793. The college takes its name from Ephraim Williams, whose estate provided funding for the school’s establishment. Though initially opened as a free college (per the wishes of Ephraim Williams), it soon petitioned to charge tuition. It remains a relatively small school, with only around 2,000 students enrolled in a year, and is recognized for high-quality liberal arts programs, especially in humanities and social sciences. Among its alumni, William College counts a Nobel Laureate, nine Pulitzer Prize winners, 10 billionaires, a U.S. president (James Garfield), and a whole slew of high-ranking U.S. politicians. The largest single gift in the college’s history came from alum Herbert Allen in 1998, at $20 million.

37.University of California Los Angeles

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $42,994

Average Full Professor Salary: $216,977

Annual Research Expenditures:$1,076,917,000

Endowment: $2,746,930,000

The University of California Los Angeles is a public research university and a member of the University of California System. UCLA was established in 1882 and is now considered a “Public Ivy.” UCLA is recognized for research in areas including architecture, applied science, engineering, medicine, and public health, and has highly-ranked programs in areas including medicine, engineering, business, and film. Among its alumni and faculty, UCLA boasts 24 Nobel Laureates, three field medalists, five Turing Award winners, and 55 members of the National Academy of Science. Notable alumni include Jacki Robinson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Francis Ford Coppola, James Dean, and Carol Burnett. The university is also home to the Bruins athletic teams, of whom the men’s basketball team is considered nothing short of a dynasty. UCLA regularly benefits from generous donors; in 2017 it raised over $650 million.

The University of California Los Angeles ranks #11 among highest annual research expenditures.

38.Purdue University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $28,794

Average Full Professor Salary: $143,781

Annual Research Expenditures:$622,814,000

Endowment: $2,625,278,000

Purdue University is a public research university established in 1869. The West Lafayette campus is the flagship institution of the Purdue University System. The university takes its name from its early benefactor, John Purdue, who offered up $150,000 as part of the funds necessary to start the university. Today, the university is a member of the Association of American Universities, and is recognized for very high research activity in areas including economics, veterinary medicine, and technology. Purdue is also known for quality academic programs from its College of Engineering, Krannert School of Management, College of Education, and College of Pharmacy. Among its faculty and alumni, Purdue counts 13 Nobel Prize Laureates, and 25 astronauts; notable names include Amelia Earhart, Neil Armstrong, and Drew Brees. Purdue University consistently receives significant amounts of donation money through its fundraising campaigns, pulling in a record $451 million in 2018.

39.Carnegie Mellon University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $57,119

Average Full Professor Salary: $166,297

Annual Research Expenditures:$328,100,000

Endowment: $2,542,650,000

Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university established in 1900 by famed industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Initially known solely as the Carnegie Institute of Technology, the university took its current form after a merger with the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research in 1912. The University boasts an impressive resume of faculty and alumni, which include 20 Nobel Prize Laureates, 13 Turing Award winners, and 10 Academy Award winners, and notable names such as James Gosling (the inventor of the Java coding language) and Andy Warhol. Carnegie Mellon features well-regarded programs in humanities and social sciences, as well as programs from the Tepper School of Business, the Carnegie Institute of Technology, and the School of Computer Science. The university is currently in the middle of a massive $2 billion fundraising campaign.

40.Boston College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $57,910

Average Full Professor Salary: $188,459

Annual Research Expenditures:$58,088,000

Endowment: $2,523,300,000

Established in 1863, Boston College is a private, Jesuit research university. The university’s origins actually date back to 1827 with a private school opened by the Jesuit Bishop of Boston Benedict Joseph Fenwick in the basement of his cathedral; due to clashes with the city’s Protestant elite, it took several decades for Fenwick to secure a charter for the college. Today the college is recognized for quality programs in its Lynch School of Education, Boston College Law School, and Carroll School of Management. Notable alumni of Boston College include John Kerry, Ed McMahon, and Amy Poehler. In 2016, Boston College completed a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign.

41.University of Richmond

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,690

Average Full Professor Salary: $160,994

Annual Research Expenditures:$3,106,000

Endowment: $2,517,969,000

Established in 1830, the University of Richmond is a private liberal arts university. It was initially founded by Baptists as a school of ministry, a focus which it has since dropped. The college was heavily involved in the American Civil War as part of the Confederacy, to the point that all of its students left to form a regiment of the confederate army, school buildings were used as barracks, and all of the college’s funds were invested in confederate war bonds, resulting in bankruptcy. After the war, the university was revived through generous donations. Today, the university consists of five schools, and is especially known for its School of Law. The largest gift in the university’s history came in 1969, in the form of $50 million from Claiborne Robins, which was the largest ever given by a living benefactor to an American university at the time.

42.Indiana University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $36,512

Average Full Professor Salary: $127,591

Annual Research Expenditures:$540,421,000

Endowment: $2,486,037,000

The flagship of the public Indiana University System is Indiana University Bloomington, established in 1820. IU Bloomginton is a member of the Association of American Universities, and is considered a “Public Ivy.” It is known for high-quality academic programs and top-level research, and especially for the (sometimes controversial) Kinsey Institute, as well as computing and artificial intelligence. The Kelley School of Business, School of Education, and Maurer School of Law all offer well-ranked programs for graduate and undergraduate students. Among its faculty and alumni, IU Bloomington counts nine Nobel Laureates and 17 Rhodes Scholars, as well as 20 Pulitzer Prizes, six Academy Awards, 49 Grammys, and 104 Olympic Medals. Beyond academics, IU is famous for its Hoosiers athletic teams. Notable alumni include Mark Cuban, John Mellencamp, Laverne Cox, and James Watson (of Watson and Crick fame). In 2019, Indiana University received a $60 million gift from alum Fred Luddy to be used toward artificial intelligence research.

43.Amherst College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $58,640

Average Full Professor Salary: $156,627

Annual Research Expenditures:$4,070,000

Endowment: $2,473,283,000

Amherst College is a private liberal arts college established in 1821. The institution originated out of a push for an alternative to Williams College (#36 on this list), which was struggling at the time. Often ranked as the best private liberal arts college in the country, Amherst utilizes a unique open curriculum, in which students do not complete a designated core curriculum, but instead choose from courses across around 40 fields of study. This does not mean, however, that Amherst is not known for being rigorous. It is also part of the Five Colleges Consortium, which includes Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This arrangement allows Amherst students to take courses at the other institutions in the consortium, thus expanding their options. Notable Amherst College Alumni include David Foster Wallace, Emily Dickinson, Calvin Coolidge, and numerous foreign heads of state. In 2018, Amherst College received $100 million from an anonymous donor.

44.University of Illinois

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $32,264

Average Full Professor Salary: $151,589

Annual Research Expenditures:$642,084,000

Endowment: $2,353,821,000

The University of Illinois is a public research university established in 1867. The Urbana-Champaign campus (so named after the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign) is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois System. It is a land-grant university that was initially founded as Illinois Industrial University (keeping to an industrial and agricultural focus); it adopted its current name in 1885 to reflect its expanded liberal arts curriculum. The university maintains high research status through its Research Park, especially in supercomputing; in fact, UofI was a 2nd-generation ARPAnet site (the technology that led to the development of the internet as we know it today). The University of Illinois is well known for quality academic programs in its School of Information Sciences, College of Engineering, and Department of Psychology. The university counts 25 Pulitzer Prize winners and 30 Nobel Laureates among its faculty and staff, and notable names include Jack Kilby (creator of the integrated circuit), John Bardeen (creator of the transistor), and actor Nick Offerman. The university’s largest gift ever came by way of Larry and Beth Gies, $150 million in 2017.

45.Pomona College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,762

Average Full Professor Salary: $159,303

Annual Research Expenditures:$3,205,000

Endowment: $2,324,594,000

Pomona College is a private liberal arts college established in 1887 by Congregationalists. The college was created with the intent of bringing a New England-style liberal arts school to southern California. It is a founding member of the Claremont Colleges Consortium, which, like other college consortiums, allows students to easily take courses at other member institutions. Pomona College is known for being very, very exclusive; accordingly, it always maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio. Notable names among Pomona’s alumni include composer John Cage, conductor Robert Shaw, and musician Kris Kristofferson; additionally, Pomona once counted writer David Foster Wallace among its faculty. Pomona College has benefited significantly from generous donations, including $25 million in 2015, and $10 million in 2018.

46.Boston University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,892

Average Full Professor Salary: $188,274

Annual Research Expenditures:$421,360,000

Endowment: $2,304,235,000

Established in 1839, Boston University is a private research university. Originally associated with Methodists and called the Newbury Biblical Institute (and located in Vermont), the university has since become nonsectarian. BU is especially well known for its School of Medicine, as well as its School of Law, School of Management, and College of Engineering. Among its alumni and faculty, Boston University counts eight Nobel Laureates, 23 Pulitzer Prize winners, and nine Academy Award winners. The university boasts an impressive list of notable faculty and alumni through its years, including Alexander Graham Bell (as a researcher), Martin Luther King Jr. (who earned his doctorate there in 1955), Robert Lowell (faculty and U.S. Poet Laureate), Elie Wiesel (faculty), William Howard Taft (as a lecturer), and Julianne Moore. In 2019 BU wrapped up a seven-year fundraising campaign that drew $1.85 billion.

47.The Rockefeller University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: N/A

Average Full Professor Salary: N/A

Annual Research Expenditures:$319,037,000

Endowment: $2,293,239,000

The Rockefeller University is a private graduate university established in 1901. The University owes its name to American business magnate John D. Rockefeller, who founded it as The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research (Rockefeller is also the founder of the University of Chicago, #15 on this list). It was the first biomedical institute in the U.S., and its campus includes the Rockefeller University Hospital. It is associated with important advances in the biomedical sciences, including discoveries in syphilis, AIDS, and the influenza virus. The university is highly specialized, only offering a few doctoral programs, and students are fully funded and supported, paying nothing for tuition or lodging. The Rockefeller University claims 27 Nobel Laureates among its faculty and alumni.

48.University of Rochester

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,030

Average Full Professor Salary: $164,398

Annual Research Expenditures:$353,003,000

Endowment: $2,239,720,000

The University of Rochester is a private research university established in 1850. The university was founded by The First Baptist Church of Hamilton to train clergy, and traces the start of its endowment to a $10,000 donation. Rochester owes much of its growth to donations in the first quarter of the 20th century from John D. Rockefeller and George Eastman especially, who donated plenty in life and also left his entire estate (around $100 million) to the university upon his death. In fact, for a time in the middle of the 20th century, the University of Rochester ranked third among the world’s largest endowments, but by the 1980s, a great deal of the wealth was lost due to too much money being concentrated in bad investments. Thanks to successful fundraising campaigns in the last two decades, the university has climbed its way back up in the ranks, but is certainly not at its former glory. In 2016, the university wrapped up its largest fundraising campaign ever, pulling in $1.368 billion. Rochester is known for top-tier research in engineering and the medical sciences, and offers well-ranked programs through its William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Medical Center.

49.Wellesley College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,052

Average Full Professor Salary: $160,340

Annual Research Expenditures:$10,326,000

Endowment: $2,173,415,000

Wellesley College is a private women’s college, and an original member of the Seven Sisters Colleges. It is often considered one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country, and even supports non-traditional students through its Elisabeth Kaiser Davis Degree Program. Notably, Wellesley College offers a cross-registration program with MIT (#6 on this list) that allows students to take MIT courses and expand their education options. The college boasts an impressive alumni list, with names including Hilary Clinton, Diane Sawyer, Madeleine Albright, and Cokie Roberts. In 2015, the university received the largest single gift in its history, $50 million from two Wellesly alumni.

50.Georgia Institute of Technology

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $33,794

Average Full Professor Salary: $150,740

Annual Research Expenditures:$804,301,000

Endowment: $2,169,005,000

The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly Georgia Tech) is a public research university established in 1885. It began as a trade school, founded during the Reconstruction period in an effort to get Georgia back on its feet; over time, the institution expanded its academic focus to that of a full university, but remains best known for its engineering programs. Toward that end, Georgia Tech is also known for very high research activity, with a significant portion of its research (and funding) going toward government-related work, but also bioengineering, nanotechnology, and sustainability. Among its alumni, notable names include President Jimmy Carter, Jeff Foxworthy, and Chris Bosh. In 2012, Georgia Tech received its largest single donation of $50 million from alum Ernest Scheller Jr.

The Georgia Institute of Technology ranks #22 among highest annual research expenditures.

51.Swarthmore College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,656

Average Full Professor Salary: $154,377

Annual Research Expenditures:$3,569,000

Endowment: $2,131,553,000

Swarthmore College is a private liberal arts college established by Quakers in 1864. The institution became non-sectarian by 1906, but has always been co-educational, one of the oldest such institutions in the country. The college’s name is a reference to Swarthmore Hall, the origin site of the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers) in England. As part of the Tri-College Consortium, Swarthmore College allows its students to take courses at Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College as well. Due to its small student population (under 2,000), yet quality academic programs, Swarthmore is often called a “Little Ivy.” Notable Swarthmore alumni include novelist Jonathan Franzen, and suffragist Alice Paul. The college’s largest donation ever, $50 million, came by way of 1938 alum Eugene Lang in 2012.

52.University of California, Berkeley

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $44,007

Average Full Professor Salary: $199,618

Annual Research Expenditures:$770,822,000

Endowment: $2,070,905,000

Another member of the University of California System, The University of California, Berkeley is a public research university established in 1868. It is the oldest institution in the system, as well as the flagship. Berkeley is known for top-tier research, and has benefited greatly from partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. Its faculty roster includes an impressive array of Nobel Prize Laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, Fulbright Scholars, and Fields Medal winners. The university was established with help from the Morrill Land-Grant Acts of 1862, and received a significant amount of financial support from Phoebe Apperson Hearst (mother of WIlliam Randolph Hearst) in the late 1800s. Today, the university is known especially for its School of Journalism, School of Law, School of Optometry, and School of Engineering. Notable Berkeley alumni include writer Jack London, Robert Reich, actor John Cho, and foreign heads of state. In March 2020, Berkeley received its largest-ever single donation, $252 million from an anonymous source.

The University of California, Berkeley ranks #24 among highest annual research expenditures.

53.Grinnell College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,354

Average Full Professor Salary: $141,322

Annual Research Expenditures:$4,953,000

Endowment: $2,069,953,000

Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college established by New England Congregationalists in 1846. The college was founded by ministers in an attempt to settle the Western frontier with Christianity, and it actually predates the statehood of Iowa by several months. Today, Grinnell utilizes an open curriculum that allows students flexibility in their academic pursuits, and popular areas of study fall in the humanities and social sciences. Notably, Grinnell also employs a needs-blind admission system, which meets the full financial needs of U.S. resident students. The college counts numerous Rhodes Scholars, Marshall Scholars, and Fulbright Scholars among its alumni ranks, and notables include Herbie Hancock, Gary Cooper, and Kumail Nanjiani. Given its small size (less than 2,000 students), the college’s endowment is especially large.

54.Virginia Commonwealth University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $35,904

Average Full Professor Salary: $127,670

Annual Research Expenditures:$235,464,000

Endowment: $2,042,520,000

Established in 1838, Virginia Commonwealth University is a public research university. VCU was initially established as the medical wing of Hampden-Sydney College, branching off on its own in 1854 as the Medical College of Virginia. It was then merged with the Richmond Professional Institute in 1968 by the Virginia General Assembly, taking its current form. Today, it is often recognized for its biomedical and engineering programs, as for its School of the Arts, School of Education, School of Medicine, and School of Social Work. It also operates a School of the Arts campus in Qatar. Notable VCU alumni include Patch Adams (the inspiration for the movie of the same name), author Tom Robbins, and several members of the bands GWAR and Lamb of God. In 2018, VCU had a record fundraising year, bringing in $125.8 million.

55.University of Toronto

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: N/A

Average Full Professor Salary: N/A

Annual Research Expenditures:N/A

Endowment: $1,987,176,000 (USD)

The University of Toronto is a public research university established in 1827, and the first Canadian institution on this list. It was initially established as King’s College by royal charter and controlled by the Church of England; UToronto took its current name after becoming secular in 1850. Like its most influential American equivalents, UToronto has educated a veritable who’s-who list of prominent Canadians, including four Prime Ministers of Canada, fourteen Justices of the Canadian Supreme Court, and three Governors General of Canada. It also counts among its ranks three foreign heads of state, 10 Nobel Laureates, and five Turing Award winners. Today, the university is especially well known for the influential Toronto School of literary criticism and communication theory, as well as for advances in biomedical science, astronomy, and mathematics. Notable alumni include prime ministers William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester B. Pearson, director David Cronenberg, and author Margaret Atwood.

56.Smith College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,224

Average Full Professor Salary: $137,588

Annual Research Expenditures:$6,055,000

Endowment: $1,913,253,000

Established in 1871, Smith College is a private liberal arts women’s college, and the largest among the Seven Sisters Colleges. The college owes its name to heiress Sophia Smith, who donated her fortune for its charter. Historically a women’s college, Smith College only admits students identifying as women (including both transgender and cisgender women), as well as non-binary and gender non-conforming students into its undergraduate programs; however, its graduate programs are coeducational and open to students identifying as men (including both transgender and cisgender men). Today, the college is best recognized for its rigorous undergraduate liberal arts curriculum, and for its Graduate School for Social Work. Smith College is also part of the Five College Consortium, which allows students to take courses at other participating colleges and expand their educational opportunities. Notable Smith College alumni include Gloria Steinham, Sylvia Plath, Nancy Reagan, and Julia Child. In 2017, Smith College wrapped up a record fundraising campaign, pulling in $486 million.

57.Tufts University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $58,578

Average Full Professor Salary: $155,383

Annual Research Expenditures:$223,409,000

Endowment: $1,867,962,000

Tufts University is a private research university established in 1852. Initially founded by Chrisitan Universalists as a nonsectarian liberal arts college, Tufts underwent major expansion and growth in the 1970s to become a research university. Today it is best known for its Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, School of Engineering, School of Engineering, and Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Among its ranks, the university counts Nobel Laureates, Rhodes Scholars, and Academy Award winners, as well as U.S. governors and senators. Notable alumni include singer Tracy Chapman, figure skater Michelle Kwan, and actor Hank Azaria. In 2008, Tufts received its largest donation ever, a sum of $136 million.

58.Case Western Reserve University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $50,924

Average Full Professor Salary: $150,010

Annual Research Expenditures:$408,609,000

Endowment: $1,866,500,000

Case Western Reserve University is a private research university established in 1967. The origins of the university run deeper than the 1960s, however, as it was formed from the federation of Western Reserve University and Case Institute of Technology, both of which date back to the 1800s. The university is recognized for very high research activity, resulting in notable discoveries and advances such as the first full x-ray of the human body, the first modern blood transfusion, and the development of the first heart-lung machine for use in open heart surgery. The university is affiliated with such institutions as the Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Academically, CWRU is best known for its School of Medicine, School of Law, and School of Management. Among its alumni and faculty, CWRU counts 17 Nobel Laureates, and notable names include Craig Newmark (the “Craig” of Craigslist), and Paul Buchheit (creator of Gmail). In June 2019, Case Western reported a record Day of Giving fundraiser, which brought in $1,741,026 in a single day.

59.University of California, San Francisco

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $26,544

Average Full Professor Salary: $160,607

Annual Research Expenditures:$1,409,398,000

Endowment: $1,840,206,000

Yet another entry from the University of California System, UC San Francisco was established in 1864. The university was founded as the Toland Medical College and became associated with the University of California early on; it remains entirely focused on medical sciences, and functions as the medical wing of the UC System. Today it is affiliated with the UCSF Medical Center, the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, the UCSF Dental Center, and the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and has produced numerous advances in the biomedical sciences through its research. In 2017 UCSF received its largest donation ever, $500 million from the Helen Diller Foundation.

The University of California San Francisco ranks #3 among highest annual research expenditures.

60.University of Florida

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $28,659

Average Full Professor Salary: $147,350

Annual Research Expenditures:$801,418,000

Endowment: $1,825,250,000

Established in 1853, the University of Florida is a public research land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant institution. It is a member of the Association of American Universities, and displays very high research activity in areas including agricultural science, biotech, space science (with NASA), physics, and organic chemistry. It is also famous as the origin site of Gatorade, named after the university’s athletic teams, the Florida Gators. Academically, the university is known for high-ranking programs in areas including business, medicine, law, computer science, physics, and chemistry. Among its alumni, the university counts two nobel prize winners, nine NASA astronauts, and an array of U.S. political and legal figures; notable names include singer Stephen Stills, football personality Tim Tebow, and actor Stephen Root. In 2014, the University of Florida received its largest single donation ever of $75 million from Alfred and Judy Warrington.

University of Florida ranks #23 among the highest annual research expenditures.

61.Georgetown University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,058

Average Full Professor Salary: $208,442

Annual Research Expenditures:$212,319,000

Endowment:$1,822,484,000

Georgetown University is a Jesuit Catholic private research university established in 1789, the oldest of its kind in the country; in fact, its founding date puts it among the oldest universities in the country across the board. The university traces its origins to bishop John Carroll, who was actually appointed to found the university after recommendation by Benjamin Franklin to Pope Pius VI. The university was greatly affected by the American Civil War, as most students went to fight on one side or the other, and campus buildings were used to house troops, but it recovered and even saw significant growth in the Reconstruction period. Today, Georgetown University is known for high quality programs through its Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Warrington College of Business, Levin College of Law, and College of Medicine. Among its alumni, Georgetown counts notables including U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Lyndon Johnson, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, U.S. senators, foreign heads of state, and actors John Mulaney and Bradley Cooper. In 2013, Georgetown University received its largest single donation ever, $100 million from alum Frank H. McCourt Jr.

62.University of Kansas

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $26,316

Average Full Professor Salary: $125,474

Annual Research Expenditures:$300,319,000

Endowment:$1,816,931,000

The University of Kansas is a public research university established in 1865, with its main campus in Lawrence. It is a member of the Association of American Universities, and is recognized for very high research activity, as well as for quality programs from its School of Business, School of Engineering, School of Journalism, and School of Medicine. Beyond academics, Kansas is famous for its Jayhawks athletic teams, especially in men’s basketball. Among its alumni and faculty the university counts over 300 Fulbright Scholars, 27 Rhodes Scholars, seven Pulitzer Prize winners, and four NASA astronauts. Notable names include Actos Rob Riggle and Paul Rudd, and NBA star Wilt Chamberlain. In 2018, the University of Kansas reported $257 million in donations.

63.George Washington University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,935

Average Full Professor Salary: $182,256

Annual Research Expenditures:$245,519,000

Endowment:$1,778,559,000

Established in 1821, George Washington University is a private research university named after the first president of the U.S. Though suggested by George Washington as early as his first State of the Union address, the university was actually later established by an act of Congress and named in tribute. Washington left shares of the Potomac Company for the university’s endowment in his will, but they were unavailable due to the company’s financial difficulties. Today, it is a very active research university, known for quality academic programs in areas including law, education, and public health. Among its alumni it lists notables including Elizabeth Warren, William Barr, Clarence Thomas, and numerous other American politicians and foreign heads of state. The university’s largest fundraising year came in 2015, raising $550 million.

64.Bowdoin College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,350

Average Full Professor Salary: $149,754

Annual Research Expenditures:$2,340,000

Endowment:$1,743,663,000

Bowdoin College is a private liberal arts college established in 1794, putting it among the oldest institutions in the country; it even precedes the statehood of Maine. Its name comes from Massachusetts governor James Bowdoin, whose son was a major benefactor. From its founding, Bowdoin was known as a college for New England’s elite and wealthy; its admission rates remain exclusive. In 1971 it became coeducational, and in 1997 it abolished the fraternity system on campus, making it unique among so many of the old New England schools with strong fraternity systems. The college is part of the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium, which allows students to take courses among the various institutions. Notable Bowdoin Alumni include president Franklin Pierce, Alfred Kinsey, and Netflix founder Reed Hastings. Bowdoin routinely benefits from some of the highest alumni donation rates in the country.

65.University of Missouri

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $28,348

Average Full Professor Salary: $122,333

Annual Research Expenditures:$253,952,000

Endowment:$1,743,142,000

The University of Missouri is a public research university established in 1839. The Columbia campus is the flagship of the University of Missouri System. Like other large universities of the time near the Mason-Dixon line, it was affected by the American Civil War, and actually had to close in 1862 for a year. Today it is a member of the Association of American Universities and known for very high research activity. It is also known for quality programs in its College of Education, College of Business, School of Medicine, and School of Law, as well as its School of Journalism (which claims to be the first of its kind in the world, opened in 1908). The university is also recognized for its Missouri Tigers athletic teams. Notable Mizzou alumni include Tennessee Williams, Brad Pitt, Sheryl Crow, George C. Scott, and Sam Walton (the founder of Walmart). In 2019, Mizzou wrapped up a $1.9 billion fundraising campaign.

66.Texas Christian University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $49,250

Average Full Professor Salary: $147,678

Annual Research Expenditures:$7,255,000

Endowment:$1,708,867,000

Texas Christian University is a private Christian University established in 1873. Its founders, Addison and Randolph Clark, were members of the Christian Restoration Movement, and founded the institution as a co-educational seminary. Though it began in Fort Worth, the university actually moved three times before returning to the town, albeit in a new location and with the help of a $200,000 donation in 1910. In the 1920s, the university benefited greatly from Mary Couts Burnett, who donated her entire estate to establish the university’s endowment. Academically, the university is best recognized for its Neeley School of Business and Brite Divinity School. TCU is also famous for its Horned Frogs athletic teams.

67.Washington and Lee University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $54,830

Average Full Professor Salary: $143,105

Annual Research Expenditures:N/A

Endowment:$1,676,308,000

Washginton and Lee University is a private liberal arts college established in 1749, making it the youngest among the nine original colonial colleges. Originally founded as Augusta Academy, the institution changed its name several times over its history. In 1796, George Washington gifted the university stock to begin its endowment. After Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s 1865 surrender in the American Civil War, he became president of the university for several years. After Lee’s 1870 death the university’s name was changed to its current form as tribute to these two individuals. Unsurprisingly, this direct affiliation with the Confederate general (on top of the university’s historical support of the Confederacy) is a point of controversy. In recent years vocal critics have called for the university to change its name, or drop “Lee” at a minimum. On the side of academics, the university is composed of three divisions: the College, the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, and the School of Law. Among its alumni, the university counts a Nobel Prize Laureate, several Supreme Court Justices, Pulitzer Prize winners, and a whole slew of American politicians. Notably, Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis and Clark fame) graduated from the university. In 2007, Washington and Lee University received its largest donation ever from an anonymous source, a sum of $100 million.

68.Southern Methodist University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,560

Average Full Professor Salary: $170,934

Annual Research Expenditures:$29,879,000

Endowment:$1,663,864,000

Established in 1911, Southern Methodist University is a private nonsectarian research university. Its name comes from an original affiliation with the Methodist Episcopal Church (now the United Methodist Church). Today, the university is known for high research activity, and well-ranking programs through its business school and law school. Among its alumni, SMU lists numerous American politicians, as well as foreign politicians, and notable names including Laura Bush, Kathy Bates, and Kourtney Kardashian. In 2015, the university received the largest single donation in its history, $45 million from the Meadows Foundation.

69.Liberty University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $22,747

Average Full Professor Salary: $87,683

Annual Research Expenditures:$850,000

Endowment:$1,587,919,000

Liberty University is a private Evangelical Christian university established in 1971. Despite its relative youth among universities, Liberty has grown to immense size and secured significant wealth in just half a century. Liberty has a thriving online campus (Liberty University Online), and while the university has a decent-sized on-campus student enrollment of around 15,000, the great majority of its students are enrolled online, bringing its total enrollment to around 110,000. Founded by Elmer L. Towns and famous televangelist Jerry Falwell, Liberty unsurprisingly has a reputation as a center of American conservatism; it implements an accordingly strict honor code. Beyond its religious and political significance, the university is recognized for quality programs in its School of Business, School of Law, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and School of Medicine. Among its alumni, the university lists numerous American politicians, religious figures, broadcasters, professional athletes, and professional Christian musicians, with notables such as Jerry Falwell Jr., Seth Curry, and TobyMac.

70.University of Iowa

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $31,569

Average Full Professor Salary: $127,932

Annual Research Expenditures:$494,280,000

Endowment:$1,578,933,000

The University of Iowa is a public research university established in 1847. Its founding came a mere two days after the statehood of Iowa. Today, the university is best known for being the home of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a famed creative writing MFA program, which has produced numerous Pulitzer Prize winners and sits at the top of most grad school application lists for writing students. Beyond that, the university is known for quality programs from its College of Law, College of Medicine, School of Management, and College of Education. The school is also known for its Hawkeyes athletics teams, of which the wrestling team has been especially successful, bringing in most of the school’s NCAA titles. Notable UIowa alumni include writers Flannery O’Connor, Marilynne Robinson, and Tennessee Williams, and actor Gene Wilder. In 2017, the university wrapped up an eight-year fundraising campaign, bringing in $1.975 billion.

71.University of Alabama

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $30,250

Average Full Professor Salary: $149,265

Annual Research Expenditures:$63,282,000

Endowment:$1,519,595,000

The University of Alabama is a public research university established in 1820. Its Tuscaloosa campus is the flagship of the University of Alabama System, as well as one of the first public universities in the American South. Because of its location, UA was at the center of some of the conflict during the American Civil War, and like many colleges at the time, was strongly affected. In 1865, the campus was burned down by Union troops and had to be rebuilt during the following Reconstruction period. Segregated until the 1960s, the university was also at the center of civil rights struggles and resistance to integration. Today the university is recognized for quality programs in its College of Engineering, School of Law, and School of Medicine, but is perhaps best known in popular culture for its Crimson Tide football dynasty. The university names numerous notable alumni including writer Harper Lee, football star Joe Namuth, and newscaster Joe Scarborough. In 2018 UA had a record fundraising year, reporting $224 million.

72.Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $32,189

Average Full Professor Salary: $149,892

Annual Research Expenditures:$681,719,000

Endowment:$1,476,072,000

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (commonly known as Rutgers), is a public research university established in 1766. It is one of the nine colonial colleges to be established before the American revolution. Its New Brunswick campus is the flagship among three campuses. The university was originally founded as a private liberal arts college, named Queen’s College, and had to close after financial troubles following the War of 1812. Its name was changed to Rutgers College in honor of benefactor Colonel Henry Rutgers, whose generous donations allowed the college to reopen in 1825. After years of growth, Rutgers finally changed to a public research university in the 1950s after designation as a state university by acts of the New Jersey Legislature. Today, Rutgers is especially recognized for research in cognitive science through the Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science, and graduate programs in its Graduate School of Education. Notable Rutgers alumni include Elizabeth Warren, and actor James Gandolfini. Rutgers reported a record fundraising year in 2018, pulling in $223 million.

Rutgers ranks #29 among highest annual research expenditures.

73.University of Delaware

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $35,710

Average Full Professor Salary: $155,259

Annual Research Expenditures:$183,428,000

Endowment:$1,466,070,000

Established in 1833, the University of Delaware is a public research university, and the largest university in the state. It actually traces its origins to a school opened in 1743 in Pennsylvania, which changed locations several times before securing a charter and its current location. The college closed from around 1858 to 1870, after which it grew with help of the Morrill Land-Grant College Act. Today, the school is known for high research activity, quality programs through its School of Education and College of Engineering, and its music conservatory and student performance groups. Notable alumni of the University of Delaware include Vice President Joe Biden and wife Jill Biden, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, and NFL star Joe Flacco. The university reported a record fundraising year in 2018, pulling in $114.7 million.

74.University of Cincinnati

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $26,994

Average Full Professor Salary: $125,704

Annual Research Expenditures:$455,250,000

Endowment:$1,453,000,000

The University of Cincinnati is a public research university established in 1819. Unfortunately, the college did not last long, and had to close due to financial trouble after only six years. It was reopened in 1835 with fresh funding, and saw major expansion in 1870, thanks to the estate of Charles McMicken, which was donated to the city for use in establishing a university. Today, the university is recognized for quality business, law, engineering, health, and fine arts degree programs, as well as very high research activity, especially in archaeology. Notable alumni include basketball star Oscar Robertson, actor George Clooney, and architect Michael Graves. In 2019, in conjunction with UC Health, the University of Cincinnati launched a $2 billion fundraising campaign.

75.University of Colorado

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $38,318

Average Full Professor Salary: $143,485

Annual Research Expenditures:$499,389,000

Endowment:$1,452,722,000

The University of Colorado is a public research university established in 1876; its Boulder campus is the flagship of the University of Colorado System. The university’s founding date makes it nearly as old as the state of Colorado itself. Today it is recognized for quality degree programs in the areas of education, communications and media, business, law, and engineering, as well as for high research activity, especially in engineering. Among its alumni and faculty, the university claims 12 Nobel Laureates, nine MacArthur Fellows, and 20 astronauts. UC Boulder is also well known for its Colorado Buffaloes athletic teams. Notable alumni include foreign heads of state, U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and names such as Matt Stone and Trey Parker (creators of South Park), and actor Robert Redford. In 2019, the University of Colorado launched an ambitious $4 billion fundraising campaign.

76.University System of Maryland

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $36,891

Average Full Professor Salary: $157,249

Annual Research Expenditures:$548,885,000

Endowment:$1,436,215,000

The University of Maryland, College Park, founded in 1856, is a public research university and the flagship campus of the University System of Maryland. Bankrupted during the American Civil War, the university was revived in the 1880s thanks to federal funding. Today it continues a close relationship with the government, exhibiting high research activity in partnership with agencies including NASA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. Academically, the university is best known for its engineering and business programs. Beyond that, Maryland is recognized for its Terrapins athletic teams, especially in football and basketball. Among its faculty and alumni the university counts Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize winners, American politicians, professional athletes, astronauts, and pop-culture figures. Notable alumni names include American comedic writer Larry David and Muppets creator Jim Henson. The largest gift in the school’s history came by way of the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, a sum of $219 million.

77.University of Nebraska

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $25,828

Average Full Professor Salary: $128,298

Annual Research Expenditures:$302,204,000

Endowment:$1,435,753,000

The University of Nebraska is a public research university established in 1869; its Lincoln campus is the flagship of the University of Nebraska System. It was founded with a federal land grant, and is a member of the Association of American Universities. It is especially recognized for research in ecology, specifically theoretical ecology, and for establishing the “Nebraska method” of ecological study. Accordingly, the university is known for well-ranking ecological sciences degree programs, as well as programs from its College of Law, College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, and College of Education and Human Sciences. Among its alumni and staff the university counts three Nobel Laureates, eight Pulitzer Prize winners, Rhodes Scholars, Marshall Scholars, professional athletes, Olympians, foreign heads of state, billionaires, and CEOs. Notable alumni names include Warren Buffett, writer Roxanne Gay, and drummer Tommy Lee. In 2013 the university recorded a record year of fundraising, totaling $236.7 million.

78.Tulane University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,800

Average Full Professor Salary: $153,249

Annual Research Expenditures:$180,993,000

Endowment:$1,429,707,000

Tulane University is a private research university established in 1834. Initially a private medical college, the institution expanded to a full university in 1847. It had to close during the American Civil War, and upon reopening suffered financial difficulties. It eventually became private in 1884 thanks to endowments by Josephine Louise Newcomb and Paul Tulane, the latter of whom the university takes its name from. Tulane is a member of the Association of American Universities, and known for very high research activity, especially in the medical sciences, as well as for well-ranking programs from its School of Law, and School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. The university boasts an impressive alumni and faculty list, which includes American politicians, Supreme Court Justices, Nobel Laureates, Rhodes Scholars, foreign heads of state, major CEOs, and pop-culture figures. The largest single gift the university’s history, a sum of $25 million, came by way of the family of alum Dr. John W. Deming in 2017.

79.Lehigh University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,240

Average Full Professor Salary: $161,742

Annual Research Expenditures:$36,969,000

Endowment:$1,411,641,000

Lehigh University is a private research university established in 1865. Today, it is best known for its engineering and education programs. Among its faculty and alumni, the university lists Pulitzer Prize winners, Fulbright scholars, members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and of the National Academy of Sciences, American politicians, and foreign heads of state. Notable names among its alumni include racing champion Al Holbert, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and Dreyfus Fund founder Jack Dreyfus. In 2018, Lehigh launched a $1 billion fundraising campaign.

80.University of Kentucky

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $30,680

Average Full Professor Salary: $124,408

Annual Research Expenditures:$378,374,000

Endowment:$1,407,221,000

The University of Kentucky is a public research university established in 1865. It is a land-grant university, founded by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, and achieved university status in 1916. It is also the largest university in the state. Today it is well-regarded as a public research institution, particularly for research in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. It is also recognized for quality programs in its College of Business and Economics, College of Medicine, and College of Law. Outside of academics, the university is famous for its Wildcats athletic teams, especially in men’s basketball, which is often cited as a basketball dynasty. Among its alumni and faculty, the university lists numerous American politicians, pop-culture figures, and professional athletes, especially in the NBA. Notable UK alumni include writer Wendell Berry, actor Ashely Judd, and basketball star Anthony Davis. In 2018, UofK launched a $2 billion fundraising campaign to boost its endowment.

81.North Carolina State University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $29,220

Average Full Professor Salary: $128,640

Annual Research Expenditures:$500,445,000

Endowment:$1,400,655,000

Established in 1887, North Carolina State University is a public research university. It is a land-grant institution, and part of the University of North Carolina System. Originally founded as the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, NCSU has since expanded significantly, but remains true to its roots, and is home to a well-regarded College of Engineering. It is especially well known for its nuclear engineering and agricultural engineering programs. In regards to research, NCSU is also well known for its efforts in biotechnology (especially as it pertains to agriculture). Beyond academics and research, NCSU is known for its Wolfpack athletic teams. Notable NCSU alumni include football star Russell WIlson, actor Zach Galifianakis, and SAS founder James Goodnight. In 2013 the university received the largest single donation in its history, a sum of $50 million from the Park Foundation.

82.Syracuse University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $53,849

Average Full Professor Salary: $133,064

Annual Research Expenditures:$145,705,000

Endowment:$1,392,691,000

Syracuse University is a private research university established in 1870. Though initially affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, Syracuse has since become nonsectarian. The university actually originated as part of the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, but gained its own charter after outside financial support and land donations. The school is recognized for an array of well-ranking programs, from its School of Public Communications, School of Architecture, School of Management, College of Law, and School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Syracuse is a member of the Association of American Universities, and participates in a high level of research, especially notable in engineering, computer science, and communications. Outside of that, Syracuse is recognized for its Syracuse Orange athletic teams, especially in men’s basketball and football. Among its alumni and faculty, the university counts plenty of American politicians, high-ranking business leaders, pop-culture figures, professional athletes, and prominent journalists. Notable alumni include Vice President Joe Biden, playwright Andrew Sorkin, singer and actor Vanessa Williams, and astronaut Eileen Collins. In 2020 Syracuse University received its largest single donation ever, a sum of $75 million from the Newhouse Foundation.

83.Wake Forest University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $55,440

Average Full Professor Salary: $151,226

Annual Research Expenditures:$182,227,000

Endowment:$1,375,398,000

Established in 1834, Wake Forest University is a private research university. Though now located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the university’s name is a reference to its original location in Wake Forest. The university was initially affiliated with the Baptist Church, but has since become non-sectarian. In 1941, the university’s medical school moved to its current location in Winston-Salem, and the rest of the university followed in 1946. Today, Wake Forest is known for high-ranking programs from its School of Law, School of Business, and School of Medicine. It is a rival, academically and athletically, with Duke University (#14 on this list). Among its alumni the university lists Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, and Fulbright Scholars. Notable Wake Forest University grads include golf legend Arnold Palmer, and NBA stars Muggsy Bogues and Chris Paul. In 2017 the university received its largest single donation ever, $70 million from the estate of Porter B. Byrum.

84.Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $32,835

Average Full Professor Salary: $141,833

Annual Research Expenditures:$522,425,000

Endowment:$1,357,969,000

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly known as Virginia Tech, is a public research university established in 1872. It is a land-grant university, and one of six senior military colleges in the country. Additionally, it is well known for the quality of its engineering programs, as well as research in areas including biotechnology, biocomplexity, applied science, and transportation. Notable Virginia Tech alumni include news anchor Hoda Kotb, author Homer Hickam, and football star Bruce Smith. In 2019, the university reported a record year of fundraising, pulling in $181.9 million.

85.University of Tennessee

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $31,664

Average Full Professor Salary: $141,465

Annual Research Expenditures:$203,800,000

Endowment:$1,354,756,000

The University of Tennessee is a public research university established in 1794, two years before the statehood of Tennessee, which makes it one of the oldest universities in the country. The university benefitted from the Morrill Land-Grant Acts of 1862, but since it was part of the Confederacy at the time, it didn’t receive benefits until 1869. Today, the university is known for well-ranked programs through its Law School, College of Business, College of Engineering, and College of Education. Outside of academics, the university is recognized for its Volunteers athletic teams (commonly known as the Vols), especially in football and men’s and women’s basketball. Notable alumni include football star Peyton Manning, author Cormac McCarthy, and all-around icon Dolly Parton. In 2019 the university launched its annual Big Orange Give fundraising event and managed to draw in $2.25 million in donations in a single day.

86.University of Georgia

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $31,120

Average Full Professor Salary: $127,626

Annual Research Expenditures:$455,432,000

Endowment:$1,343,987,000

The University of Georgia is a public research university established in 1785. Its founding came three years before the statehood of Georgia, and it is among the oldest universities in the country. Today it exhibits very high research activity in areas such as bioinformatics, oceanography, and herbology. The university offers well-ranked programs through its Law School, School of Public and International Affairs, College of Education, and School of Environment and Design. Georgia is also known for its very successful Bulldogs athletic teams, which have achieved (among other things) 45 national championships and 45 Olympic medals across a range of sports; they are especially known for their football team. Among its alumni and faculty, the university counts numerous American politicians, business leaders, cultural figures, and professional athletes. Notable names include U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Tretheway, football star Terrell Davis, singer Michael Stipe, and celebrity chef Alton Brown. In 2018 the university reported a record-breaking year of fundraising (the fifth in a row), with a total of $242 million.

87.Baylor University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $47,364

Average Full Professor Salary: $127,213

Annual Research Expenditures:$29,400,000

Endowment:$1,340,417,000

Baylor University is a private Baptist research university established in 1845. The oldest continually operating university in the state, it takes its name from Judge R.E.B. Baylor, who suggested a Baptist university should be opened in the then-Republic of Texas. Today the university is known for very high research activity in areas including experimental physics, transportation, and aging. In fact, in 2010 the university received an anonymous donation of around $200 million for the study of aging. Baylor is recognized for well-ranking programs in its Law School and School of Business. Though Baylor University is connected to the well-known Baylor College of Medicine (#90 on this list), they are separate institutions. Outside of academics, the university is known for its Bears athletic teams, particularly in football and basketball. Notable Baylor alumni include country music legend Willie Nelson, former governor of Texas Ann Richards, and football star Robert Griffin III.

88.University of British Columbia

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: N/A

Average Full Professor Salary: N/A

Annual Research Expenditures:N/A

Endowment:$1,337,797,000 (USD)

The second Canadian institution on our list, the University of British Columbia is a public research university established in 1908. It is the oldest university in British Columbia. The university’s founding came after decades of attempts to establish a university in the area. During WWI, UBC was severely impacted as a large portion of the student body went to war; then revival efforts were slowed by the following depression. Fortunately, it saw great growth after WWII, with an influx of students and funding. Today it is known for research in areas such as marine sciences, social science, and nuclear physics. Among its alumni and faculty the university counts eight Nobel Laureates, 71 Rhodes Scholars, three Canadian prime ministers, and 65 Olmpians. Notable alumni names include prime ministers John Turner, Kim Campbell, and Justin Trudeau, as well as author William Gibson, and economist Robert Mundell.

89.Texas Tech University System

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $19,260

Average Full Professor Salary: $126,202

Annual Research Expenditures:$191,482,000

Endowment:$1,316,660,000

Texas Tech University System is a public university system that consists of four universities, the flagship being Texas Tech University in Lubbock. The other institutions are Angelo State University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Texas Tech University was established in 1923, initially conceived of as a branch of Texas A&M, but ultimately opened as an independent institution. It is known for very high research activity in areas including computing, energy and sustainability, atmospheric sciences, and epidemiology. It offers high-ranking degree programs through its College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, and School of Law. Additionally, Texas Tech is known for its Red Raiders athletic teams, especially in basketball and football. Notable alumni include actor Barry Corbin, and singers John Denver and Natalie Maines. In 2013, Texas Tech University System completed a record-setting fundraising campaign, reporting $1 billion.

90.Baylor College of Medicine

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $23,220

Average Full Professor Salary: $182,930

Annual Research Expenditures:$604,952,000

Endowment:$1,301,005,000

Established in 1900, the Baylor College of Medicine is a private, standalone health sciences university. It is located within the largest medical center in the world, the Texas Medical Center in Houston. The university was initially founded as the University of Dallas Medical Department, then formed an alliance with Baylor University (#87 on this list). Though connected, they are separate institutions. The Baylor College of Medicine focuses exclusively on health sciences programs, across four academic divisions. It is also heavily involved in biomedical research. In back-to-back years (2006 and 2007) the university received record-tying donations of $100 million each.

91.McGill University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: N/A

Average Full Professor Salary: N/A

Annual Research Expenditures:N/A

Endowment:$1,281,896,000 (USD)

McGill University is a public research university established in 1821. Like other major Canadian institutions, McGill’s charter was decreed by British royalty, in this case King George IV; it takes its name from founder James McGill. Today, McGill is a member of the Association of American Universities. It is known for high research activity, especially in the areas of medicine, neuroscience, and psychology, as well as particle physics, and computing. McGill boasts an impressive list of faculty and alumni, with three Canadian prime ministers, foreign heads of state, 12 Nobel Laureates, 145 Rhodes Scholars, and several billionaires among them. Notable names include Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, actor William Shatner, and singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. In 2019, McGill University received its single largest donation (and possibly the single largest gift to a Canadian university ever) of $200 million (Canadian) from John and Marcy McCall MacBain.

92.Trinity University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $44,680

Average Full Professor Salary: $121,380

Annual Research Expenditures:$3,274,000

Endowment:$1,280,248,000

Trinity University is a private research university established in 1869. The university was initially founded in Tehuacana, Texas by Presbytarians, who then moved the campus to Waxahachie, and finally once more to its current location in 1906, taking over the site of the former University of San Antonio. Though not officially a liberal arts college, Trinity does take something of a liberal arts approach with its undergraduate programs, requiring a Common Curriculum for all undergraduates that establishes a foundation of knowledge across a range of disciplines. Notable Trinity University alumni include Emilio Nicolás Sr. (founder of Univision), Bob West (the voice of Barney the Dinosaur), and musicians Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary.

93.University of Alberta

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: N/A

Average Full Professor Salary: N/A

Annual Research Expenditures:N/A

Endowment:$1,280,248,000

The University of Alberta is a public research university established in 1908. Unlike other, earlier prominent Canadian Universities, which had been modeled after British institutions, the University of Alberta was modeled after the American state university from the start. Today, the university displays high research activity, especially in the areas of forest management, obesity, and ethnomusicology, as well as medicine, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Among its alumni, the university counts prominent Canadian political figures such as former Prime Minister Joe Clark, as well as virologist Michael Houghton, and actor Nathan Fillion. In 2016, the University of Alberta received the largest gift in its history from the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, a sum of $40 million for the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute.

94.Saint Louis University

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $45,424

Average Full Professor Salary: $120,387

Annual Research Expenditures:$56,402,000

Endowment:$1,252,678,000

Established in 1818, Saint Louis University is a private Jesuit research university. Though its main campus is in Saint Louis, it operates a second campus out of Madrid in Spain. Like other Jesuit universities, Saint Louis University challenged segregationist policies in Catholic colleges and schools in the 20th century, and became effectively desegregated by 1944, despite resistance from the Catholic establishment. Today, the university is especially recognized for its Law School and Medical School. Among its alumni list, the university counts American politicians, foreign heads of state, professional athletes, and pop-culture figures, with notable names such as director James Gunn, former President of Nicaragua Enrique Bolaños, and Broadway producer David Merrick. Saint Louis University received its largest single donation ever in 2018, a sum of $50 million from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield.

95.University of Utah

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $27,220

Average Full Professor Salary: $137,152

Annual Research Expenditures:$380,295,000

Endowment:$1,225,045,000

The University of Utah is a public research university established in 1850. Though public (and thus secular), the university actually traces its origins to none other than Mormon figurehead Brigham Young (who later also founded Brigham Young University). Today, the university is known for high research activity, and quality degree programs, especially in its College of Law, College of Engineering, College of Education, and School of Business. Among its alumni, the university counts four Nobel Laureates, as well as Pulitzer Prize winners, Turing Award winners, and Rhodes Scholars, and also astronauts, American political figures, professional athletes, and business leaders. Notable alumni include Alan Kay (father of Object-Oriented Programming), author Orson Scott Card, and Nolan Bushnell (founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese). In 2019 the university received its largest single donation ever, $150 million from the Huntsman family.

96.University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $25,872

Average Full Professor Salary: $127,152

Annual Research Expenditures:$157,791,000

Endowment:$1,221,935,000

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville is a public research university, and the flagship of the University of Arkansas System. The university was established on a land grant courtesy of the Morrill Act of 1862, and originally known as Arkansas Industrial University, with a focus on engineering. Though now a full-scale university with programs in a wide range of fields, UA remains well-known for its College of Engineering, and is also recognized for its Walton College of Business, and School of Law. On the research front, UA is best known for developments in broadcasting and telecommunications, superconductivity, and herbicide. Outside of academics, UA is famous for its Razorbacks athletic teams, especially in football and basketball. Among its alumni, the university counts American politicians, prominent business leaders, foreign heads of state, and tons of professional and Olympic athletes. Notable alumni include track stars Veronica Campbell-Brown and Tyson Gay, and NBA star Joe Johnson. Being closely associated with the Walton family (of Wal-Mart) has benefitted the university over the years, in the form of hundreds of millions of dollars of donations (see the College of Business).

97.Berea College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $44,700

Average Full Professor Salary: $92,445

Annual Research Expenditures:N/A

Endowment:$1,218,740,000

Berea College is a private liberal arts college established in 1855. Though Christian, the college is not affiliated with any denomination. The college is unique for several reasons. It was founded by an abolitionist John Gregg Fee, and admitted students of all races from its opening, making it the first non-segregated institution in the American South. Also, it does not charge tuition. Instead, it allows students to fund their education on a full work-study program; every student works 10 or more hours per week on campus. As part of this, the college only admits students with significant demonstrable financial need, as determined by their FAFSA application. This massive scholarship program means the school requires a large endowment to back it up. Notable names among the college’s alumni and faculty include reproductive rights advocate Willie Parker, author and social activist Bell Hooks, and author Silas House.

98.Middlebury College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $56,216

Average Full Professor Salary: $128,309

Annual Research Expenditures:$2,043,000

Endowment:$1,157,786,000

Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college founded in 1800 by Congregationalists. Notably, it is the first American college to grant a bachelor’s degree to a black student (Alexander Twilight in 1823), and one of the first all-male colleges to become co-educational, in 1883. Today, the college offers a healthy array of degree programs, and is especially known for its English, international studies, political science, and languages programs. Also, Middlebury is famous for its Language Schools, which offer immersive language workshops through the summer. The university is also recognized for its Bread Loaf Writers Conference, and as the origin site of the International Quidditch Association. Notable alumni include Eve Ensler (author of “The Vagina Monologues”), and Jeff Lindsay (creator of the “Dexter” series). In 2004, Middlebury College received its largest single donation ever, $50 million from an anonymous source.

99.Princeton Theological Seminary

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $18,000

Average Full Professor Salary: $130,848

Annual Research Expenditures:N/A

Endowment:$1,127,362,000

Established in 1812, the Princeton Theological Seminary is a private Presbytarian school of theology. Though initially founded with the support of Princeton University (then known as the College of New Jersey), the two institutions are not connected. As the name suggests, the university exclusively offers graduate theological programs. It is the largest Presbytarian seminary in the world, and is also home to the Karl Barth Research Collection, one of the largest theological libraries in the world.

100.Vassar College

Annual Undergraduate Tuition: $58,770

Average Full Professor Salary: $139,667

Annual Research Expenditures:$1,600,000

Endowment:$1,117,380,000

Vassar College is a private liberal arts college established in 1861. It is one of the historical Seven Sisters colleges, though it became fully coeducational in 1969. It is also a sibling institution with Yale University. Unlike most other old New England institutions, Vassar does not have a Greek system on campus. It offers Bachelor of Arts degrees exclusively, and has flexible requirements regarding a core curriculum; however, it does require that students gain fluency in a foreign language to graduate. Vassar has a long list of notable alumni, with names including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, poet Elizabeth Bishop, Jane Fonda, computer scientist Grace Hopper, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, Jackie Onassis, and rapper Mike D.