Everyone may have a right to proper education, but in the past several decades it has turned into a bit of business, so we wanted to see which are the fastest growing private universities in the US.
These universities make millions of dollars every year, mostly from tuition fees, fees that have gone through the roof. In fact, most American students can’t attend a private University without going into debt for a few decades.
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The fees are so high that most young people question whether they really need a diploma to make it out there and if it’s worth it in the long run. Education, however, is extremely important. While it’s true that many have made it in life without getting their University degree, we’re not all Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates, so the need for higher education is still there if you want a great job that pays well.
You might also be interested in reading more about the top 15 US Universities with the best international reputation, so you might also take these into consideration when trying to decide where to study.
In order to create our list today, we started off by checking out a list published by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), regarding the 2016 endowment market value and changes from the previous year. We selected the top 100 Universities on the list and ranked them by the 2016 endowment value, handing out scores accordingly. Then, we ranked the Universities again based on the change in market value registered between 2016 and 2015 – the higher the difference, the more points they got. Last, but not least, we used a report from the United States Census Bureau regarding the school enrollment numbers for 2015.
Without further ado, here are the fastest growing private Universities in the US.
10. University of Notre Dame
Score: 1
The University of Notre Dame was founded back in 1842 by Father Edward Sorin. Starting out as an all-male institution, the University started enrolling women undergraduates over a century after its inception, in 1972.
The University offers several schools students can choose from and numerous studies for each of them, such as the School of Architecture, or the College of Arts and Letters, where they can study the classics, economy, psychology, philosophy, history, music, and more. There are also schools focusing on business, engineering, global affairs, science, and law.
The University of Notre Dame has an endowment of over $8.3 billion and over 12,000 students.
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9. Columbia University
Score: 1
Established in 1754, Columbia University is an Ivy League school located in Upper Manhattan, New York City. Over the years it has grown into one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Those who admitted here can study architecture, arts, business, engineering, arts and sciences, international and public affairs, journalism law, learn how to be a teacher, a doctor, nurse, and more.
Columbia has numerous famous alumni, including three US Presidents – Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Barack Obama, – as well as 26 foreign Heads of State. Authors J.D. Salinger, Isaac Asimov, and Hunter S. Thompson also attended Columbia.
Columbia’s endowment is estimated a $9 billion, and nearly 28,000 students are learning here.
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8. Northwestern University
Score: 1
Located in Evanston, Illinois, Northwestern is one of the best-known universities in the world, ranking 26th.
Founded back in 1851, Northwestern is known to have over 21,000 students and a staff of over 3,000 people. Students can learn a lot of subjects here, from accounting information and management, to analytics, art history, applied physics, anthropology, biotechnology, civil and environmental engineering, clinical psychology, computer engineering, computer science, Earth and planetary sciences, finance, history, journalism, literature, linguistics, music, and so on.
The University has the tenth largest endowment in the United States, currently valued at $9.6 billion. The value has, however, gone down a bit from over $10.2 billion the year before.
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7. MIT
Score: 5
Next up on the list is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the top ranking University on the Globe. Found in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT is one of the most prestigious universities and has been so pretty much since its inception back in 1861.
MIT helps students learn a lot about numerous topics spanning several schools – architecture and planning, engineering, humanities, arts, and social sciences, management, and science.
According to Nacubo’s list, MIT’s endowment places it 6th among US Universities, with $13.1 billion in value, just a little under what they estimated the previous year, more than enough to place it on our list of the fastest growing private universities in the US. The University has over 11,000 students and a staff of over 1,000 people.
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6. Princeton University
Score: 6
Next on our list of fastest growing private universities in the US is Princeton, a private Ivy League university in New Jersey, which was founded back in 1746.
Students can learn a lot from a wide number of areas of study, including anthropology, architecture, astrophysical sciences, chemistry, computer science, creative writing, dance, entrepreneurship, finance, health and health policy, history, linguistics, music, psychology, robotics and intelligence systems, technology and society, urban Studies and so on.
Princeton’s endowment is estimated at $22.1 billion, making it rank 5th across America. The number, however, is slightly lower than the previous year. Princeton University has over 8,100 students.
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5. Berry College
Score: 7
Located in Mount Berry, Georgia, Berry College ranks fifth on our list. The school offers four-year studies with an emphasis on Christian teachings. Students can get a Bachelor in Arts, Music, Science, Business Administration, Education and Education Specialists.
One fun fact about Berry College is that it actually holds the record for the largest contiguous campus in the world, with 27,000 acres at its disposal.
While Berry College’s endowment of $9.3 billion doesn’t get it very high on the list of American colleges, its 6.4 percent growth compared to the previous year ranks it quite high up on the list. The school has over 2,200 students.
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4. Stanford University
Score: 8
At number four on our list of fastest growing private universities in the US, we have one of the most famous Universities in the world – Stanford. Established back in 1891, Stanford has become one of the most prestigious universities across the globe.
With over 21 Nobel Prize laureates listing Stanford on their resumes, hundreds of members of the America Academy of Arts and Sciences, and dozens of fellows of the America Physics Society, it’s no wonder Stanford ranks so high.
Students can learn about anything from aeronautics, to biology, from business to music, from philosophy to engineering, from genetics to history, and so on.
Stanford’s endowment was calculated at $22,39 billion, slightly higher than the previous year by 0.8 percent. Over $16,300 currently study here, both in as undergrad and postgrad.
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3. Yale University
Score: 9
Next up on our list of fastest growing private universities in the US is Yale University, an Ivy League school that’s the third-oldest institution of higher education across the United States, being founded in 1701.
Students can major in numerous areas, including astronomy, computer science, economics, engineering, geology, history, literature, philosophy, sociology, and so much more.
Yale has an estimated endowment of $25,4 billion and over 12,300 students. Among its impressive list of alumni, we can count former US Presidents William Howard Taft, Gerald Ford, George G.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George. W. Bush, as well as other famous names like Hillary Clinton, Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, Harold Stanley, and countless more.
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2. University of Pennsylvania
Score: 10
Also known as UPenn, the next on our list of fastest growing private universities in the US is another Ivy League university. Founded in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania has become one of the best-appreciated schools in the world.
Students can learn about a large number of subjects, here, including ancient history, architecture, engineering, biology, business, cognitive science, computer science, criminology, economics, international relations, law, linguistics, mathematics, and much more.
It is estimated that UPenn’s endowment stands at over $10.7 billion, nearly 6 percent more than the previous year. The University is also one of the most populated across the USA, with over 24,800 students.
Among its alumni, we can name Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Noam Chomsky, Ezra Pound, and even Donald Trump.
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1. Harvard University
Score: 10
Finally, at the top of our list, we find none other than Harvard University. Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning int he United States.
Harvard offers students the chance to enroll in numerous schools where they can learn about business, medicine, arts and sciences, design, education, law, and more.
Harvard has a long list of famous alumni, including US Presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John. F. Kennedy, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, as well as the former First Lady Michelle Obama. Additionally, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg were also among the school’s attendees, and even though Bill Gates still hasn’t got his degree, Mark Zuckerberg graduated this year.
Harvard’s endowment is estimated at a whopping $34.5 billion. The school has over 21,000 students.
That being said, these have been the 10 fastest growing private universities in the US.
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