Of the centi-millionaires in the world, 17.1% are graduates from just 10 universities.
This is according to the Top 10 Universities for Centi-Millionaires data from the The Centi-Millionaire Report 2024.
Centi-millionaires are the individuals with liquid assets of $100 million (R1.75 billion) or more.
Tess Wilkinson, Director of Education Services, Henley & Partners Education, said: “The cost of an outstanding education is high, and parents invest small fortunes to give their children the best possible start to their careers, so university outcomes are just as important a consideration as the quality of education.”
Harvard University ranks first, with 3.6% of the world’s centi-millionaires among its alumni. Stanford University follows in second place with 2.2%, while the University of Pennsylvania ranks third with 1.9%.
| Top 10 universities for centi-millionaires | Country | Centi-Millionaire alumni | % of world’s centi-millionaires |
| Harvard University | USA | 1,053 | 3.6% |
| Stanford University | USA | 655 | 2.2% |
| University of Pennsylvania | USA | 568 | 1.9% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | USA | 506 | 1.7% |
| University of Oxford | UK | 472 | 1.6% |
| Yale University | USA | 463 | 1.6% |
| University of Cambridge | USA | 387 | 1.3% |
| Princeton University | USA | 346 | 1.2% |
| Columbia University | USA | 334 | 1.1% |
| INSEAD | France | 267 | 0.9% |
The report further revealed the universities to keep an eye on.
| University name | Country | Centi-millionaire alumni | % of the world’s cent-millionaire |
| National University of Singapore | Singapore | >50 | over 0.2% |
| University of Toronto | Canada | >50 | over 0.2% |
| University of Melbourne | Australia | 50 | over 0.2% |
| University of St. Gallen | Switzerland | 50 | over 0.2% |
| IMD Business School | Switzerland | >50 | over 0.2% |
Seven of the top 10 universities producing centi-millionaires are in the USA. These American institutions account for 13.3% of the global centi-millionaire population, with three Ivy League colleges leading the way.
These premium American educational institutions account for 13.3% of the global centi-millionaire population, with three Ivy League colleges leading the way; Harvard University, Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Two universities from the UK also make the list: the University of Oxford in fifth place, with 1.6% of the world's centi-millionaires, and the University of Cambridge in seventh place, with 1.3%.
Additionally, INSEAD, a university in France, is the only institution outside the UK and USA in the top 10, contributing 0.9% of graduates to this elite group.
Universities to watch
According to the report, five universities are showing strong growth potential in terms of centi-millionaires who are amongst their graduates.
Switzerland has two universities including the University of St. Gallen and IMD Business School that combined account for over 0.4% of the world’s centi-millionaires.
The three other universities around the world have been attended by over 0.2% of the world’s centi-millionaire population: the National University of Singapore, the University of Toronto in Canada, and the University of Melbourne in Australia.
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