Forbes, the renowned American business magazine, has unveiled its World's Billionaires 2025 list, placing Tesla CEO Elon Musk at the top with a staggering net worth of $400 billion. This year's list highlights several tech-driven tycoons from the United States who have leveraged education and innovation to amass their fortunes.
Here's a look at the educational journeys of the top billionaires and the institutions that contributed to their success.
Elon Musk
- Net Worth: $400 Billion
- Education: Musk began his education at Queen's University, Canada, before shifting to the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied business and physics. He later enrolled at Stanford University for a PhD in energy physics.
- University Rankings: University of Pennsylvania (11th) and Stanford University (6th) in the QS World University Rankings 2025.
Jeff Bezos
- Net Worth: $239.4 Billion
- Education: Bezos, the founder of Amazon, earned degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University.
- University Ranking: Princeton University (22nd).
Mark Zuckerberg
- Net Worth: $211.8 Billion
- Education: Zuckerberg attended Harvard University but dropped out to focus on his entrepreneurial journey. His academic achievements include awards in mathematics and physics during school.
- University Ranking: Harvard University (4th).
Larry Ellison
- Net Worth: $204.6 Billion
- Education: The Oracle co-founder attended the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois but left both institutions before completing his degree.
- University Rankings: University of Chicago (21st) and University of Illinois (69th).
Bernard Arnault & Family
- Net Worth: $181.3 Billion
- Education: The head of LVMH graduated from École Polytechnique de Paris with a Bachelor of Arts and Science.
- University Ranking: École Polytechnique de Paris (34th).
Larry Page
- Net Worth: $161.4 Billion
- Education: The Google co-founder holds a degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan and a master's in computer science from Stanford University.
- University Rankings: University of Michigan (44th) and Stanford University (6th).
Sergey Brin
- Net Worth: $150 Billion
- Education: Brin earned a science degree with honours in mathematics and computer science from the University of Maryland.
- University Ranking: University of Maryland (218th).
Warren Buffett
- Net Worth: $146.2 Billion
- Education: Buffett studied business at the University of Nebraska and later pursued economics at Columbia University.
- University Rankings: University of Nebraska (701-710) and Columbia University (34th).
Steve Ballmer
- Net Worth: $126 Billion
- Education: The former Microsoft CEO holds a degree in applied mathematics and economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Stanford University.
- University Rankings: Harvard University (4th) and Stanford University (6th).
Jensen Huang
- Net Worth: $120.2 Billion
- Education: Huang, founder of NVIDIA, studied electrical engineering at Oregon State University and Stanford University.
- University Rankings: Oregon State University (641-650) and Stanford University (6th).
This year's billionaire list underscores the significant role that prestigious universities have played in shaping global innovators. Institutions like Stanford University, Harvard University, and the University of Pennsylvania continue to rank among the best globally, nurturing talent that drives transformative advancements in technology and business.
