The University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world, has been recognized as the leading billionaire-producing institution in Britain.
Not all universities offer the same opportunities—even Ivy League graduates can no longer be assured of a six-figure income. However, one prestigious university in England significantly boosts graduates' chances of remarkable post-education success.
A new study by educational experts at Edumentors has ranked the University of Oxford as Britain’s top university for producing billionaires. The researchers analyzed Forbes’ list of billionaires worldwide, focusing on those who obtained bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD degrees in the U.K.
According to the study, Oxford has produced 10 billionaires with a combined net worth of $47.1 billion. Notable names include Alex Beard and Sir Michael Jonathan Moritz. Beard, who graduated in 1989, is one of Britain’s youngest billionaires, with a net worth of approximately $1.8 billion. He began his career at BP before ascending to CEO of Glencore, later founding his own investment fund, Adaptogen Capital, in 2019.
Meanwhile, Sir Michael Moritz, an Oxford graduate with a net worth of $6.8 billion, earned his fortune through early investments in tech giants like Google, LinkedIn, and PayPal.
Among Oxford’s notable alumni are Emma Watson and Hugh Grant. Though highly successful, they have not reached billionaire status.
While Oxford leads in billionaire numbers, Cambridge University surpasses it in terms of total alumni wealth. Tornike Asatiani, CEO of Edumentors, explained, “Even though Oxford has more billionaire alumni, Cambridge’s alumni wealth, totaling an impressive $92.6 billion, exceeds Oxford’s by $45.5 billion.”
In fact, Cambridge’s wealthiest alumni have collectively amassed fortunes comparable to those of Stanford University alumni, the second-highest billionaire-producing institution in the U.S., despite having 12 fewer billionaires.
Top Billionaire-Producing Universities in Britain (Edumentors)
1.University of Oxford
Number of billionaires: 10
Combined wealth: $47.1 billion
2.University of Cambridge
Number of billionaires: 8
Combined wealth: $92.6 billion
3.London School of Economics
Number of billionaires: 8
Combined wealth: $37.8 billion
4.University of London
Number of billionaires: 4
Combined wealth: $9.6 billion
5.London Business School
Number of billionaires: 3
Combined wealth: $23.1 billion
Top Billionaire-Producing Universities in America (Forbes)
1.University of Pennsylvania
Number of billionaires: 36
Combined wealth: $367 billion
2.Stanford University
Number of billionaires: 30
Combined wealth: $90 billion
3.Harvard University
Number of billionaires: 28
Combined wealth: $261 billion
4.Yale University
Number of billionaires: 19
Combined wealth: $149 billion
5.Cornell University
Number of billionaires: 13
Combined wealth: $60.4 billion
This data highlights the significant role top universities play in shaping future billionaires and wealthy individuals. For those aiming for financial success, attending one of these elite institutions could offer a considerable advantage.