23-04-2025
Harvard vs Trump administration: Top 10 US universities with largest endowments
Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the legality of a freeze on federal grants worth billions of dollars. The move comes after the university declined to comply with a set of demands that the administration said were aimed at limiting diversity initiatives and combating antisemitism on campus.
The White House responded to the lawsuit by stating that the 'gravy train of federal assistance' to elite institutions was ending.
Despite the freeze, Harvard remains one of the wealthiest academic institutions in the world, sustained by its massive endowment.
How university endowments work
Endowments consist of financial assets donated to academic institutions, structured to sustain funding indefinitely. Rather than drawing down the entire balance, universities invest the funds and spend a portion of the returns each year.
Donations form the backbone of most endowments, which are used to support teaching, research, and public service. In many cases, donors stipulate how their contributions are used, whether for scholarships, research grants, or endowed professorships.
The practice of endowed academic positions dates back to 176 A.D., when Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius created chairs for each major philosophical school in Athens. England adopted a similar model in the early 16th century.
Today, many endowment funds are governed by investment policy statements that outline restrictions on spending. These can include merit-based scholarships, faculty salaries, or research support.
Colleges with the largest endowments
According to the 2025 US News and World Report, the top 20 college endowments average nearly USD 18.6 billion. While most are private institutions, three public universities—Texas A&M, Michigan, and Virginia—also rank on the list.
As of 2023, the schools with the highest endowments include:
Harvard University – USD 50.7 billion
Yale University – USD 40.7 billion
Stanford University – USD 36.5 billion
Princeton University – USD 33.4 billion
MIT – USD 23.5 billion
University of Pennsylvania – USD 21.0 billion
Texas A&M University – USD 17.2 billion
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor – USD 17.1 billion
University of Notre Dame – USD 17.0 billion
Columbia University – USD 13.6 billion
Possible tax hikes
During Trump's second term, the administration has prioritized funding cuts to higher education. Proposals under consideration by Republican lawmakers include forcing universities to pay new federal levies, such as steep increases to the endowment tax.
A tax on endowments was first introduced in 2017, targeting colleges with more than 500 tuition-paying students and at least USD 500,000 in endowment assets per student. The 1.4 per cent excise tax currently affects only a limited number of institutions.
A leaked list of House Republican policy goals from January proposed raising the endowment tax to 14 per cent, a move projected to generate USD 10 billion over the next decade. The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) continues to oppose any such tax, calling it a threat to the tax-exempt status of educational institutions.
