This private research university, which is commonly referred to as Caltech, is located in Pasadena, California. It first opened its doors in 1891 as a preparatory and vocational school. It’s grown into one of the most respected research universities in the country and spends over $300 million per year on associated costs. Their endowment is nearly $3 billion, and they have a student body of just under 2,300.
The university boasts many accomplished alumni and faculty, including 74 Nobel laureates and 71 winners of the National Medal of Science and Technology. According to a study done by Pomona College in 2015, Caltech has the highest rate of graduates that go on to earn their PhDs.
University Of Illinois: $3.4 Billion
This public land-grant university was established in 1867. They’re classified as a Doctoral Research University for their high research activity, which is accompanied by a budget of over $2 billion, over $640 million of which was used for research expenses in 2017 alone.
The university has an endowment of over $3.4 billion and has produced several notable alumni. Among the list of accomplished individuals affiliated with the University of Illinois are 30 Nobel Prize winners. The library on campus is the largest of any university in the U.S, second only to Harvard.
The University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill: $5.4 Billion
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill saw its first students in 1795, making it one of the oldest public schools in the United States. The campus has grown to accommodate nearly 30,000 students per year. Students are divided among 17 campuses and 14 colleges and choose from over 70 courses of study.
The beautiful Chapel Hill campus covers 729 acres of the downtown area. It has an estimated endowment of over $5.4 billion as of 2017. Notable alumni and faculty from the university include 23 Pulitzer Prize winners, 9 Nobel Prize winners, one U.S president, and a U.S vice president. UNC is ranked 30th in the entire world by the Academic Ranking of World Universities.
The University Of Wisconsin : $2.8 Billion
The University of Wisconsin is a public research school in Madison. It was established in 1848 and is today split into 20 schools that serve over 44,000 students per year. The university is a Public Ivy, with an endowment of over $2.9 billion. In 2012, their research costs exceeded $1 billion, which was more affordable with their hefty donation of $25 million a few years prior that had come from a pool of over a dozen graduates.
Billionaire businessman and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs attended UW, as did famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. UW has four National Historic Landmarks on its campus next to Lake Mendota. The University of Wisconsin is ranked in the top speech pathology master’s degree programs in the country, among several of its other programs.
Purdue University: $2.5 Billion
This public research university, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, was founded in 1869. It was all made possible by local businessman, John Purdue, who donated both the land and money needed to get everything started. They have grown to become a world-renowned school, 56th, according to U.S News & World Report.
The school has an endowment of over $2.5 billion, and an annual budget of nearly the same amount. They have been classified as an R1: Doctoral University, due to their high research activity. There have been several notable graduates to emerge from Purdue, including 25 astronauts. Between the alumni and faculty, there have also been over a dozen Nobel Prize winners from the school.