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.
California Institute Of Technology : $2.9 Billion
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.
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.
The University Of Washington: $3.4 Billion
The University of Washington is a public research university in Seattle. It was established in 1861 and has grown into one of the best schools in the world. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings cites UW as one of the leading universities in scientific performance and research. In 2015, they received over $1 billion in research funding, although their total yearly budget is closer to $7.5 billion.
There were nearly 48,000 students in attendance last year, and about 16,000 faculty members. Several Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners have been affiliated with the University of Washington, as well as Rhodes and Marshall Scholars, among many other prestigious organizations.
St. Mary's University South Bend: $133.1 Million
St. Mary’s College, located in Indiana, is a Catholic all women’s university. They were established in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross. The school has a small student body and faculty, compared to others on this list, with just over 1,600 students and around 200 teachers on the record for 2018.
St. Mary’s caters to undergraduates, providing 5 different bachelor’s degree programs with 30 routes of study. They also offer two graduate degree programs: a Doctorate and a Master of Science. Carol Ann Mooney, the 11th president of the university, is an alumnus herself, as is U.S Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.