The Virginia Commonwealth University is rooted in a history of healthcare-related research. Founded in 1838, it was originally a Hampden–Sydney College’s medical department. Since then it has oscillated between periods at the Richmond Professional Institute and Medical College of Virginia.
Today the campus is still held in high regard by the Carnegie Foundation and has a fantastic reputation as a research university.
Georgia Institute of Technology: $1.991 Billion
Known better as Georgia Tech, this school ranks #35 in the list of best universities. It's specially recognized for programs in business, engineering, and computer sciences. The school is located on prime Atlanta land and was actually built as a part of a reconstruction project post Civil War.
The college is continuously expanding in both value and size and recently dropped over $179 million to create the Technology Square. The development restored and revitalized a rundown neighborhood in the Atlanta Midtown area.
Grinnell College: $1.951 Billion
Grinnell College was founded in 1846 as Iowa College. The institution suffered several setbacks in initial years, such as Civil War disruptions and even a tornado. Several donations later and with a current $1.991 billion endowment, Grinnell College has evidently recovered.
In fact, according to U.S. News & World, Report, The liberal arts college now ranks as #11 among the Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the nation.,
Case Western Reserve University: $1.845 Billion
This private research institution has acquired a lot of wealth over the years. This is largely due to 16 of its alumni–turned–Nobel Prize winners and donors. Of those is include Gmail creator Paul Buchheit, Norton AntiVirus developer Peter Tippett, and Craigslist founder Craig Newmark.
The 550 acres are filled with prestigious educational, medical, and cultural institutions. The school is mostly known for its bioengineering and medicine. It was also the second school in the U.S. to produce a female med-school graduate.
Smith College: $1.798 Billion
Another world-renowned all women's college and number #11 on the best universities list. Smith has a long history of creating access to high-quality education for women. It's accomplishments got them an anonymous donation of $10 million in 2015.
Notable alumni include Sylvia Plath, Gloria Steinem, Julia Child, and Nancy Reagan. It is also famous for hosting Kurt Vonnegut as the College’s Writer in Residence between 2000 and 2001.