College Degrees of the World's Richest People

This is how the richest people in the world got started.

College Degrees of the World's Richest People

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim studied engineering in college.

Education and great wealth often go together. While there will always be outliers, many of the world's richest individuals went to college and earned degrees they'd later use to amass their vast fortunes.

Some got an undergraduate education. Other folks have additional college education after that. But most do not. Here's what the richest person in countries around the world studied in college.

40. Vietnam: Pham Nhat Vuong

College degree: Unknown

College: Moscow Geological Prospecting Institute

Year graduated: 1993

Net worth: $6 billion

Note: Data is from Resume.io for the rankings. When possible, all details were confirmed by Forbes databases. But wealth is a secretive issue, so only information that could be cited appropriately was included.

Bottom Line: Pham Nhat Vuong

Pham Nhat Vuong was so good at math that he earned a scholarship to study the economics of raw material extraction at the Moscow Geological Prospecting Institute.

He started a popular instant noodle business before moving back to Vietnam and became the country's first billionaire.

He now runs one of the country's largest conglomerates, Vingroup, that has various business interests, including real estate, healthcare, and retail.

39. Nigeria: Aliko Dangote

College degree: Business studies and administration

College: Al-Azhar University

Year graduated: 1977

Net worth: $8.1 billion

Bottom Line: Aliko Dangote

Aliko Dangote is Africa's richest man thanks to his company Dangote Cement, which is Africa's largest cement producer. He also has stakes in publicly traded salt, sugar, and flour manufacturing.

In 2013, the billionaire started work on the Dangote Refinery, which will be one of the largest oil refineries in the world once construction is complete.

38. Switzerland: Ernesto Bertarelli

College degree: Unknown, master of business administration (MBA)

College: Babson College, Harvard University

Year graduated: 1989

Net worth: $8.2 billion

Bottom Line: Ernesto Bertarelli

It is unclear what the Italian-born Swiss billionaire businessperson studied as an undergraduate at Babson College.

But based on Ernesto Bertarelli's master of business administration from Harvard University, we're guessing it was related to business.

After inheriting the drug company Serono, he expanded its profits before selling it to Merck for over $13 billion.

37. Israel: Eyal Ofer

College degree: Law

College: Unknown

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $8.2 billion

Bottom Line: Eyal Ofer

Eyal Ofer made most of his money when he inherited part of his father's shipping empire in 2011, and then expanded upon its success.

He owns Global Holdings, an international real estate firm, and has a 5 percent stake in Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

36. Yemen: Shaher Abdulhak

College degree: Unknown

College: Unknown

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $9 billion

Bottom Line: Shaher Abdulhak

Not too much is known about the notoriously private Yemen businessman Shaher Abdulhak.

His company, Shaher Trading, dabbles in a bit of everything, including luxury hotels, soft drinks, petroleum, cell networks, and property.

The billionaire was thrust into the spotlight when his son was accused of murdering a 23-year-old business student.

35. Colombia: Luis Carlos Sarmiento

College degree: Civil engineering

College: National University of Colombia

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $9 billion

Bottom Line: Luis Carlos Sarmiento

The richest person in Colombia used his civil engineering education well and created a fortune from building residential and commercial developments.

He then invested that money into banks, which made him much more wealthy. His company, Grupo Aval, owns one-third of all banks in the country.

34. Cyprus: John Fredriksen

College degree: No degree

College: N/A

Year graduated: N/A

Net worth: $10 billion

Bottom Line: John Fredriksen

The Norwegian-born businessperson gave up his Norwegian citizenship in favor of tax-haven Cyprus.

He has made most of his money in every aspect of the oil business from trading it in the 1960s to owning oil tankers and deepwater drilling rigs now.

His biggest holding is in the most prominent fish farmer in the world, Mowi.

33. Singapore: Robert and Philip Ng

Philip: Civil engineering

Robert: Law

Philip: King's College, London University

Robert: Unknown

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $10.1 billion

Bottom Line: Robert and Philip Ng

Philip and Robert Ng — Philip Ng, left, and Robert Ng.

It is unclear when Robert and Philip Ng graduated from their college studies.

The brothers control the Far East Organization, Singapore's largest private landlord and property developer.

Robert runs the Hong Kong branch, and Philip runs the Singapore businesses.

32. Germany: Georg Schaeffler

College degree: Business and economics

College: University of St. Gallen

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $10.1 billion

Bottom Line: Georg Schaeffler

The German businessman Georg Schaeffler is quite wealthy from his family's business that is one of the world's largest makers of ball bearings and machine components.

Interestingly, Schaeffler has spent time outside of Germany working as a lawyer in Dallas, Texas.

31. Malaysia: Robert Kuok

College degree: Bachelor of arts/science

College: Raffles College

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $11.1 billion

Bottom Line: Robert Kuok

Robert Kuok had a tough upbringing. He went to Raffles College, but it is unclear if and when he graduated.

The Malaysian businessperson owns the Kuok group, which works in hotels, real estate, and commodities.

He also founded the founded internationally renowned Shangri-La Hotels in 1971.

30. Bangladesh: Moosa Bin Shamsher

College degree: Economics

College: Faridpur Rajendra College (B.A.), California State University at Northridge (Ph.D.)

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $11.1 billion

Bottom Line: Moosa Bin Shamsher

Moosa Bin Shamsher studied economics at Faridpur Rajendra College and then got a Ph.D. from California State University at Northridge.

The billionaire businessman has been accused of various crimes, including tax evasion and money laundering. He is also an alleged broker of weapons.

29. Ireland: Pallonji Mistry

College degree: Civil engineering

College: Imperial College London

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $11.5 billion

Bottom Line: Pallonji Mistry

The Indian-born billionaire now calls Ireland home.

He made his enormous wealth running the Mumbai-headquartered Pallonji Mistry. The company is considered a giant in the engineering and construction space.

28. New Zealand: Graeme Hart

College degree: Master of business administration

College: University of Otago

Year graduated: 1987

Net worth: $12.9 billion

Bottom Line: Graeme Hart

After dropping out of high school at 16 and working as a mechanic and truck driver, Graeme Hart earned an MBA from the University of Otago's business school.

Hart owns Rank Group, a private investment company. His biggest asset is Reynolds Consumer Products, which makes daily use items like aluminum foil and trash bags.

27. Philippines: The Sy Family

College degree for the family members are unknown, but the colleges they attended have been publicized:

Teresita Sy-Coson: Assumption College
Elizabeth Sy: Maryknoll College
Henry Sy Jr: De La Salle University
Hans Sy: De La Salle University
Herbert Sy: De La Salle University
Harley Sy: De La Salle University

Net worth: $13.9 billion

Bottom Line: The Sy Family

The extreme wealth the Sy family has is split across the six siblings, most of whom attended De La Salle University.

What started as a small shoe store in Manila ballooned into SM Investments Corp., which oversees more than 200 outlets.

26. Netherlands: Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken

College degree: Law

College: University of Leiden

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $14.5 billion

Bottom Line: Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken

Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken studied law at the University of Leiden, but it is unclear if she graduated, as some reports say she disliked that course of study.

She interned at her family's company, Dutch brewer Heineken, which came in handy later in life when she inherited a 25 percent controlling stake.

She remains the executive director of the company.

25. Thailand: Dhanin Chearavanont

College degree: Unknown

College: Education University of Hong Kong

Year graduated: 1956

Net worth: $14.7 billion

Bottom Line: Dhanin Chearavanont

It is unclear what Dhanin Chearavanont studied in college, but in recent years the Thai-Chinese billionaire businessman has urged officials to reduce the amount of education children receive in Thailand.

Chearavanont is the senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group, which produces animal feed and livestock.

24. Croatia: Luksic Family, Andrónico Luksic Craig

College degree: Business

College: Babson College

Year graduated: N/A

Net worth: $15 billion

Bottom Line: Croatia: Luksic family, Andrónico Luksic Craig

The Chilean Luksic family is considered the richest family in Croatia, where they got their start.

Leading that family is Andrónico Luksic Craig, who attended Babson College in Boston, but had to cut his time there short when the family business needed him.

His studies in business were useful, though, as he remains the chairman of Quiñenco, a holding of the Luksic Group.

23. Uzbekistan: Alisher Usmanov

College degree: International law

College: Moscow State Institute of International Relations

Year graduated: 1976

Net worth: $15.7 billion

Bottom Line: Alisher Usmanov

After his undergraduate education, the Uzbekistan-born Russian businessman went on to earn additional degrees, including a master of law from the Moscow Institute of International Relations and a master's degree from the Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation.

Most of his money is invested in iron ore and steel giant Metalloinvest.

Alisher Usmanov made his first fortune making plastic bags.

22. Chile: Iris Fontbona

College degree: No degree

College: N/A

Year graduated: N/A

Net worth: $15.9 billion

Bottom Line: Iris Fontbona

Iris Fontbona is also part of the Luksic family. She's the widow of Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, who built the family's fortune in mining and beverages.

She is a longtime businesswoman with no degree. In addition to the Luksic Group, Fontbona and her adult children control Antofagasta Plc, which owns copper mines in Chile.

21. Australia: Gina Rinehart

College degree: Economics

College: University of Sydney

Year graduated: Did not graduate

Net worth: $16.2 billion

Bottom Line: Gina Rinehart

Gina Rinehart studied economics briefly but didn't graduate.

She worked as her father’s personal assistant at Hancock Prospecting, and when he passed away, she turned the mining company into an even wealthier operation.

20. Indonesia: R. Budi Hartono

College degree: Economics

College: Diponegoro University

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $16.3 billion

Bottom Line: Robert Budi Hartono

Robert Budi Hartono and his brother, Michael Hartono, are the two richest people in Indonesia.

The pair made their first fortune in the tobacco industry and still makes clove cigarettes today.

The brothers also made a ton of money from investing in Bank Central Asia.

19. Brazil: Jorge Paulo Lemann

College degree: Economics

College: Harvard University

Year graduated: 1961

Net worth: $16.3 billion

Bottom Line: Jorge Paulo Lemann

Jorge Paulo Lemann is a Brazilian-Swiss business person who started making money as an investment banker.

He eventually became the controlling shareholder of Anheuser-Busch InBev.

In 2016, the company purchased Pilsner Urquell and Foster's Lager.

18. Sweden: Stefan Persson

College degree: Unknown

College: University of Stockholm

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $17.9 billion

Bottom Line: Stefan Persson

It is unclear what the most prosperous Swedish citizen studied in college or when he graduated, but Stefan Persson has told the press he attended the University of Stockholm.

His father started the famous clothing company H&M (Hennes & Mauritz) in 1947.

The international chain has over 5,000 stores in 74 countries.

17. Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa

College degree: Law

College: Sri Lanka Law College

Year graduated: 1974

Net worth: $18 billion

Bottom Line: Mahinda Rajapaksa

The Sri Lankan politician served as president from 2005 to 2015 and has been the prime minister since his brother appointed him to the position in 2019.

He is accused of hiding $2 billion-$10 billion of the country's money in Dubai.

16. Czech Republic: Petr Kellner

College degree: Industrial economics

College: University of Economics

Year graduated: 1986

Net worth: $18.7 billion

Bottom Line: Petr Kellner

The Czech Republics’ richest man made his billions via his investment fund.

Petr Kellner is a huge supporter of education programs and donates to them through his foundation, the Kellner Family Foundation.

He's helped open schools and provides grants to college students.

15. Saudi Arabia: Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud

College degree: Business administration

College: Menlo College

Year graduated: 1979

Net worth: $18.7 billion

Bottom Line: Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Alsaud — Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, center, is a businessman, investor, philanthropist and a member of the Saudi royal family.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud might have the most education of the billionaires featured on this list.

He attended Pinewood College in Beirut, a military school in Saudi Arabia, International School of Choueifat and the Manor School (both in Lebanon), the Menlo College in California, and finally Syracuse University in New York.

He's the founder and CEO of the investment company Kingdom Holding.

14. South Korea: Lee Kun-Hee

College degree: Economics, MBA

College: Waseda University, George Washington University

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $19.8 billion

Bottom Line: Lee Kun-Hee

The South Korean businessman is the chairman of Samsung Group.

He started his studies at Waseda University, then went on to earn a master of business administration degree at George Washington University in Washington.

Today, Lee Kun-Hee is worth nearly $20 billion, and his family collectively is worth about $41 billion.

13. Brunei: Hassanal Bolkiah

College degree: No degree

College: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

Year graduated: 1967

Net worth: $20 billion

Bottom Line: Hassanal Bolkiah

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom in 1967, but he didn't earn a specific degree.

He made his billions in the oil and gas industry and spends most of it on luxury goods like more than 600 Rolls-Royces.

12. United Kingdom: Gopichand and Srichand Hinduja

Gopichand college degree: Unknown

Srichand college degree: Unknown

Gopichand college: Jai Hind College

Srichand college: Davar's College of Commerce

Gopichand year graduated: 1959

Srichand year graduated: 1952

Gopichand net worth: $21 billion

Srichand net worth: $12.6 billion

Bottom Line: Gopichand and Srichand Hinduja

The Hinduja brothers, Gopichand and Srichand, are Indian-born British billionaire business magnates and investors.

They run the multinational Hinduja Group, which has businesses in trucks, banking, cable, and lubricants, among other things.

Brothers Prakash and Ashok also help run the company as do the adult children of the four brothers.

11. Russia: Vladimir Potanin

College degree: International economic relations

College: Moscow State Institute of International Relations

Year graduated: 1983

Net worth: $22.6 billion

Bottom Line: Vladimir Potanin

Vladimir Potanin studied international economic relations in college, which came in handy during his career as a billionaire, entrepreneur, and oligarch.

Potanin made most of his money in the 1990s in the metals industry with the controversial loans-for-shares program.

10. Syria: Joseph Safra

College degree: Bachelor's degree

College: Whittingham College

Year graduated: Unknown

Net worth: $22.9 billion

Bottom Line: Joseph Safra

Joseph Safra earned a bachelor's degree from Whittingham College in England, but it is unclear what he studied while there. Immediately after graduation, he joined his family in their business: banking.

His family has roots in Aleppo, Syria, but Safra has been a successful banker all over the world, including in the United States and Brazil.

9. Austria: Dietrich Mateschitz

College degree: Marketing

College: Vienna University of Economics and Business

Year graduated: 1972

Net worth: $27.5 billion

Bottom Line: Dietrich Mateschitz

It reportedly took Dietrich Mateschitz 10 years to finish his degree, but the time was well worth it.

He cofounded Red Bull, which made him billions and also has led to countless marketing awards.

8. China: Li Ka-Shing

College degree: No degree

College: N/A

Year graduated: N/A

Net worth: $29.4 billion

Bottom Line: Li Ka-Shing

Li Ka-Shing dropped out of high school but went on to become one of the wealthiest people in the world.

The billionaire is a self-made plastics magnate, who started his own company when he was just 21.

In 2019, his foundation committed to an annual donation of $14.5 million to Shantou University in Guangdong, according to Bloomberg.

7. Japan: Tadashi Yanai

College degree: Economics and political science

College: Waseda University

Year graduated: 1971

Net worth: $31.3 billion

Bottom Line: Tadashi Yanai

Popular Japanese casual wear brand Uniqlo is thanks to Tadashi Yanai.

In return, the clothing brand (and its parent company Fast Retailing) has made Yanai the richest man in Japan and a billionaire.

His company also houses the brands Theory and J. Brand.

6. Canada: David Thomson

College degree: History

College: Selwyn College, Cambridge

Year graduated: 1978

Net worth: $38.2 billion

Bottom Line: David Thomson

David Thomson is the chairman of the incredibly successful media and publishing empire his grandfather Roy Thomson started, Thomson Reuters, mostly known just as Reuters.

He received his bachelor of arts with a major in history.

5. Mexico: Carlos Slim Helú

College degree: Engineering

College: National Autonomous University of Mexico

Year graduated: 1961

Net worth: $51.7 billion

Bottom Line: Carlos Slim Helú

Carlos Slim Helú studied engineering in college, but worked as a stock trader in Mexico when he graduated.

Shortly after, he started investing in and founding businesses that formed his conglomerate, Grupo Carso.

Now, the corporation includes businesses in insurance, energy, mining, retail, publishing, finance, and communications.

4. Spain: Amancio Ortega

College degree: No degree

College: N/A

Year graduated: N/A

Net worth: $67 billion

Bottom Line: Amancio Ortega

Amancio Ortega is the wealthiest retailer in the world, and he owes a lot of his success to his ex-wife, Rosalia Mera.

She dropped out of school at 11 to work as a seamstress, which eventually led to her cofounding Inditex, home to world-famous fashion brand Zara, with Ortega.

The businessman invests his money in real estate in New York, Miami, Madrid, Barcelona, London, and Chicago.

3. India: Mukesh Ambani

College degree: Chemical engineering

College: Institute of Chemical Technology - Mumbai

Year graduated: Unknown, likely in the 1970s

Net worth: $85.1 billion

Bottom Line: Mukesh Ambani

"I did chemical engineering because it was supposed to be the future," Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani told Rediff.

The business magnate is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd., a Fortune Global 500 conglomerate that works in energy, petrochemicals, textiles, natural resources, retail and telecommunications.

2. France: Bernard Arnault

College degree: Engineering

College: École Polytechnique

Year graduated: 1971

Net worth: $110.9 billion

Bottom Line: Bernard Arnault

Though the French billionaire studied engineering, he has turned his father's money into a small fortune via luxury goods.

Using $15 million from his father's construction business to buy Christian Dior in 1985, he turned that into the LVMH company, which oversees 70 brands, including Louis Vuitton and Sephora.

1. United States: Jeff Bezos

College degree: Electrical engineering and computer science

College: Princeton University

Year graduated: 1986

Net worth: $175.3 billion

Bottom Line: Jeff Bezos

Jess Bezos — Jeff Bezos is the founder, CEO, and president of Amazon.

Jeff Bezos graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University in 1986.

He studied electrical engineering and computer science, and eight years later founded Amazon.

The e-commerce company has made him the richest person in the world.

Related:Richest People in the World