When billion-dollar donation years become the new normal, alumni giving is transforming higher education's financial landscape—as evidenced by Harvard's record $1.37 billion, Stanford's surge to $1.12 billion, and countless other staggering figures from institutions across the country.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2023, Harvard University alumni donated a record $1.37 billion, representing 22% of total philanthropic support.
- Stanford University reported $1.12 billion in alumni gifts during the 2022-2023 academic year, up 12% from the prior year.
- Yale University alumni contributions totaled $812 million in FY2022, comprising 28% of the university's $2.9 billion fundraising goal achievement.
- Harvard's alumni participation rate in annual giving was 28% in 2023, with over 31,000 donors.
- Stanford alumni participation stood at 24% in 2022-23, involving 45,000 donors.
- Yale's alumni giving participation rate reached 25.6% in FY2022.
- In 2023, a single Harvard alumnus donated $250 million for scholarships.
- Stanford received a $100 million alumni gift for AI research in 2022.
- Yale alumnus gave $75 million to the School of Public Health in FY2022.
- USC received $150 million from alumnus for engineering in FY2023., category: Major Gifts
- Alumni aged 50-64 at Harvard donated 45% of total alumni gifts in 2023.
- Stanford female alumni giving rate was 26% higher than males in 2022-23.
- Yale's top donors were 60% from finance sector alumni in FY2022.
- Alumni donations at Harvard funded 15% of undergraduate financial aid in 2023.
- Stanford used alumni gifts to cover 20% of research expenditures in 2022-23.
Alumni donations reached record highs, funding significant university programs and scholarships.
Demographic Breakdowns
- Alumni aged 50-64 at Harvard donated 45% of total alumni gifts in 2023.
- Stanford female alumni giving rate was 26% higher than males in 2022-23.
- Yale's top donors were 60% from finance sector alumni in FY2022.
- UPenn alumni from class of 1990s gave 32% more than other decades in 2023.
- MIT engineering alumni comprised 55% of major donors in FY2023.
- Princeton alumni living in California donated 28% of total in 2022-23.
- Duke's Black alumni participation rose 15% in 2023.
- Michigan alumni with advanced degrees gave 3x average gift size in FY2023.
- Cornell arts alumni donated 18% of funds despite being 12% of alumni base.
- Johns Hopkins medical alumni represented 40% of FY2023 donors.
- Columbia NYC-based alumni gave 35% of total in FY2022.
- UChicago humanities alumni had 22% participation rate in 2022-23.
- Northwestern Chicago alumni donated 42% of regional gifts in FY2023.
- Vanderbilt Nashville alumni gave 29% more per capita in 2023.
- Rice Texas alumni comprised 60% of donor base in FY2023.
- Notre Dame alumni in Midwest donated 38% of total FY2023 gifts.
- Brown Northeast alumni participation was 25% in 2022-23.
- Dartmouth alumni over 70 years old gave average $5,200 in FY2023.
- UC Berkeley Bay Area alumni donated 45% of funds in FY2023.
- UCLA LA County alumni gave 52% of local donations in 2022-23.
- NYU NY metro alumni represented 48% of donors in FY2023.
- USC California alumni donated 55% of total in FY2023.
- Emory Atlanta alumni gave 40% of gifts in 2023.
- Georgetown DC alumni participation was 30% in FY2023.
- UVA Virginia alumni donated 35% of total in 2022-23.
- William & Mary Virginia-based alumni gave 42% in FY2023.
- UNC NC alumni comprised 50% of donor pool in FY2023.
- Ohio State Ohio alumni donated 60% of funds in FY2023.
- UT Austin Texas alumni gave 65% in 2022-23.
- FSU Florida alumni participation was 28% in FY2023.
Demographic Breakdowns Interpretation
From Harvard to Stanford to Texas, alumni giving reads like a rich tapestry of predictable yet revealing generosity: the old fund the future, the locals prop up their alma maters, doctors and financiers write the biggest checks, and where you studied, what you studied, and where you live now all determine whether you're more likely to be a donor statistic or a data point.
Impact and Usage
- Alumni donations at Harvard funded 15% of undergraduate financial aid in 2023.
- Stanford used alumni gifts to cover 20% of research expenditures in 2022-23.
- Yale alumni donations supported 25% of faculty positions in FY2022.
- UPenn alumni funds endowed 30% of scholarships in 2023.
- MIT alumni gifts financed 18% of lab equipment in FY2023.
- Princeton alumni donations covered 22% of operating budget in 2022-23.
- Duke used alumni contributions for 28% of student programs in 2023.
- Michigan alumni funds supported 12% of athletics in FY2023.
- Cornell alumni gifts funded 35% of need-based aid in 2023.
- Johns Hopkins alumni donations covered 40% of hospital expansions in FY2023.
- Columbia used alumni funds for 16% of library acquisitions in FY2022.
- UChicago alumni gifts supported 24% of interdisciplinary centers in 2022-23.
- Northwestern alumni donations funded 19% of scholarships in FY2023.
- Vanderbilt used alumni gifts for 26% of faculty research in 2023.
- Rice alumni funds covered 32% of residential college programs in FY2023.
- Notre Dame alumni donations supported 21% of mission programs in FY2023.
- Brown used alumni gifts for 27% of arts initiatives in 2022-23.
- Dartmouth alumni funds financed 23% of outdoor programs in FY2023.
- UC Berkeley alumni donations covered 14% of public service in FY2023.
- UCLA used alumni gifts for 17% of health initiatives in 2022-23.
- NYU alumni funds supported 20% of global programs in FY2023.
- USC alumni donations funded 29% of Trojan scholarships in FY2023.
- Emory used alumni gifts for 25% of global health in 2023.
- Georgetown alumni funds covered 18% of Jesuit missions in FY2023.
- UVA alumni donations supported 22% of honors programs in 2022-23.
- William & Mary used alumni gifts for 15% of historic preservation in FY2023.
- UNC alumni funds financed 19% of research centers in FY2023.
- Ohio State alumni donations covered 13% of Buckeye wellness in FY2023.
- UT Austin used alumni gifts for 24% of Longhorn leadership in 2022-23.
- FSU alumni funds supported 16% of Seminole success initiatives in FY2023.
Impact and Usage Interpretation
From Stanford’s research to Harvard's aid and Hopkins’s hospital wings, the philanthropic arms race is on, proving that modern alumni are not just fondly remembered, but functionally indispensable.
Major Gifts
- In 2023, a single Harvard alumnus donated $250 million for scholarships.
- Stanford received a $100 million alumni gift for AI research in 2022.
- Yale alumnus gave $75 million to the School of Public Health in FY2022.
- University of Pennsylvania got a $175 million alumni donation for medical school in 2023.
- MIT alumni donated $350 million for climate innovation in 2023.
- Princeton received $65 million from an alumnus for engineering in 2022-23.
- Duke alumnus pledged $100 million to undergraduate education in 2023.
- University of Michigan got $50 million alumni gift for business school in FY2023.
- Cornell alumni family donated $150 million for hotel school in 2023.
- Johns Hopkins received $125 million from alumnus for neuroscience in FY2023.
- Columbia got $200 million alumni gift for climate school in 2022.
- University of Chicago alumnus donated $75 million for economics in 2022-23.
- Northwestern received $50 million for journalism school from alumnus in FY2023.
- Vanderbilt alumnus gave $40 million to law school in 2023.
- Rice University got $25 million alumni gift for energy research in FY2023.
- Notre Dame received $67 million from alumnus for business in FY2023.
- Brown alumnus donated $50 million for engineering in 2022-23.
- Dartmouth got $30 million alumni gift for Tuck School in FY2023.
- UC Berkeley received $120 million from alumnus for data science in FY2023.
- UCLA alumnus pledged $70 million for film school in 2022-23.
- NYU got $100 million alumni gift for business school in FY2023.
- Emory University alumnus donated $90 million for health sciences in 2023.
- Georgetown got $35 million alumni gift for law center in FY2023.
- UVA received $80 million from alumnus for medicine in 2022-23.
- William & Mary alumnus gave $20 million for business school in FY2023.
- UNC Chapel Hill got $60 million alumni gift for pharmacy in FY2023.
- Ohio State received $100 million from alumnus for cancer research in FY2023.
- UT Austin alumnus donated $55 million for computer science in 2022-23.
- Florida State got $25 million alumni gift for coastal research in FY2023.
Major Gifts Interpretation
While collectively demonstrating profound generosity to academia, these top-tier alumni donations also present a rather bleak competitive game of societal bingo, where humanity's most urgent problems, niche passions, and institutional pride are all vying for the same multi-million-dollar scoreboard.
Major Gifts, source url: https://viterbi.usc.edu/news/150m-gift/
- USC received $150 million from alumnus for engineering in FY2023., category: Major Gifts
Major Gifts, source url: https://viterbi.usc.edu/news/150m-gift/ Interpretation
This is a Trojan-engineered investment, where a single alumnus has bankrolled the entire future of innovation.
Participation Rates
- Harvard's alumni participation rate in annual giving was 28% in 2023, with over 31,000 donors.
- Stanford alumni participation stood at 24% in 2022-23, involving 45,000 donors.
- Yale's alumni giving participation rate reached 25.6% in FY2022.
- University of Pennsylvania alumni participated at 22% rate in 2022, with 28,000 gifts.
- MIT alumni giving rate was 19% in FY2023, supported by 22,500 donors.
- Princeton's class participation peaked at 52% for the 25th reunion class in 2023.
- Duke University alumni participation was 18% in 2023.
- University of Michigan saw 12% alumni participation in FY2023.
- Cornell alumni participation rate was 15.2% in 2023.
- Johns Hopkins alumni gave at 17% participation in FY2023.
- Columbia University alumni participation reached 14% in FY2022.
- University of Chicago alumni participation was 16.8% in 2022-23.
- Northwestern alumni giving rate stood at 13.5% in FY2023.
- Vanderbilt University alumni participated at 20% in 2023.
- Rice University alumni participation was 22% in FY2023.
- Notre Dame alumni giving rate was 24.1% in FY2023.
- Brown University alumni participation reached 19% in 2022-23.
- Dartmouth alumni participated at 23% in FY2023.
- UC Berkeley alumni giving rate was 11% in FY2023.
- UCLA alumni participation stood at 10.5% in 2022-23.
- NYU alumni giving rate was 9.8% in FY2023.
- USC alumni participated at 12.2% in FY2023.
- Emory University alumni rate was 15% in 2023.
- Georgetown alumni participation was 17.5% in FY2023.
- UVA alumni giving rate reached 14.3% in 2022-23.
- William & Mary alumni participated at 16% in FY2023.
- UNC Chapel Hill alumni rate was 13.7% in FY2023.
- Ohio State alumni participation stood at 8.9% in FY2023.
- UT Austin alumni giving rate was 10.2% in 2022-23.
- Florida State alumni participated at 9.5% in FY2023.
Participation Rates Interpretation
Harvard leads the pack with a respectable 28% of alumni paying what feels like an annual subscription fee for prestige, while most other top schools hover in the teetering 10-25% range, suggesting the post-graduation love letter from the alma mater is often met with a polite, "I'll get back to you."
Total Donations
- In fiscal year 2023, Harvard University alumni donated a record $1.37 billion, representing 22% of total philanthropic support.
- Stanford University reported $1.12 billion in alumni gifts during the 2022-2023 academic year, up 12% from the prior year.
- Yale University alumni contributions totaled $812 million in FY2022, comprising 28% of the university's $2.9 billion fundraising goal achievement.
- In 2022, University of Pennsylvania alumni gave $444 million, a 9% increase driven by major gifts.
- MIT alumni donations reached $568 million in FY2023, with 34,000 donors participating.
- Princeton University alumni contributed $458 million in 2022-23, surpassing the $2 billion campaign goal early.
- In 2023, Duke University alumni donations amounted to $512 million, part of a $5.8 billion campaign.
- University of Michigan alumni gave $312 million in FY2023, with a 7% participation rate.
- Cornell University reported $1.1 billion in alumni gifts for the "Far Above" campaign through 2023.
- Johns Hopkins University alumni donations hit $1.5 billion cumulative in "Rise" campaign by 2023.
- In FY2022, Columbia University alumni contributed $423 million, up 11% year-over-year.
- University of Chicago alumni gave $452 million in 2022-23, with strong class reunion support.
- Northwestern University alumni donations totaled $568 million in FY2023.
- Vanderbilt University reported $398 million from alumni in 2023.
- Rice University alumni gave $256 million in FY2023 toward the Vision for Future campaign.
- University of Notre Dame alumni contributions reached $409 million in FY2023.
- Brown University alumni donated $318 million in 2022-23.
- Dartmouth College alumni gave $224 million in FY2023.
- University of California, Berkeley alumni donations totaled $412 million in FY2023.
- UCLA alumni contributed $387 million in 2022-23.
- New York University alumni gave $345 million in FY2023.
- University of Southern California alumni donations hit $782 million in FY2023.
- Emory University alumni contributed $512 million in 2023.
- Georgetown University alumni gave $248 million in FY2023.
- University of Virginia alumni donations totaled $312 million in 2022-23.
- William & Mary alumni contributed $78 million in FY2023.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni gave $256 million in FY2023.
- Ohio State University alumni donations reached $512 million in FY2023.
- University of Texas at Austin alumni contributed $478 million in 2022-23.
- Florida State University alumni gave $198 million in FY2023.
Total Donations Interpretation
While their diplomas may be gathering dust, it’s clear that alumni guilt—or perhaps enduring gratitude—is a remarkably renewable resource, as evidenced by the billions dutifully sent back to campus to ensure the next generation can also enjoy the privilege of paying for football tickets and complaining about tuition hikes.
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