Success Advice

13 Successful Billionaires Who Dropped Out Of College

Published

10 years ago

Feb 9, 2012

Joel Brown (Founder of Addicted2Success.com)

These college dropouts are great examples of flunkers who can achieve success against the odds. They prove that if you work hard then you can be successful no matter what. Even if you are from a not so rich family, even if you decide to leave college, if you have enough drive and focus you can make your dreams come true.

Read on for the full list of the 13 Successful Billionaires Who Dropped Out Of College.

The 13 College Dropouts Who Made More Than A Billion Dollars

Bill Gates

$56 Billion

Education: Dropped out of Harvard.

Success: Co-Founder of Microsoft, Major Philanthropist.

Larry Ellison

$39.5 Billion

Education: Dropped out of University of Illinois Champagne-Urbana.

Success: Founder of Oracle, A Major Software Enterprise company.

Sheldon Adelson

$23.3 Billion

Education: Dropped out of City College Of New York.

Success: Sheldon Adelson is the Chairman & CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp, the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited which operates the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo & Convention Center.

Michael Dell

$14.6 Billion

Education: Dropped out of University Of Texas, Austin.

Success: Founder of Dell Computers.

Paul Allen

$13.5 Billion

Education: Dropped out of Washington State University.

Success: Co-Founder of Microsoft, owner of Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers, Major Philanthropist.

Mark Zuckerberg

$13.5 Billion

Education: Dropped out of Harvard.

Success: Founder of Facebook. Youngest billionaire in history.

Francois Pinault

$8.7 Billion

Education: Dropped out Of Saint-Martin school, in Rennes.

Success: Owner of Converse Shoes, Samsonite Luggage. Majority shareholder of brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Puma.

Steve Jobs (R.I.P)

$8.3 Billion

Education: Dropped out of Reed College.

Success: Founder of Apple Inc & Pixar.

Jack C. Taylor

$7.4 Billion

Education: Dropped out of Washington University.

Success: Founder of Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Micky Arison

$5.9 Billion

Education: Dropped out of University Of Miami.

Success: CEO of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise operator and owner of the NBA’s Miami Heat.

Ralph Lauren

$5.8 Billion

Education: Dropped out of Baruch College.

Success: Founder of Ralph Lauren Clothing.

David Geffen

$5.1 Billion

Education: Dropped out of University Of Texas, Austin.

Success: Record executive, founder of Asylum Records and one of the three founders of DreamWorks.

Ronald Wayne Burkle

$3.2 Billion

Education: Dropped out of California State Polytechnic.

Success: Supermarket magnate, Invested in Sean John (Diddy’s Clothing Line) & American Apparel.

Up Next

7 Crucial Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Should Pack Their Bags & Travel

Don't Miss

The Thin Line Between Cocky & Confident – Which One Are You? | 10 Steps To Confidence

Joel Brown (Founder of Addicted2Success.com)

I am the the Founder of Addicted2Success.com and I am so grateful you're here to be part of this awesome community. I love connecting with people who have a passion for Entrepreneurship, Self Development & Achieving Success. I started this website with the intention of educating and inspiring likeminded people to always strive for success no matter what their circumstances. I'm proud to say through my podcast and through this website we have impacted over 200 million lives in the last 10 years.

19 Comments

Success Advice

If You Want to Lead, You Need to Read

Published

5 days ago

Jun 21, 2022

M.S. Rao

Image Credit: Unsplash

A common habit that extraordinary achievers, leaders, and CEOs seem to share is the habit of reading regularly. They find time to read books despite being busy with their regular activities and tasks. Bill Gates admits, “I had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the fact that I had a chance to read a lot.” Reading makes leaders. And reading makes people smart and wise. It makes them more aware and better equipped to achieve their goals and objectives. Here are innumerable advantages associated with reading. (more…)

Success Advice

How to Find Creative Solutions by Emptying Your Mind

Published

1 week ago

Jun 18, 2022

Ronald A. Alexander

Image Credit: Unsplash

I’ve always been fascinated by how creative artists describe their process. Inevitably, they talk about being in a state of open mind where the download of core creativity can happen. I know painters who sit in front of a blank canvas staring at it and guitarists who will sit looking at the ocean, guitar at their side, waiting for an idea to appear. (more…)

Success Advice

It’s Imperative That Women Take the Field And Find Success

Published

1 week ago

Jun 16, 2022

Pam Kosanke

Image Credit: Unsplash

As a former Division I softball player, captain of multiple USA Women’s Rugby Teams, and an elite Aquabike athlete for Team USA, I’ve experienced more bumps, bruises, and concussions than I can remember. But that doesn’t compare to the challenges I encountered while bringing to life my vision: a revolutionary toy that celebrates girls’ and young women’s athletic identities. (more…)

Success Advice

How to Develop a Growth Mindset: 7 Steps to Achieving Success

Published

3 weeks ago

Jun 6, 2022

Rei Shen

Image Credit: Unsplash

Have you ever thought about what mindset you need to achieve success? Do you wonder what secret recipe you need to follow to reach lifelong goals? (more…)