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Meet the 10 Billionaires Who Dropped Out of College

Published September 1st, 2020 - 05:00 GMT

Who said the road to success has to go through school and college?! Many scientists, businessmen and entrepreneurs have proven that formal education is not a prerequisite for success and to making money.

Here are 10 billionaires who made it to Forbes Billionaires list without a degree, and 2 of them are even centibillionaires!

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1. Ralph Lauren (Net worth: $5.6 billion)

1. Ralph Lauren (Net worth: $5.6 billion): He’s known as “the man who made American fashion cool”. The founder, executive chairman and chief creative officer of the Ralph Lauren empire went to Baruch College where he studied business But he dropped out after two years.

2. Jan Koum (Net worth: $10.2 billion)

2.Jan Koum (Net worth: $10.2 billion): The cofounder of the world's biggest mobile messaging service (WhatsApp) dropped out of San Jose State University. Jan Koum worked in Yahoo for 9 years before founding Whatsapp in 2009.

3. Mark Zuckerberg (Net worth: $107.8 billion)

3.Mark Zuckerberg (Net worth: $107.8 billion): The founder of Facebook left the renowned university of Harvard and started Facebook in 2004 at the age of 19 for students to match names with photos of classmates.

4. Ted Turner (Net worth: $2.2 billion)

4.Ted Turner (Net worth: $2.2 billion):The founder of the Cable News Network (CNN) was expelled from Brown University.

5. Ty Warner (Net worth: $2.3 billion)

5.Ty Warner (Net worth: $2.3 billion): Warner dropped out of Kalamazoo College because he couldn’t afford it. He is the creator of Beanie Babies, and gets a chunk of his fortune from his high-end hotel portfolio, which includes the Four Seasons in New York.

6. David Geffen (Net worth: $9.4 billion)

6.David Geffen (Net worth: $9.4 billion): David Geffen is the founder of record labels Asylum Records, Geffen Records and DGC Records, as well as film studio DreamWorks. He dropped out of The University of Texas at Austin.

7. Michael S. Dell (Net worth: $37.7 billion)

7.Michael S. Dell (Net worth: $37.7 billion): The founder of the Dell technologies empire spent his spare time as a student upgrading PCs and selling them. After his first year at The University of Texas at Austin, he dropped out of school and never came back.

8. Larry Ellison (Net worth: $76.9 billion)

8. Larry Ellison (Net worth: $76.9 billion): He is the co-founder and the executive chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle Corporation. Ellison dropped out of two different universities; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Chicago.

9. Bill Gates (Net worth: $117.3 billion)

9. Bill Gates (Net worth: $117.3 billion) Bill Gates decided to leave Harvard University after studying there for two years, and cofounded Microsoft with Paul Allen.

10. Steve Jobs (Net worth: $10.2 billion)

10. Steve Jobs (Net worth:$10.2 billion): He was one of the cofounders of one of the most valuable brands Apple. Jobs attended Reed College in Portland and reportedly dropped out after one semester.

1. Ralph Lauren (Net worth: $5.6 billion)
2. Jan Koum (Net worth: $10.2 billion)
3. Mark Zuckerberg (Net worth: $107.8 billion)
4. Ted Turner (Net worth: $2.2 billion)
5. Ty Warner (Net worth: $2.3 billion)
6. David Geffen (Net worth: $9.4 billion)
7. Michael S. Dell (Net worth: $37.7 billion)
8. Larry Ellison (Net worth: $76.9 billion)
9. Bill Gates (Net worth: $117.3 billion)
10. Steve Jobs (Net worth: $10.2 billion)
1. Ralph Lauren (Net worth: $5.6 billion)
1. Ralph Lauren (Net worth: $5.6 billion): He’s known as “the man who made American fashion cool”. The founder, executive chairman and chief creative officer of the Ralph Lauren empire went to Baruch College where he studied business But he dropped out after two years.
2. Jan Koum (Net worth: $10.2 billion)
2.Jan Koum (Net worth: $10.2 billion): The cofounder of the world's biggest mobile messaging service (WhatsApp) dropped out of San Jose State University. Jan Koum worked in Yahoo for 9 years before founding Whatsapp in 2009.
3. Mark Zuckerberg (Net worth: $107.8 billion)
3.Mark Zuckerberg (Net worth: $107.8 billion): The founder of Facebook left the renowned university of Harvard and started Facebook in 2004 at the age of 19 for students to match names with photos of classmates.
4. Ted Turner (Net worth: $2.2 billion)
4.Ted Turner (Net worth: $2.2 billion):The founder of the Cable News Network (CNN) was expelled from Brown University.
5. Ty Warner (Net worth: $2.3 billion)
5.Ty Warner (Net worth: $2.3 billion): Warner dropped out of Kalamazoo College because he couldn’t afford it. He is the creator of Beanie Babies, and gets a chunk of his fortune from his high-end hotel portfolio, which includes the Four Seasons in New York.
6. David Geffen (Net worth: $9.4 billion)
6.David Geffen (Net worth: $9.4 billion): David Geffen is the founder of record labels Asylum Records, Geffen Records and DGC Records, as well as film studio DreamWorks. He dropped out of The University of Texas at Austin.
7. Michael S. Dell (Net worth: $37.7 billion)
7.Michael S. Dell (Net worth: $37.7 billion): The founder of the Dell technologies empire spent his spare time as a student upgrading PCs and selling them. After his first year at The University of Texas at Austin, he dropped out of school and never came back.
8. Larry Ellison (Net worth: $76.9 billion)
8. Larry Ellison (Net worth: $76.9 billion): He is the co-founder and the executive chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle Corporation. Ellison dropped out of two different universities; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Chicago.
9. Bill Gates (Net worth: $117.3 billion)
9. Bill Gates (Net worth: $117.3 billion) Bill Gates decided to leave Harvard University after studying there for two years, and cofounded Microsoft with Paul Allen.
10. Steve Jobs (Net worth: $10.2 billion)
10. Steve Jobs (Net worth:$10.2 billion): He was one of the cofounders of one of the most valuable brands Apple. Jobs attended Reed College in Portland and reportedly dropped out after one semester.
Tags:Steve JobsBill GatesLarry EllisonMichael S. DellDavid GeffenTy WarnerTed TurnerMark ZuckerbergJan KoumRalph LaurenbillionaireBack to School

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