Carnegie Mellon Endowment Stands at $3.1B in 2023

The value of Carnegie Mellon University's endowment stood at $3.1 billion as of June 30, 2023. 

Distributions from the endowment totaled nearly $131 million, equivalent to 8.9% of annual operating expenditures, growing from less than 5% during the last decade to support scholarships and other aspects of the university’s education and research mission.

Carnegie Mellon's endowment investments returned 2.9% for the June 30 fiscal year, net of all fees and expenses. The endowment's per annum investment returns for trailing 10-year, five-year, and three-year periods averaged 9.9%, 10.1% and 12.4%, respectively.

The university's endowment value does not include assets from The Dietrich Foundation(opens in new window), which also generates returns to benefit Carnegie Mellon. The endowment receives 53.5% of the foundation's annual distributions. Applying this percentage to The Dietrich Foundation's assets as of June 30, 2023, results in a $769 million share. The endowment, in combination with this share, totals $3.9 billion invested for the benefit of Carnegie Mellon's students, faculty and programs in perpetuity.

"IPOs and sales of companies to strategic buyers have been few and far between lately, thereby creating a void in private company realizations and keeping returns low. We continue to focus our global investment strategy on opportunities to compound investment returns at attractive rates over the long term, while our investment managers continue to work with portfolio companies to add value" said Charles A. Kennedy(opens in new window), Carnegie Mellon's chief investment officer. "Through continued support from our generous donors and ongoing partnerships with top investment managers, the endowment will continue to increase its meaningful role in supporting the university’s students, faculty and programs."