U.S. Higher Education Endowments Report Stable Returns,
Increase Spending to $33.4 Billion in FY25
The NACUBO-Commonfund Study of 657 colleges and universities reports a 10-year average return of 7.7% as of fiscal year 2025
February 12, 2026 (Washington, DC) – In a turbulent year, U.S. colleges and universities increased spending from their endowments to help stabilize operations and support their students, faculty and missions, new data from the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and Commonfund show. Data from the 2025 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments® (NCSE), show that the 657 U.S. colleges and universities and affiliated foundations participating in the Study reported a 10-year average annual return of 7.7 percent on their endowment assets in fiscal year 2025, an increase from 6.8 percent last year. The one-year return for FY25 was 10.9 percent, down modestly from last year’s 11.2 percent.
The 657 institutions in this year’s study represented a total of $944.3 billion in endowment assets. The median endowment was $253.6 million, and more than one-quarter of Study participants had endowments that were $100 million or less.
In total, participating institutions withdrew $33.4 billion from their endowments during FY25, an 11.0 percent year-over-year increase and an increase over the past two years of more than 17.0 percent.
Institutions committed 47.4 percent of endowment spending to student financial aid, making it the single largest annual distribution of endowment assets. Additional distributions went to academic programs and research (17.7 percent of spending), endowed faculty positions (10.8 percent), operation and maintenance of campus facilities (7.6 percent), and all other purposes (16.6 percent). On average, institutions participating in the FY25 Study used their endowments to fund 15.2 percent of their annual operating expenses, up from 14 percent in FY24. (All data in the Study are for fiscal years beginning July 1 and ending the following June 30, which coincides with the fiscal calendars of the vast majority of colleges and universities.)
“This year’s report shows how important well-managed endowments are to colleges and universities,” said Kara D. Freeman, NACUBO President and CEO. “Endowments help fuel innovation and serve as a stable foundation for institutions. Because of challenges in the economy, some institutions relied more heavily on their endowments—but that additional spending benefited students, faculty, staff, research, operations, and more. Endowments make college possible and more affordable, and contribute to better lives for all.”
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