Carnegie Mellon University receives $3B gift from donor, the largest in U.S. history

NPR | By Elissa Nadworny ,

Michel Martin

Published October 1, 2026 at 4:43 AM EDT

A $3 billion gift to Carnegie Mellon University is the largest single donation in the history of U.S. higher education, and it's part of a larger trend.

Elissa Nadworny

Elissa Nadworny is an NPR Correspondent covering higher education. She previously covered reproductive rights and abortion.

See stories by Elissa Nadworny

Michel Martin

Michel Martin is a host of Morning Edition.

See stories by Michel Martin

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.