Liberty University reported significant and positive growth in its endowment, according to the latest annual study conducted by the National Association of College and University Business Officers and Commonfund Institute.
Out of the top 100 endowments of colleges across the country, all of which are managing $1 billion or more, Liberty had the third-fastest growth rate from 2016 to 2017 at 19.2 percent. This was second only to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Liberty’s endowment rose from nearly $1.1 billion to close to $1.3 billion. Only 12 percent of the 809 colleges and universities that participated in the study have an endowment of more than $1 billion.
“Liberty’s endowment has been growing by a large amount every year. We have been a true outlier for a long time,” said Liberty President Jerry Falwell, noting that Liberty’s online programs provided the university with its financial footing. “We have remained a leading example in online education, making it possible for many adults, who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to attend college because of family and job responsibilities, to earn degrees. Our online programs gave the university a strong financial foundation many years before other colleges started adding online education.”
