While some people may achieve fame and fortune with little education, many famous people have attained their success through years of hard work and dedication to their studies. Here is a list of some notable individuals and the level of education they completed.
Bill Gates
Co-founder of Microsoft, attended Harvard University where he studied mathematics and computer science.
Mark Zuckerberg
Co-founder of Facebook, attended Harvard University where he studied psychology and computer science.
Steve Jobs
Co-founder of Apple, attended Reed College for a year before dropping out.
Oprah Winfrey
Talk show host and businesswoman, attended Tennessee State University where she studied communications.
Michael Jordan
Former basketball player, attended University of North Carolina where he studied geography with a minor in biology.
Maya Angelou
Author and poet, attended University of California, San Francisco where she studied drama and journalism.
Mayim Bialik
Actress on The Big Bang Theory, attended University of California, Los Angeles where she studied neuroscience.
Keira Knightley
Actress in Pirates of the Caribbean, Atonement, Anna Karenina and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) attended London’s Tonbridge Girls’ Grammar School from where she won a place at Queen’s College.
Matt Damon
Actor in The Martian, Good Will Hunting and Saving Private Ryan, attended Harvard University where he initially studied English before switching to government. He later earned an MFA in acting from the American Film Institute.
Timothee Chalamet
Actor in Interstellar, King, and Dune, attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City.
Jennifer Aniston
Actress in Horrible Bosses, The Good Girl and We’re the Millers, attended New York University where she studied journalism.
Will Smith
Actor in Concussion, Men In Black and Bad Boys, attended the University of Pennsylvania where he studied theater arts and graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
Jaden Smith
Actor and son of Will Smith, attended the New School in New York City where he studied humanities.
Selena Gomez
Singer and actress, attended High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Texas.
Miley Cyrus
Singer and actress, attended Options for Youth Charter School in Los Angeles.
Natalie Portman
Actress in Black Swan, Star Wars prequel trilogy and Garden State, attended Harvard University where she studied psychology and French.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Actor in The Wolf of Wall Street, Titanic and Inception, attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts where he studied acting.
Uma Thurman
Actress in Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 and Batman & Robin, attended the Chapin School in New York City where she studied ballet.
Robert De Niro
Actor in Taxi Driver, Casino and The Godfather Part II, attended Augustinian Academy where he took classes after school to catch up with other students. He later completed a year of schooling before dropping out, but he didn’t regret it as acting was always his first love.
Sam Worthington
Actor in Avatar and Terminator Salvation, attended Queenwood High School for boys where he studied drama and music.
Reese Witherspoon
Actress in Walk the Line, Legally Blonde and Wild, attended Stanford University where she studied English literature.
Kristen Stewart
Actress in Twilight, Adventureland and Clouds of Sils Maria, attended the local school in her hometown of Los Angeles.
Nicolas Cage
Actor in Leaving Las Vegas, Raising Arizona and National Treasure, attended Beverly Hills High School where he was expelled for two years. He later got his GED.
Our Thoughts
While a lot of famous people don’t have college degrees, that doesn’t mean they’re uneducated. In fact, many of them have studied a wide variety of topics at some very prestigious universities. Some of the most famous people who didn’t attend or finish college include Michael Jordan, Maya Angelou, Matt Damon, Will Smith, Selena Gomez and Nicolas Cage.
Interestingly, a lot of these celebrities have something in common: they studied the arts. Jordan, Angelou, Bialik, Knightley, Aniston, Cyrus and Portman all majored in the arts while attending college. DiCaprio, Worthington, Cage and Stewart all studied drama. And although it may not be an art form, Smith majored in government at Harvard.
So while a college degree isn’t necessary to be successful, it seems that a love for the arts is definitely helpful.