Elon Musk holds two bachelor's degrees from the University of Pennsylvania: a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the College of Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School, graduating in 1997 after attending Queen's University in Canada first. He briefly started a PhD in applied physics at Stanford but left after two days to pursue entrepreneurship.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Musk earned two bachelor's degrees in physics and economics in 1997. According to BestColleges, he also briefly attended a Ph. D. program in applied physics and materials science at Stanford University but left after two days to pursue his entrepreneurial goals.
He entered Princeton University planning to study physics, but soon returned to his love of computers, and graduated with a degree in computer science and electrical engineering. After graduation, Jeff Bezos found employment on Wall Street, where computer science was increasingly in demand to study market trends.
Elon Musk is an entrepreneur with a strong physics background, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, but he's widely considered a great engineer in practice due to his deep, hands-on involvement in product design and engineering at companies like SpaceX and Tesla, even without a formal engineering degree. His physics knowledge informs his systematic, first-principles approach to solving complex engineering challenges in aerospace and automotive industries.
Elon Musk never went to Harvard. He studied physics and economics at the University of Pennsylvania, then left formal schooling behind to build companies from scratch. Most of what made him successful came after school.
Did Mark Zuckerberg graduate from college? After launching thefacebook.com in 2004, Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard University to concentrate on the fledgling company. In 2017 Zuckerberg received an honorary degree from the university. Where did Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan meet?
Musk did reasonably well in school when it comes to mathematics. But he took an autodidactic approach to learning rocket science on his way to founding SpaceX. Rather than follow a linear and traditional path, he created his own self-education program.
Bezos graduated from Princeton in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE), summa cum laude.
Elon Musk disclosed he has Asperger's syndrome (now considered part of Autism Spectrum Disorder) during his May 2021 Saturday Night Live monologue, noting it explains his sometimes unusual behavior and intense focus, with his mother also confirming his traits since childhood. While Asperger's isn't a formal diagnosis anymore, it highlights his challenges with social cues and literal thinking, which he frames as strengths in his work, alongside potentially related mood shifts mentioned in biographies, though he tweeted about bipolarity without a formal diagnosis.
Engineering
This might surprise you, but the scope of engineering is huge and widening! KEY FACT: Engineering is the most common degree among the billionaires. 22% of the world's top 100 billionaires studied engineering.
Jeff Bezos's 1-Hour Rule is a morning routine focused on avoiding screens (phones, laptops) for the first hour of the day, allowing for slow, deliberate activities like reading, having coffee, exercising, or spending time with family, which he claims enhances focus, energy, and decision-making, a practice supported by neuroscience for promoting clearer thinking and reducing digital fatigue.
Yes, Jeff Bezos famously kept his Amazon base salary at around $80,000 per year for decades, choosing to take most of his compensation through stock options, which grew immensely as the company succeeded, making him one of the world's wealthiest individuals without a high executive paycheck. He felt he had enough incentive as a major owner and preferred building wealth by increasing the value of his existing equity rather than taking more salary or bonuses.
Yes, Donald Trump graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics, after transferring from Fordham University. He spent two years at Fordham before moving to Wharton, where he completed his degree in business and finance, which served as the foundation for his real estate career.
For Elon Musk, 42 primarily signifies a nod to Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, representing the "Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything," but also serves as a reminder to keep asking better questions about humanity's future, with SpaceX Starship's design incorporating it as a philosophical Easter egg. He uses it to link deep space exploration with existential inquiry, urging consciousness expansion to understand life's true meaning, beyond just the number.
While Jeff Bezos's exact IQ isn't officially published, he's estimated to have a very high score, often cited around 150, placing him in the genius range, consistent with his academic success at Princeton and visionary business leadership, though IQ tests don't capture his full range of strategic, creative, and social intelligence.
1. Elon Musk – Net Worth: $250 billion. Musk studied physics and engineering, and his ventures include Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink. 2. Bernard Arnault Net Worth $181 billion.
Mark Cuban holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in management from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, graduating in 1981, after transferring from the University of Pittsburgh. He chose IU for its affordable business program, and while he took MBA classes there, he never completed an MBA degree, instead focusing on building his businesses like MicroSolutions and Broadcast.com.
Studies show Musk's estimated IQ falls between 155-160, which puts him close to Albert Einstein's estimated range of 160-165. These numbers tell just part of the story though. Einstein changed how we see space, time, and gravity, creating basic principles that still shape modern physics today.
Musk told The Wall Street Journal in 2023 that he usually goes to bed around 3 a.m. and sleeps for six hours. So, he's typically waking up around 9 a.m. each day.
Googlers call Zuckerberg's approach the 80 percent rule
She calls this idea the 80 percent rule. It states you should schedule only about 80 percent of your days. Leave 20 percent open to absorb whatever craziness comes up.
In 2007, Gates returned to campus to deliver the Commencement address and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws. “I've been waiting more than 30 years to say this: Dad, I always told you I'd come back and get my degree,” he said then.
Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to pursue his software company, although he states “if things hadn't worked out, I could always go back to school. I was officially on leave.” Matt Damon was a member of Harvard's Delphic final club.