<p>Among universities and colleges that have released preliminary results of their investment performance, Yale was one of the biggest winners, earning a 22.3 percent return, which helped push its endowment to $15.2 billion. Stanford earned a 19.5 percent return in the 12 months ended in June, and its endowment grew to $12.4 billion. Harvard’s 19.2% investment return resulted in an eyepopping $25.9 billion endowment - larger than the budget of most countries in the United Nations.</p>
<p>Columbia earned 17.7 percent, and its endowment climbed to $4.9 billion. Brown, Dartmouth and Cornell all earned 13 percent to 15 percent. Princeton earned an Ivy-low 11.1%, as its endowment rose to about $11 billion. New York University earned 12.6 percent in the fiscal year that ended Aug. 31.</p>