Investment Office
Assets and Performance
Photo credit: Joe Colon
Endowment Market Value
Total endowed funds as of June 30, 2024, were $1,270.5 million, as compared to $1,199.1 million the previous year—an increase of $71.4 million. The change in total value from year to year results from changes in the market value of investments, gifts received from donors, and the endowment spending payout. The payout from the endowment supports Oberlin’s operating budget and provides long-term funding for student financial aid, faculty compensation, and academic programs.
Endowment Market Value (20 Year Trend)
Investment Performance
In fiscal year 2024, Oberlin’s net total investment return for the endowment was 8.5 percent as compared to a total net return in fiscal year 2023 of 5.1 percent, resulting in continued top quartile rankings across the institution’s peer group in the five, and ten-year measurement periods.
Endowment and Benchmark Returns
Accessible data table
| 1 year | 3 year | 5 year | 10 year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oberlin endowment | 1 year 8.5% | 3 year 2.7% | 5 year 10.2% | 10 year 8.3% |
| Strategic benchmark | 1 year 10.0% | 3 year 3.3% | 5 year 9.3% | 10 year 7.3% |
| 70% MSCI ACWI/30% Barclays Aggregate | 1 year 14.2% | 3 year 3.0% | 5 year 7.6% | 10 year 6.5% |
Peer Comparison
Average Annual Compound Returns ($1-5 Billion Endowments)
Accessible description ($1-5 billion endowments)
The Y axis shows return percent, and the X axis shows 4 categories: 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, and 10 years. For each category, a shaded column indicates the range of returns for all institutions, divided into quartiles. Oberlin’s return is plotted as a point in the column. The height of each column shrinks as the time period gets longer, indicating reduced variance for longer time periods.
- In the 1-year category, returns range from a low of about 4% to a high of about 16%, with the median at about 10%. Oberlin's return of 8.5% is at the top of the fourth quartile.
- In the 3-year category, returns range from -2% to about 7%, with the median at about 3%. Oberlin's return of 2.7% is in the third quartile.
- In the 5-year category, returns range from 5% to about 8%, with the median at about 9%. Oberlin's return of 10.2% is in the top quartile.
- In the 10-year category, returns range from about 5% to about 11%, with the median at about 7%. Oberlin's return of 8.3% is in the top quartile.
Asset Allocation
Oberlin’s endowment has a highly diversified portfolio with allocations to fixed income/cash, public equity, and alternative strategies that include absolute return, private equity venture capital, and real assets. The following is the college’s long-term strategic target and actual endowment portfolio allocation for the year ending June 30, 2024.
| Asset Allocation | Strategic Target % | Actual % |
|---|---|---|
| Asset Allocation Cash and cash equivalents | Strategic Target % 4 | Actual % 8 |
| Asset Allocation Fixed income | Strategic Target % 3 | Actual % 3 |
| Asset Allocation Developed markets equity | Strategic Target % 27 | Actual % 27 |
| Asset Allocation Emerging markets equity | Strategic Target % 9 | Actual % 9 |
| Asset Allocation Absolute return | Strategic Target % 20 | Actual % 16 |
| Asset Allocation Private equity | Strategic Target % 15 | Actual % 11 |
| Asset Allocation Venture capital | Strategic Target % 17 | Actual % 23 |
| Asset Allocation Real assets | Strategic Target % 5 | Actual % 3 |
| Asset Allocation Total | Strategic Target % 100% | Actual % 100% |
All data provided on this page is updated with audited financial statements and publicly released surveys on an annual basis as of June 30.