Dylan Field, Figma CEO, has joined the ranks of tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, and Bill Gates, who made it big without a college degree. Field’s net worth has soared to $5 billion after his company’s roaring IPO, which saw its share price surge by 333% in just a few days.
Field’s decision to abandon an Ivy League education at Brown University was validated when he received the Peter Thiel Fellowship, which provided him with $200,000 to pursue his startup. His parents were initially skeptical, but Field felt confident that dropping out of high school due to struggles with structured education would be a good move.
Field is far from the first successful individual to have bypassed college. Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, Sam Altman, Larry Ellison, and Bill Gates are all notable examples. However, Gen Zers are increasingly questioning the value of higher education, with over a third of graduates believing their degree was a “waste of money.”
Zuckerberg attributes the disconnect between colleges and today’s workforce needs to the high cost of education and student debt issues. The tech mogul suggested that college may not be preparing students for the jobs they need to have in today’s market.
Field’s success serves as a reminder that dropping out of college is not a guarantee of failure, but rather an opportunity to pursue one’s passions and create something new. As the IPO market continues to fluctuate, Field’s $5 billion milestone is a testament to his hard work and determination.
Source: https://fortune.com/2025/08/05/billionaire-figma-ceo-dylan-field-college-drop-out-ivy-league-like-mark-zuckerberg-larry-ellison-and-bill-gates