To be a billionaire you must have this degree

Kenya: A study of the world's billionaires examines has found the subject which has led most of them to success

A new study has revealed the degrees that create the most wealthy people.

More than a fifth, or 22 per cent, of the world's richest people studied engineering at university.

Twelve per cent read business studies, while nine per cent studied an arts subject at university - more than those who took economics and finance.

While science and maths only created 2 per cent each of the world's billionaires, the high number of engineering degrees supports those campaigning for a better emphasis in schools on STEM subjects - science, technology, engineering and maths.

The study was carried out by Approved Index, the business-to-business buying platform, which analysed the educational background of billionaires by examining the Forbes’ rich list of the wealthiest 100 people in the world.

It also showed that many millionaires have made their money by not going to university at all - or even dropping out.

Bill Gates, the richest person in the world on the Forbes rich list, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, the youngest person on the top 100 list, both dropped out of Harvard.

The study reveals that almost a third of the wealthiest people in the world do not have degrees, although their average wealth is lower than those with engineering degrees, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Amy Catlow, director at Approved Index, told the newspaper: "These findings undoubtedly add a new dimension to the debate about the relevance and value of a degree today and suggest that in order to have a thriving and diverse economy, we need to encourage a varied range of specialisms."