Alice Walton got $33 billion richer last year without running a company. She’s building a tuition-free medical school instead

Alice Walton, the youngest child of Walmart founder Sam Walton, saw her net worth soar by $33 billion between March 2025 and March 2026, according to Forbes. Despite her wealth, Walton has not run Walmart or even served on its board, unlike her brothers who hold significant shares of the company. Instead, she is dedicated to medicine and philanthropy.

In 2021, she founded the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Arkansas, which offers a tuition-free four-year medical program and welcomed its first class in 2025. Walton emphasizes the importance of teaching doctors about nutrition and exercise, as they are not currently compensated for these aspects of patient care.

The medical school has already expanded to accommodate a second cohort in fall 2025. In addition to her philanthropic work, Walton is also investing in healthcare infrastructure. On September 17, the Alice L. Walton Foundation broke ground on a new health campus in Bentonville, Arkansas, in partnership with Mercy health system and Cleveland Clinic.

This campus, funded with $350 million from the Walton Foundation, will feature a 250-bed hospital, a cancer center, and a specialty care center focused on cardiac services, slated to open in 2029.