Engineers do indeed become wealthy! Let's see who are the world's top 25 richest engineers and how much money they make.
The world's top 25 richest engineers come from a variety of backgrounds. If you search for the highest-paid jobs or what industry will earn you the most money you would definitely find engineering near the top the list.
1. Jeff Bezos
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $112 billion
Company or companies: Amazon/Blue Origin
University Degree: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Forbes record Jeff's fortune to be around $112 Billion. making him the richest of the richest engineers. The founder and CEO of the largest e-commerce platform Amazon has an electrical and computer science engineering degree.
Jeff has soared to the top of Forbe's billionaire ranks as Amazon's stock rocketed over the last year or so. This rapid climb is partly due to Amazon's cloud-computing unit, Amazon Web Services. Bezos owns around 17% of Amazon.com and boasted in 2016 to shareholders that Amazon is the fastest company of all time to reach $100 billion in annual sales.
Bezos was raised by his mother and stepfather who was a Cuban immigrant who adopted him. He actually quit a very lucrative New York Hedge Fund career in 1994with the idea of selling books on the internet. Amazon now sells pretty much everything that you would want.
Bezos also has a passion for space travel. He formed an Aerospace company, Blue Origin, to develop a reusable rocket that Bezos intends to use to ferry passengers. He also purchased The Washington Post in 2013 for a paltry $250 million.
2. Bill Gates
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $90 billion
Company: Formerly Microsoft
University Degree: Never completed his undergraduate studies
According to Forbes, Bill's estimated wealth is around $90 billion. He is the second richest billionaire and 7th most powerful person, apparently.
"Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point. Its utility is entirely in building an organization and getting the resources out to the poorest in the world."
Although he technically didn't finish his undergraduate degree, his work since dropping out is certainly some of the most important in computer technology of all time.
His services to computer engineering should really qualify him as an honorary engineer if nothing else.
Bill Gates resigned as the head of Microsoft in 2014 but remains an advisor and board member for the company which he founded in 1975.
3. Bernard Arnault
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $72 billion
Company: LVMH
University Degree: Engineering
French businessman Bernard Arnault is the CEO of LVMH, a multinational luxury goods conglomerate owning Louis Vuitton and Moet Hennessey. He is also a vivid art collector, owning pieces of Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Henry Moore. According to Forbes, his net worth comes in at $72 billion making him also the 4th richest billionaire and 56th most powerful person.
Bernard is one of the word's ultimate tastemakers and oversees 70 brands including the likes of Dom Perignon, Bulgari, Louis Vuitton, Sephora, and Tag Heuer, as well as nearly 3,900 retail stores. He has been the LVMH's CEO since 1989 which made a record $40 billion in sales in 2016.
Although technically speaking Mr. Arnault's wealth isn't entirely engineering related, he does hold an Engineering degree from Ecole Polytechnique in France.
4. Mark Zuckerberg
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $71 billion
Company: Facebook
University Degree: Computer Science Engineering
Mark has a net worth of $71 billion according to Forbes. This places him in 4th place for the richest person in the world and 13th most powerful person. Mark's net worth has soared as Facebook's stock price has skyrocketed.
He is another University dropout who has done very well indeed, thank you. Mark left Harvard University in 2004 at the age of 19 to launch the global giant that is Facebook.
Mark and his wife have pledged to give away around 99% of their Facebook stake over their lifetimes.
5. Carlos Slim
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $67.1
Company: Telmex
University Degree: Civil Engineering
If you could imagine a scenario where your grocery store, cell phone provider and biggest national construction company were all owned by the same company, then you'd pretty much have described the situation in Mexico. Now picture one man in charge of all this - now you've described Carlos Slim.
According to Forbes Carlos Slim has a net worth of $67.1 Billion. Carlos Slim is not only one of the richest engineers on this list but is also the 7th richest man on the planet. Forbes also lists him as the 20th most powerful person on the planet.
He studied civil engineering in the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico and is now the CEO and chairman of Telmex (Mexico's only phone company), America Movil (Latin America's biggest mobile telecom firm), Samsung Mexico and Grupo Carso.
6. Charles Koch
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $60 billion
Company: Koch Industries
University Degree: Chemical and Mechanical Engineering
Charles has a net worth of $60 billion according to Forbes. Koch is said to be the 8th richest billionaire and 37th most powerful person, according to Forbes. Charles Koch received two M.Sc. in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering from MIT and together with his brother founded a chemical and oil-refining company Koch Industries, where he currently holds a position of a CEO.
This conglomerate has around $100 billion in sales from pipelines, chemicals, Dixie cups, Brawny paper towels, and Stainmaster carpets. His father Fred Koch founded the original company, Rock Island Oil & Refining Company, company in 1940 which managed to improve a method of refining heavy oil into gasoline.
7. David Koch
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $60 billion
Company: Koch Industries
University Degree: Chemical Engineering
The other brother of Koch Industries, David Kosh owns 42% of the company and is the Executive Vice President. Unlike his brother, David only studied chemical engineering, although still receiving both B.S. and an M.S. Forbes record his wealth as $60 billion.
He shares the 8th richest position with his brother. David shares the majority stake in Koch Industries which is the United States' second-largest privately held firm.
"The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless of their race, their gender, their national background, or their political persuasions." - Investopedia
Amazingly David survived a runway plane collision in 1991. He managed to feel his way down the aisle and pried open a door to escape.
8. Larry Ellison
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $58.5 billion
Company: Oracle
University Degree: Never completed his undergraduate studies
Larry is said to be worth $58.5 billion according to Forbes. They also list Larry as being the 10th richest person in the world. Larry co-founded the software giant Oracle in 1977 to take advantage of the growing market for customer relationship management databases.
He resigned his role as CEO in 2014 but is still involved as chairman and chief technology officer. Ellison like other entries on this list never completed his undergraduate degree and started to build databases for the CIA until founding Oracle.
9. Michael Bloomberg
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $50 billion
Company: Bloomberg L.P.
University Degree: Electrical Engineering
How rich is Michael Bloomberg? $50 billion according to Forbes, that's how. After studying electrical engineering in university, Bloomberg decided to turn to finance and founded his own company called Bloomberg L.P. in 1981.
"My first job out of school was on Wall Street and I stayed there for 15 years. It was a terrific ride. Everybody loved me-- right up until the day they fired me!"
Bloomberg is a global financial software, data, and media organization, where Michael Bloomberg holds 88% shares of the whole company.
Bloomberg got started on Wall Street in 1966 as an entry-level worker at investment bank Salomon Brothers. He started out counting bond and stock certificates and worked his way up to to the bond trading and then became a partner in 1972.
Michael was later demoted from his position as Head of Equity Trading and Sales in 1979. Michael Bloomberg was fired 15 years later when the company went public in 1981 with a severance package of $10 million.
10. Larry Page
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $48.8 billion
Company: Google
University Degree: Computer Science Engineering
Forbes lists Larry as having a net worth of $48.8 billion. This makes him the 12th richest billionaire and 10th most powerful person as well as the 5th richest person in tech.
"You never lose a dream; it just incubates as a hobby."
The CEO of Google co-founded the major search engine back in 1998 but owns only 16% of the shares. Having graduated with a master’s degree in computer science engineering from the University of Stanford he now contributed to all the important decisions made in Google.
Larry's rise to wealth began during his time at Stanford University when he met Sergey Brin. The pair decided to do a dissertation on how websites are linked to one another.
After this, they created PageRank which ranked websites based on their relative numbers of page links. This eventually evolved into what we now call Google.
The very first incarnation of Google roamed the Stanford website in 1996 and the rest is history.
Larry is a clean energy advocate and has even installed fuel cells and geothermal energy systems in his Palo Alto houses. He has reportedly, personally funded two secretive flying car startups, Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk.
11. Sergey Brin
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $47.5 billion
Company: Google
University Degree: Mathematics and Computer Science
The other co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, met Larry Page in Stanford and the two IT specialists started Google and became billionaires.
"Obviously everyone wants to be successful, but I want to be looked back on as being very innovative, very trusted and ethical and ultimately making a big difference in the world."
Forbes ranks Sergey as the 13th richest billionaire in the world and 35th most powerful person with a net worth of $47.5 billion.
Sergey's educational past isn't technically in engineering, however. He does hold degrees in mathematics, computer science, and heads various engineering projects like those self-driving cars we mentioned.
Sergey emigrated to the U.S. from Russia at the tender age of 6. This was in response to rising anti-semitic tensions in the Soviet Union.
12. Mukesh Ambani
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $40.1 billion
Company: Reliance Industries Limited
University Degree: Chemical Engineering
Forbes declares Mukesh's wealth at $40.1 billion. Indian chemical engineer Mukesh Ambani is the CEO and the largest shareholder of the second biggest company in India, Reliance Industries Limited.
He completed a BA degree in chemical engineering and was about to receive an MBA from Stanford when he decided to drop out and help his father with building Reliance.
Mukesh is the 19th richest billionaire, 32nd most powerful person and India's richest person.
Unlike others on the list, Ambani's wealth is directly related to his engineering degree. Reliance Industries Limited is listed on the Global 500 company list and it deals primarily in refining chemicals. Ambani is the largest shareholder of the company with 44.7% of all shares.
13. Len Blavatnik
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $20.2 billion
Company: Access Industries
University Degree: Railway Engineering (incomplete) and Computer Science
Forbes ranks Len as the 48th richest person in the world and he was the 56th most powerful person in 2014 with a wealth of $20.2 billion. He was born in Ukraine and raised in Moscow and emigrated to the U.S in 1978.
Len made his fortune by selling his stakes in Russian oil company TNK-BP for $7 billion in 2013. Blavatnik attended Moscow State University of Railway Engineering but did not complete his coursework due to the family's request for immigration visas.
He later received a masters degree in computer science from Columbia Univesity.
14. Elon Musk
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $19.9 billion
Companies: Tesla/SpaceX/Neuralink/The Boring Company/Zip2/Paypal/OpenAI/SolarCity
University Degree: Physics and Economics
Elon Musk, according to Forbes, has a net worth of $19.9 billion. This makes him the 54th richest person in the world and the 25th most powerful person.
He was born and grew up in South Africa, emigrated to Canada when he was 17 and later attended the University of Pennsylvania as a US transfer student. After building Paypal (and selling) he later joined Tesla in 2003 and has been bringing high-end fully electric cars to market ever since.
He later founded SpaceX and various other companies. Part of his motive for his work is to revolutionize transportation both on Earth and in space.
15. Vladimir Lisin
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $19.1 billion
Company: Tulachermet Metal Works
University Degree: Civil Engineering
Vladimir Lisin is a Russian Steel tycoon who worked his way up through the ranks from working as a mechanic in a Soviet coal mine to become the Deputy Chief Engineer at Tulachermet Metal Works in 1986. Forbes estimates his wealth at $19.1 billion.
16. Azim Premji
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $18.8 billion
Companies: Wipro/Azim Premji Foundation/ Mission10X
University Degree: Electrical Engineering
Tech head honcho Azim Premji's $7.7 billion (income) Wipro, India's third-biggest outsourcer, has been on a purchasing binge to lift development. In 1966, on the news of his father's death, the then 21-year-old Azim Premji returned home from Stanford University, where he was studying engineering, to take charge of Wipro. Forbes estimates his wealth at $18.8 billion.
His latest procurement was Appirio, a cloud counseling firm situated in Indianapolis, for $500 million. Wipro began in 1945 as Western Indian Vegetable Products to make cooking oil from peanuts.
Premji relinquished his reviews to care for the privately-run company in 1966 when his dad Mohamed Hasham Premji passed on. He included new items, for example, cleansers to the organization's portfolio, however, an auspicious venture into programming brought him wealth.
A few years ago Premji finished 5 decades as Wipro's supervisor.
17. Leonid Mikhelson
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $18 billion
Company: Novatek
University Degree: Civil Engineering
Leonid Mikhelson founded but is also the chairman of, the natural gas producer Novatek. Forbes estimates his wealth as $18 billion.
His father led the largest pipeline construction trust in the Soviet Union and Leonid started his career as the foreman for a construction company building a pipeline in Russia's Tyumen region.
Leonid Mikhelson graduated from the Samara Institute of Civil Engineering in 1977.
18. Thomas Kwok
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $16.5 billion
Company: Sun Hung Kai Properties
University Degree: Civil Engineering
Forbes lists Thomas and his brother Walter's net worth at $16.5 billion. Thomas is the only brother who qualifies as an engineer, however.
They also suggest they are the 77th richest billionaires and 4th richest family in Hong Kong.
After studying civil engineering in Imperial College London, Kwok received an MBA and decided to go into the real estate.
He is now the chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties, a real estate company in Hong Kong.
Although his wealth has nothing to do with his degree, he did have intentions of becoming an engineer before his father died. Thomas was sentenced to 5 years in prison in 2014 for bribery.
19. Vagit Alekperov
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $16.4 billion
Company: Lukoil
University Degree: Science and Engineering
A previous Caspian Sea oil rig worker, Vagit Alekperov worked his way up to deputy minister of the oil industry in the Soviet Union. Vagit has a BSc in Science and Engineering from Azerbaijan Institute of Oil and Chemistry.
In 1991 he combined three ministry-controlled oil fields and set up Lukoil, now Russia's biggest independent oil organization. Alekperov penned a book called "Oil of Russia: Past, Present, and Future".
He made almost $600 million in profits in 2016. Forbes estimates his wealth at $16.4 billion.
20. James Ratcliffe
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $16.4 billion
Company: Ineos Group
University Degree: Chemical Engineering
James Ratcliffe is the founder, chairman and main shareholder in the chemical producing Ineos Group. He is a former Chemical Engineer and is one of the biggest players in the U.K. shale sector.
Ratcliffe mortgaged his house in 1992 to buy out BP Chemicals and later bought a single plant from them to found Ineos.
According to Forbes, his net worth is $16.4 billion and the 78th richest billionaire in the world.
21. Gennady Timchenko
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $16 billion
Company: Volga Group
University Degree: Electrical Engineering
Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko is a Russian businessman and billionaire with an estimated wealth of $16 billion according to Forbes.
Timchenko has stakes in many Russian businesses including gas company Novatek, petrochemical maker Sibur Holding amongst many others. He is considered one the most powerful people in Russia with close links to Putin himself.
Gennady began his career as an engineer in the Izhorsky plant near St. Petersburg, specializing in building power generators.
22. Mikhail Fridman
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $15.1 billion
Company: AlfaGroup
University Degree: Metallurgical Engineering
After graduation, Fridman started out as a metallurgical engineer in a state electrical machinery factory in the Soviet Union. Forbes estimates his net worth as $15.1 billion making him the 93rd richest person alive.
He holds controlling shares in the investment group AlfaGroup with other billionaires German Khan and Alexia Kuzmichew.
23. Shiv Nadar
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $14.6 billion
Company: HCL Technologies
University Degree: Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Shiv Nadar is an Indian Tech pioneer who helped co-found HCL in 1976 with the intention of making calculators and microprocessors.
He still chairs the company today which brings in a cool $8 billion revenue a year and is the 4th largest software services provider in India.
According to Forbes, he is the 98th richest billionaire in the world and the 18th richest in tech.
24. Viktor Vekselberg
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $14.4 billion
Company: Renova Group
University Degree: Mechanical Engineering
Viktor has a net worth of $14.4 billion, according to Forbes. He is a Ukrainian-born aluminum baron who made his first million selling scrap copper from worn-out cables.
Viktor later bought several medium-sized aluminum smelters and bauxite mines that he merged into Sual Holding in 1996.
25. Eric Schmidt
Net Worth (As of June 2018 - Forbes Data): $14 billion
Companies: Google/Innovation Endeavours
University Degree: Electrical Engineering
Eric recently resigned as the Executive Chairman of Alphabet (googles parent company) after 17 years in the seat. He is still working as their technical advisor.
Eric co-founded Innovation Endeavours which is a venture capital firm that has, to date, raised $676.5 million.
Schmidt has a net worth of $14 billion making him the 106th billionaire in the world. He is also the 22nd richest person in tech, according to Forbes.
0 Comments