25 richest people in America and how they did it

CARINA JOHANSEN // Getty Images A shot at the Powerball jackpot or an unexpected holiday gift can make you feel like a million bucks. But there are people in the nation who are making millions every day. Some became entrepreneurs straight out of college; others worked at companies for years before conceiving life-changing inventions. Some of America’s most affluent people inherited their wealth, while others’ path to prosperity has all the makings of a rags-to-riches story. Who are the wealthiest people in America, and how have they maintained financial success? There are many ways to make money in America, from technology to investments to software development. Stacker compiled a list of the 25 wealthiest people in the nation. These individuals are ranked by estimated net worth, using Forbes 400 (Real Time) data accessed in November 2022. The list starts with people with tens of billions of dollars and climbs even higher, finishing with one person reported to be worth $200 billion. Continue reading to see where a shoe designer, Microsoft’s co-founders, and department store moguls rank on this list of the richest people in the country. You may also like: The unemployment rate the year you turned 16 #25. Jim Simons Roy Rochlin // Getty Images – Estimated net worth: $28.1 billion – Age: 84 – State of residence: New York – Source of wealth: hedge funds Famed mathematician Jim Simons left his academic career to helm the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies at 40. Simons pioneered the stock market industry with his data-driven approach. His methods are widely used in the stock market industry to this day. #24. Stephen Schwarzman David Fitzgerald // Getty Images – Estimated net worth: $29.1 billion – Age: 75 – State of residence: New York – Source of wealth: investments After leaving financial services firm Lehman Brothers in the 1980s, Stephen Schwarzman partnered with his friend Pete Peterson to start another investment firm, Blackstone Group. Blackstone Group expanded and led to Schwarzman’s success as a sought-after broker, providing advice to clients like the Department of the Treasury. #23. Jeff Yass