Most billionaires aren't in traditional "jobs" but are founders, executives, or investors, primarily in Finance & Investments, Technology, Fashion & Retail, Manufacturing, and Healthcare, often gaining wealth by owning significant equity in their scalable businesses, making smart investments, or creating/leading large companies that solve major needs. While some started in sales or technical roles, their wealth comes from building empires, not just salaries, through ownership and strategic growth in these key sectors.
“Since reporting started in 2010–11, surgeons have remained the highest paid occupation with the 4,247 individuals reporting an average taxable income of $472,475 in 2022–23,” the report read. Anaesthetist and financial dealer were in second and third place with $447,193 and $355,233 respectively.
Andrew Carnegie famously said, “90% of all millionaires become so through owning real estate.” Is that true? I've actually used this quote before in some of my content and firm materials, but Carnegie said it over 100 years ago.
10 Things Millionaires Love That ONLY 2% of People Actually Do
29 related questions found
Is $2 million a multi-millionaire?
Still commonly used is multimillionaire, which refers to individuals with net assets of 2 million or more of a currency. There are approximately 584,000 US$ multimillionaires who have net assets of $10M+ worldwide in 2017.
$1M is commonly described High Net Wealth person in the financial world. $1M is (approximately) what lands you in the top 1% in this country age 25-35.
Cultivating in- demand skills like computer science and technology is a critical way to get in the front door of new media and new money. Read about successful billionaires and how they made their fortunes, such as Warren Buffett or Jon Huntsman, Sr. Being wise with your money is the surest way to amass more of it.
As of June 2025, a total of 2,838 billionaires were counted worldwide, according to Forbes. Of these, 67% are considered self-made, while 33% inherited their wealth. Behind this global average lies a wide spectrum, from nearly total self-made wealth to almost complete dynastic transfer.
Key takeaways. Medical professionals — including anesthesiologists, surgeons, OBGYNs, and psychiatrists — hold the highest paying jobs in America, bringing in $239,200 or more a year on average.
Yes, Kim Kardashian is generally considered richer than Taylor Swift, though both are billionaires, with Kardashian often leading due to her successful businesses like SKIMS, while Swift's wealth comes from music, tours (like The Eras Tour), and films. Recent reports (late 2025) place Kardashian's net worth around $1.9 billion, slightly ahead of Swift's $1.6 billion, though these figures fluctuate.
By 2035, some predict there will be at least five trillionaires in the world, but no one has reached that yet. A trillionaire is someone who has accumulated a net worth of at least one trillion of their local currency.
