The 10 Richest US Presidents Ever, Adjusted For Inflation
The sitting American president currently earns an annual salary of $400,000. While this sounds like a healthy pay, some U.S. presidents have taken home the equivalent of millions of dollars, when today’s rates and inflation levels have been accounted for. Here are the 10 wealthiest presidents in history, in today’s dollars…
10. John Tyler
As the 10th president of the United States of America, Tyler sat in office from 1841 until 1845. After the death of William Henry Harrison, a mere 31 days into his presidency, Vice President Tyler was the first to set the precedent of full presidential recognition following a president’s passing. Tyler was born into a prominent tobacco plantation-owning family in Virginia, and amassed a wealth of approximately $57 million.
9. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Roosevelt was president from 1933 until his passing in 1945, and both of his parents came from wealthy families. As rich as his family was, Roosevelt was still incredibly ambitious, and managed to pass the bar exam well before his graduation at law school. Both his legal and political careers contributed to his total worth of around $66 million.
8. Bill Clinton
Unlike many of the other presidents on this list, Bill Clinton didn’t come from generational wealth, but rather, from a working-class family. The Clintons would be considered middle-class by modern standards. After Clinton’s time in office, he would go on to make millions as a result of many book deals and speaker fees. He ultimately has become worth around $75 million.
7. Herbert Hoover
Hoover managed to build a substantial amount of wealth before he became president. So much so, that he never collected his presidential salary – instead dividing it between various charities and pay raises for his staff. For all his life, Hoover was known to work long hours, amassing an incredible $100 million dollars by 1914.
6. Lyndon B. Johnson
Johnson was originally vice president under John F. Kennedy, but was appointed the 36th president of the United States after Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. Born into a working-class family and doing day labor as a young man, Johnson worked his way through college before getting into politics. Through his political career, Lyndon B. Johnson was able to accumulate a net worth of more than $109 million.
5. James Madison
Regarded as the father of the constitution, James Madison was the fourth president of the country. Madison began his life in a prominent Virginia family, and went on to achieve a successful legal career before ending up in politics. He served as both a congressman and secretary of state prior to becoming president. As was the reality of society during his life, most of his $116 million in wealth can be attributed to the work and ownership of slaves.
4. Andrew Jackson
Jackson also owed much of his wealth to the work of slaves. He was born in the Carolina colonies, and worked as a saddle maker and educator before transitioning to his legal career, where he ultimately found himself in politics. By the end of his presidency, Andrew Jackson had $132 million in wealth.
3. Theodore Roosevelt
Roosevelt was born to a wealthy socialite and a successful Manhattan businessman, but suffered from crippling illness for most of his childhood. In spite of all the tragedy and loss he suffered in his life, after graduating Harvard and throughout his political career, he would build a total net worth of $139 million.
2. Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson was another beneficiary of generational wealth and benefited from unpaid labor. He also had a fascination for classical languages and history, enjoying a career as a lawyer, serving in Congress, and going on to write the Declaration of Independence. In total, he achieved $236 million in wealth.
1. George Washington
Another president born to a wealthy Virginia family was George Washington. However, he led a successful military career before entering politics. By the end of his political career, Washington would be worth a staggering $587 million.