How Much Is Elon Musk Worth?
The CEO of rocket producer SpaceX and electric car maker Tesla, Elon Musk is changing the way the world moves. He wears many hats, including inventor, executive and futurist — roles that have paid him well. Elon Musk’s net worth is now up to $255.2 billion, according to Forbes. The entrepreneur’s worth increased by $25.6 billion overnight after Hertz announced they would be placing an order for 100,000 Telsa EVs for its fleet on Oct. 25.
See: The World’s 2,000 Billionaires Have More Wealth Than Almost 5 Billion People Combined
Elon Musk’s Net Worth: $255.2 Billion
Elon Musk built his fortune by turning his vision into reality. Before he graduated from high school, Musk earned $500 for a computer game he created. He then went on to found a series of successful tech companies and sell them for a hefty profit. His early interest in technology evolved into a career that made him the wealthiest person in the world as of 2021.
Net Worth: $255.2 billion
Date of Birth: June 28, 1971
Primary Sources of Wealth: Entrepreneur, inventor, investor
Career Highlights: CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors
See the List: These 47 Billionaires Got Richer During The Pandemic
Elon Musk’s Career Timeline
Elon Musk taught himself to program when he was a teenager living in his native South Africa. At the age of 17, he moved to Canada to attend Queen’s University, but he left after three years to attend the University of Pennsylvania. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. He later dropped out of a doctorate program and created his first company, Zip2 Corporation.
Read More: Elon Musk’s Biggest Bets That Paid Off
In 1999, Musk sold Zip2 for $307 million in cash and $34 million in stock options. He went on to found the company X.com, which was later acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in stock in 2002. That same year, Musk created SpaceX. The following year, he joined Tesla. Today, he owns 48% of SpaceX and 20% of Tesla.
Curious? Weird Things Top Billionaires Have in Common
Elon Musk’s Philanthropy
Since 2002, the Elon Musk Foundation has given away $25 million, with the bulk of this amount going to nonprofit science and education programs. The foundation also has funded $75 million in grants. In addition to donations from his foundation, Musk has given money to groups like Wikimedia Foundation, Big Green and Future of Life Institute.
Giving Back: Jeff Bezos and 14 Other Wealthy People & Families Chipping In To Fund Education
Elon Musk’s Real Estate
Musk owns a 100-year-old house in northern California. He bought it for $23.364 million in 2017. Previously, he also owned six other homes in California, including a 20,000-square-foot house in Bel-Air that he bought for $17 million in 2012 and a 9,300-square-foot house that he paid $24.25 million for in 2016. After announcing that he would sell half his worldly possessions, Musk sold his six Southern California properties.
Net worth information is accurate as of October 26, 2021. All other information is accurate as of Jan. 24, 2021.
More From GOBankingRates
Find Out Who Made GOBankingRates’ Best Credit Cards Lists and Get Helpful Tips
Social Security Benefits Might Get Cut Early — What Does It Mean for You?
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Is Elon Musk Worth?
