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- 2026 net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source of wealth: Basketball

Considered one of the all-time greatest basketball players—on March 4, 2025, he —LeBron James is the to make Forbes' billionaire list. James started his NBA career at 18 years old with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he went on to play for the Miami Heat and his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers. Beyond basketball, James makes money through endorsement deals with Pepsi, Walmart, and Nike and has equity in Beats by Dre and Blaze Pizza. In July 2024, James signed a with the Lakers, worth $101.35 million.

- 2026 net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source of wealth: Golf

Tiger Woods is considered one of the best golfers ever and is tied for first in PGA Tour wins. He is the —after LeBron James—to make the Forbes billionaire list. In April 2024, Woods finished the Masters with the .

Beyond golf, Woods makes money through his investments in real estate, a golf course design business, a high-end mini-golf chain, and TMRW Sports, a tech and sports venture he co-founded and used to launch a , TGL.

- 2026 net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source of wealth: Movies, television

Tyler Perry is a director, actor, producer, and writer who built his empire from movies and television. He owns 100% of his content, including the popular "Madea" franchise. Perry lives in Atlanta, where his 330-acre, 12-stage Tyler Perry Studios is located. Perry is currently one of Hollywood's biggest moguls, expanding his deals with both and in early 2024. In 2025 alone, he has written, directed, and produced the films "Tyler Perry's Duplicity," "Straw," "Madea's Destination Wedding," and "Tyler Perry's Finding Joy."

- 2026 net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source of wealth: Software

Tope Awotona is the founder and CEO of Calendly, a software company that automates meeting scheduling. Born in Nigeria, Awotona and his family immigrated to Atlanta when he was a teenager. He has a background in and founded Calendly in 2013. As of 2025, Awotana is one of the in the U.S.

- 2026 net worth: $1.4 billion
- Source of wealth: Basketball, investments

In , NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson became the fourth athlete to attain billionaire status. Renowned for his creativity on the court throughout his 13-year career, Johnson made most of his money from business deals and investments. He currently owns a highly lucrative majority stake in life-insurance company EquiTrust, and has purchased and sold stakes in Starbucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, his former team. Johnson also serves as the chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises.

- 2026 net worth: $2.5 billion
- Source of wealth: Multiple

Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, is a multihyphenate and . As of August 2025, he is the only rapper to claim a spot on . The record producer and entrepreneur is also married to singer Beyoncé. Jay-Z's wealth comes from his fine art collection, music catalog, the Roc Nation entertainment company he founded, and various brand investments, including liquor, clothing lines, music streaming, a chain of sports bars, and more.

- 2026 net worth: $3.1 billion
- Source of wealth: TV shows

Oprah Winfrey was the first Black woman billionaire in the U.S. and is the only woman on this list. The foundation of her wealth is her nationally syndicated talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which aired for 25 years starting in 1986. Winfrey leveraged her talk show into a that now includes the OWN cable channel and Harpo Productions. Winfrey, born in Mississippi and raised in Milwaukee and Nashville, has made additional money as an actor and an investor in WeightWatchers.

She's also known for her philanthropy, which is what she says makes her the happiest. "That philosophy of sharing what you have, understanding that all things in life get better when you share it, and when you do something for someone else, the benefit comes back to you as well as to them," in late 2023. "That's where I get my great joy."

- 2026 net worth: $3.8 billion
- Source of wealth: Charlotte Hornets, endorsements

Michael Jordan is considered one of the all-time greatest basketball players alongside LeBron James. Jordan won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. A March 2024 report from Sportico found that , with his inflation-adjusted earnings coming in at a massive $3.75 billion. Today, owning the Charlotte Hornets NBA team, co-owning a NASCAR team, investing in DraftKings, and endorsement deals with Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade. 

- 2026 net worth: $10 billion
- Source of wealth: Private equity

founded Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in software companies. Smith grew up in Denver and worked as a chemical engineer before earning his MBA. He started Vista Equity Partners in 2000, and it has posted annual returns of 30% every year. In April 2024, the firm raised over $20 billion for its new fund, . Months later in November, Smith at Grand Slam Track, an up-and-coming track league. Smith is also a philanthropist who has made a number of notable donations, including in 2022 to provide financial aid for engineering students from underrepresented communities.

- 2026 net worth: $12.4 billion
- Source of wealth: IT provider

The is David Steward, who's the founder of World Wide Technology, an IT provider that helps large companies with digital strategy and technology and supply chain solutions. Steward also co-founded Telcobuy, a spinoff of World Wide Technology that provides enterprise networking services and data security. In 2023, Steward's son founded , which seeks to create racially diverse movies and TV shows. The billionaire was born in Chicago and grew up in Missouri.

- 2026 net worth: $13.7 billion
- Source of wealth: Software firm

Alexander Karp is , a software company specializing in big data analytics driven by artificial intelligence. Palantir does contract work for the Department of Defense, the FBI, and the Danish National Police, which use the platform for defense and intelligence strategy. The Economist named him in 2024, and Time magazine listed him as one of the . He made in 2024, and in 2025, his company was . Karp is originally from New York and grew up in Philadelphia; Palantir is headquartered in Denver.

Additional writing by Cu Fleshman and Louis Peitzman. Data reporting by Elena Cox. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.