30 highest-earning celebs under 30

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October 4, 2018
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30 highest-earning celebs under 30

Being young, famous, and wealthy is a perennial dream come true, and for a select handful of people, that dream has never been more fruitful than it is right now. More to the point, young celebrities are making an absolute killing these days. Take Kylie Jenner for example, who . That's not bad for a 20 year old.

Of course, Jenner is just one among numerous celebrities and athletes to rake in substantial earnings over the last few years. Behind each success story are legions of social media followers, lucrative contracts, high-profile endorsement deals, synergistic opportunities across a spectrum of mediums, and copious amounts of innate talent. It also just goes to show that society's fixation with celebrity remains downright insatiable, resulting in serious income potential for a lucky few.

Who are the 30 highest-earning celebs under 30 years of age? 麻豆原创 is here with the answer. For the data, 麻豆原创 used , which ranked each celebrity's annual income from June 2016 to June 2017. The figures were initially based on research from . According to Forbes, "Earnings estimates reflect entertainment-related work. Taxes, management fees or other celebrity expenses are not deducted."

Without further ado, here are the 30 highest-earning celebs under 30.

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#30. Emma Stone

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $26 million

Occupation: Movie actress

Age: 29

Academy Award-winner Emma Stone appeared in a variety of minor roles before wowing audiences with her turn as Jules in 2007鈥檚 鈥淪uperbad.鈥 Soon after, she was taking the lead in successful movies like 鈥淓asy A鈥 and 鈥淟a La Land,鈥 thereby cementing her A-list status. Catch her right now on the Netflix show 鈥淢aniac,鈥 where she stars opposite former 鈥淪uperbad鈥 co-star Jonah Hill.  


 

#29. Cam Newton

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $26 million

Occupation: Football player

Age: 28

After being the only player in the modern era to earn , Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton went on to snag Rookie of the Year in 2011 and MVP in 2015. As if all that wasn鈥檛 enough, he also starred in Nickelodeon鈥檚 鈥淎ll in With Cam Newton,鈥 and co-founded a production house, Iconic Saga Productions. 


 

#28. Blake Griffin

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $28.1 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 29

More than a seasoned NBA player, Detroit Pistons power forward Blake Griffin has appeared in commercials for brands like Subway, Kia Motors, and GameFly. Meanwhile, . Griffin has checked off all the high profile boxes for a modern athlete and has raked in tons of cash as a result.


 

#27. Kyrie Irving

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $29.9 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 26

Cavaliers fans are still basking in the glow of in the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, which helped lead the Cavs to victory. Nowadays, the former Rookie of the Year and MVP plays point guard for the Boston Celtics, who were #2 in their division last season. In 2012, Irving starred in a Pepsi-sponsored web series called 鈥淯ncle Drew,鈥 followed by a 2018 film adaptation of the same name. In summary: the man keeps busy and makes bank.


 

#26. Skrillex

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $30 million

Occupation: DJ

Age: 30

His name is Sonny John Moore, but audiences know him best as Skrillex, an award-winning DJ with an unorthodox, blitzkrieg style of electronic dance music. After first garnering attention as the lead singer for American post-hardcore band From First to Last, Skrillex embarked on a solo career in 2007. By 2010, , and he's been one of the foremost names in electronic music ever since.



 

#25. Eric Berry

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $31.1 million

Occupation: Football player

Age: 29

NFL star Eric Berry is a bona fide comeback kid, who鈥檚 previously overcome  on his path to success. After signing a lucrative contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, Berry became the . Unfortunately, Berry continues to be plagued by injuries, and it鈥檚 still .  



 

#24. Antonio Brown

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $31.9 million

Occupation: Football player

Age: 29

The NFL鈥檚 , but that hasn鈥檛 stopped players like Antonio Brown from earning tens of millions of dollars. To think, Brown was originally a sixth-round draft pick in 2010, before becoming an absolute asset for the Pittsburgh Steelers and. As famous Brown might be for his blatant talent, he鈥檚 also .


 

#23. Chance the Rapper

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $33 million

Occupation: Rapper

Age: 25

While growing up in Chicago, Chancelor Jonathan Bennett culled from a broad spectrum of influences when developing his sound and style. Soon, he emerged as Chance the Rapper, a versatile artist of considerable talent, who , 鈥淎cid Rap.鈥 More than just a big earner, Bennett also supports numerous causes and even .


 

#22. Clayton Kershaw

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $33.3 million

Occupation: Baseball pitcher

Age: 30

In 2014, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw signed the l鈥攆or a whopping $215 million. To this day, he remains one of the , and also has choice endorsement deals with companies like Wilson, Subway, Muscle Milk, and Under Armour. 


 

#21. Fletcher Cox

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $33.4 million

Occupation: Football player

Age: 27

Since being drafted in 2012, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has been a three-time pro-bowler and NFC Defensive Player of the Month. With his help, the Philadelphia Eagles not only advanced to the 2018 Super Bowl, but also dethroned the Patriots in a surprising upset. In 2016, Cox signed a $103 million contract, the most ever for a non-quarterback at the time.  


 

#20. Kei Nishikori

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $33.9 million

Occupation: Tennis player

Age: 28

The , Kei Nishikori is also one of the highest-paid celebs under the age of 30. in the world, Nishikori recently . He was last seen playing in the Moselle Open, where he lost in the semi-final round.


 

#19. Conor McGregor

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $34 million

Occupation: MMA fighter

Age: 29

When the 鈥淣otorious鈥 Conor McGregor isn鈥檛 fighting in the UFC, he鈥檚 partaking in , releasing , signing a range of endorsement deals, posting on Instagram to over 26 million followers, or just raising a massive scene. Had this list stretched just a few months further, McGregor would likely rank even higher鈥攈e reportedly for his bout against Floyd Mayweather in August of 2017. Put simply, McGregor is a quintessential celebrity athlete of the modern era, with millions upon millions of dollars to show for it.    


 

#18. Gareth Bale

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $34 million

Occupation: Soccer player

Age: 28

Known for his exceptional speed and powerful kick, Gareth Bale plays soccer鈥攐r football, depending on where you鈥檙e from鈥攆or Spanish club Real Madrid during the regular season and the Wales national team for World Cup tournaments. In addition to his athletic skills, Bale also makes for quite the savvy entrepreneur, with multiple endorsement deals, and even a .


 

#17. Derrick Rose

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $29 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 29

Point guard Derrick Rose played just one () year of college basketball before heading to the NBA, where he snagged the first overall pick in the 2008 draft. At the age of 22, Rose was , having led the Chicago Bulls to the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Due to numerous knee injuries, Rose is not the phenom he once was, however, his bank account is arguably as healthy as it鈥檚 ever been.  


 

#16. Jordan Spieth

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $34.5 million

Occupation: Professional golfer

Age: 25

In 2015, Jordan Spieth became the , putting him right behind Tiger Woods. One year later, Spieth was with Tony Romo saying he "exemplifies everything that's great about sports." Despite all the momentum, Spieth has , though there's still time to turn things around.


 

#15. Rihanna

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $36 million

Occupation: Pop singer

Age: 30

Superstar Rihanna is such a long-standing fixture in pop culture that it might be surprising to discover she only turned 30 this year. Indeed, the Barbadian singer first appeared on the Billboard charts as early as her debut album in 2005, though it was the 2007 hit single 鈥淯mbrella鈥 that made her a household name around the world. Not only is Rihanna , but she also oversees a wildly successful line of beauty products, Fenty Beauty. To date, it鈥檚 reported that .


 

#14. Ed Sheeran

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $37 million

Occupation: Pop singer

Age: 27

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is living proof that there鈥檚 still plenty of money to be made in music, provided that one is supremely talented on multiple fronts. Sheeran earned his keep the hard way, generating a massive fanbase on his own before signing with a major label. His 2017 album, 鈥溍 (Divide),鈥 was a veritable smash, and its lead single, 鈥淪hape of You,鈥 . Of course, those are just two among Sheeran鈥檚 many accomplishments, which helps explain his substantial fortune.


 

#13. Neymar

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $37 million

Occupation: Soccer player

Age: 26

Neymar da Silva Santos J煤nior, or just Neymar for short, is among the world鈥檚 most prominent goal scorers, and reportedly the . He represents his native country of Brazil during World Cup tournaments and plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain during the regular season. He鈥檚 also a major presence on social media, with over 100 million followers on his alone.


 

#12. Damian Lillard

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $38.4 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 28

In 2015, NBA all-star Damian Lillard extended his contract with the Portland Trailblazers, . Additionally, Lillard鈥檚 signature Adidas shoe is . Between those two revenue streams alone, the former Rookie of the Year has no problem making ends meet. He鈥檚 also considered .

 

#11. Russell Westbrook

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $38.6 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 29

Russell Westbrook isn't even 30 years old, and he's already a seven-time NBA All Star, two-time league scoring leader, and the 2016鈥2017 MVP. He's also the . In 2017, Westbrook signed a , and that's on top of his endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Mountain Dew.
 

#10. Kylie Jenner

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $41 million

Occupation: Reality star

Age: 20

Before recently , reality star Kylie Jenner was already earning tons of cash in 2016 and 2017. Most of that money came (and still comes) from Kylie Cosmetics, which she launched in 2015 under the name Kylie Lip Kits. Of course, what really drives Jenner鈥檚 success is her ubiquitous presence in tabloids, her recurring appearances on TV, and her massive popularity on social media. Speaking of social media, she has alone.


 

#9. Taylor Swift

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $44 million

Occupation: Pop singer

Age: 28

Pop phenom Taylor Swift signed her and continues to dominate the pop culture landscape over a decade later. Her most recent album, 2017鈥檚 鈥淩eputation,鈥 was the last in a string of successful releases, and . That鈥檚 all joined by .
 

#8. James Harden

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $46.6 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 28

Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden has gone from the league鈥檚 best sixth man to its Most Valuable Player over the course of his nine-year career. His recent $228 million deal was the  while the list of includes names like Adidas, Foot Locker, State Farm, and Beats by Dre. Put it all together, and the result is one seriously beefed up bank account.


 

#7. Steph Curry

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $47.3 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 30

According to recent reports, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen 鈥淪teph鈥 Curry is , which is saying a lot as it鈥檚 been one heck of a career thus far. Often pointed to as the best shooter in NBA history, this NBA All Star has achieved more milestones than can fit on the back of a basketball card, including two MVP titles and three championship trophies. Given Curry鈥檚 list of professional accomplishments and , it鈥檚 no shocker that he鈥檚 among the league鈥檚 most 鈥渧aluable鈥 players in every possible sense of the word.  


 

#6. Rory McIlroy

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $50 million

Occupation: Professional golfer

Age: 29

Ireland's Rory McIlroy currently ranks #6 in the world, but back in 2012, he . A bona fide prodigy, McIlroy and went on to become the youngest person ever to win . Of course, that was merely the start to his wildly successful career, which comes complete with .  


 

#5. Andrew Luck

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $50 million

Occupation: Football quarterback

Age: 29

Quarterbacks are common among the most well-paid athletes in all of professional sports, yet Colts franchise QB Andrew Luck still manages to stand out from the pack, fiscally speaking. In 2016, he signed a $140 million five-year extension contract, reportedly the . That鈥檚 accompanied by endorsement deals with brands like Nike, TD Ameritrade, and DirecTV. Recent might have one wondering if he鈥檚 worth all that cash, to which Luck might reply, 鈥渘o refunds.鈥   


 

#4. Kevin Durant

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $60.6 million

Occupation: Basketball player

Age: 29

Steph Curry might be one of the NBA鈥檚 best players, but that doesn鈥檛 mean he can鈥檛 use a little assistance now and then. Enter Kevin Durant, who likewise led the Golden State Warriors to back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. Suffice to say Durant was most definitely worth the . Of course, the real question is , presuming he wants to stick with them?


 

#3. Adele

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $69 million

Occupation: Pop singer

Age: 30

In an era where singers frequently exploit their personal lives in order to remain relevant, Adele primarily gets by on the power of song. Her albums likewise defy trends, when the competition is lucky to get anywhere close to those numbers. In return for keeping it both real and fantastic, Adele has generated a massive fan-base and an equally massive bank account.


 

#2. Justin Bieber

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $83.5 million

Occupation: Pop singer

Age: 24

In contrast to singers like Adele or Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber鈥檚 music often takes a backseat to any number of headline-grabbing ordeals, though that鈥檚 not to say the Canadian superstar doesn鈥檛 know how to release a hit song or embark on a massive tour. Between his professional endeavors, endorsement deals, and massive social media following, the Biebs continues to rake in鈥斺攔idiculous amounts of cash.


 

#1. The Weeknd

Annual earnings (June 2016 to June 2017): $92 million

Occupation: R&B singer

Age: 28

Like Justin Bieber, Canada's Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, a.k.a. The Weeknd, launched to fame after garnering attention through YouTube. Jump ahead a few years and The Weeknd has capitalized on the potential of both streaming and touring , which isn't to mention his endorsement deals with . Thanks to all that and more, he was the highest-earning celeb under 30 from June 2016 to June 2017. 

 

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