Richest self-made women in the United States 2026, based on net worth

Richest self-made women in the United States in 2026, based on net worth

The richest self-made woman in the United States in 2026 is Diane Hendricks, cofounder of the building-supplies wholesaler ABC Supply, worth about 21.7 billion dollars. She has topped the list for the ninth year in a row, well ahead of everyone else. While the richest woman in America overall is the Walmart heiress Alice Walton, the richest of the self-made women in America, who built rather than inherited their fortunes, is Diane Hendricks. The ranking of America richest self-made women offers a portrait of great female wealth built from the ground up, a group of entrepreneurs, executives and entertainers who have made their fortunes rather than inheriting them, in industries from building supplies to artificial intelligence. On the 2026 Forbes list, the 43 self-made women billionaires are worth about 166 billion dollars between them, a record, with Diane Hendricks alone accounting for more than a tenth of that total at about 21.7 billion. Compiled by Forbes each year, the ranking is the definitive measure of self-made female wealth in America, capturing how women are building great fortunes on their own terms, from wholesale distribution to frontier artificial intelligence.

A record 43 self-made women are billionaires in 2026, worth about 166 billion dollars between them. The ranking builds on our youngest billionaires and most affluent women coverage.

From 12 to 43: the number of self-made women billionaires rose from 12 in 2015 to a record 43 in 2026, and their combined wealth to about 166 billion dollars.

The list, published by Forbes, this year included only billionaires for the first time, up from 12 self-made women billionaires in 2015, themes our richest people in America and billionaires by gender coverage explores.

A note on the data. The figures show the richest self-made women in the United States in 2026, based on net worth, from the Forbes America Richest Self-Made Women list. Net worths use share prices from June 1, 2026, and cover self-made women billionaires. Because the list uses share prices from a single day in June and values private companies through expert estimates, the exact net worths are a snapshot, but the broad ranking, led by Diane Hendricks, is clear and stable. The Forbes list covers women who substantially made their own fortunes in the United States, or who are permanent residents, and this year, for the first time, only those worth a billion dollars or more were included.

The Richest Self-Made Women in America

The table lists the richest self-made women in America in 2026 by net worth. It shows Diane Hendricks far ahead, the Anthropic cofounder Daniela Amodei in second, and a mix of technology, food, logistics and media entrepreneurs behind them. Reading down the table shows the range of self-made female wealth, from the 21.7 billion dollars of Diane Hendricks in building supplies to the technology fortunes of Daniela Amodei and Judy Faulkner and the food fortune of Marian Ilitch. Because the list values private companies through expert estimates and public stakes at market prices, the net worths of the technology founders in particular can move sharply with the fortunes of their companies.

Who Is the Richest Self-Made Woman in America?

Diane Hendricks tops the list at about 21.7 billion dollars, the ninth year in a row she has been the richest self-made woman in America. She is followed by the Anthropic cofounder Daniela Amodei on about 15.5 billion and the Epic Systems founder Judy Faulkner on about 9.6 billion. The commanding lead of Diane Hendricks, whose fortune dwarfs those of the technology founders behind her, is a reminder that the largest self-made female fortunes are not always found in the industries that grab the headlines. Diane Hendricks about 21.7 billion dollars is more than 6 billion ahead of the second-placed Daniela Amodei on about 15.5 billion, with the Epic Systems founder Judy Faulkner third on about 9.6 billion. What makes the ranking striking is not only who leads it but how the leader made her money, since Diane Hendricks built her fortune in the unglamorous business of building supplies rather than the technology that dominates the rest of the list.

The dominance of Diane Hendricks, whose fortune comes from building supplies, alongside a wave of technology founders, reflects the range of industries in which self-made women have built great fortunes, a range our billionaires around the world coverage frames.

Hendricks far ahead: Diane Hendricks is the richest self-made woman in America on about 21.7 billion dollars, ahead of Daniela Amodei on 15.5 billion.

Behind the leaders come the IT entrepreneur Thai Lee, the Little Caesars cofounder Marian Ilitch and the J.B. Hunt cofounder Johnelle Hunt, showing how self-made women have built fortunes in software, food and logistics as well as manufacturing. The mix of industries among the leaders, from the building supplies of Diane Hendricks to the software of Judy Faulkner and the logistics of Johnelle Hunt, shows how self-made women have built great fortunes far beyond the technology sector alone.

Which Industries Made Them Rich?

Technology is by far the biggest source of wealth among the richest self-made women. About 20 of the 43 made their fortunes in technology, nearly half the list, followed by media and entertainment, finance and food and beverage, with about four each. The dominance of technology among the richest self-made women reflects a decade in which software, artificial intelligence and hardware have created more self-made female fortunes than any other sector, reshaping the top of the list. About 20 of the 43 richest self-made women, nearly half, made their fortunes in technology, far more than the roughly four each in media and entertainment, finance and investment, and food and beverage. The near-total dominance of technology among the richest self-made women mirrors the wider economy, where the fastest and largest fortunes of the past decade have been made in software, hardware and, most recently, artificial intelligence.

The dominance of technology reflects the rise of self-made women founders and executives in software, artificial intelligence and hardware, from Epic Systems to Anthropic and Arista Networks, a shift our Nasdaq stock market coverage frames.

Technology dominates: about 20 of the 43 richest self-made women made their fortunes in technology, ahead of media, finance and food with about four each.

Outside technology, self-made women have built the largest fortunes in building supplies, food and logistics, showing that great self-made wealth is not confined to technology, even if the sector now dominates the list. The breadth of industries on the list, from aerospace and healthcare to food, retail and finance, shows that while technology dominates, self-made women have built great fortunes across the whole of the American economy.

How Much Are They Worth?

The richest self-made women hold record fortunes. The 43 self-made women billionaires are worth about 166 billion dollars between them in 2026, and the top ten alone are worth about 96 billion, more than triple the top ten of the first list in 2015. The record combined fortune of the richest self-made women is a measure of how far women have come in building their own great wealth, even as their numbers remain far below those of self-made men. The 43 self-made women billionaires are worth a record 166 billion dollars between them, of which the top ten account for about 96 billion, roughly on a par with the strong stock-market returns of the past decade. The record combined fortune is all the more striking given that the list now includes only billionaires, a stricter bar than in previous years, so the record reflects genuine growth in wealth rather than a change in who counts.

The record combined wealth reflects the strong performance of the technology companies behind many of the fortunes, as well as the steady growth of the largest, a rise our richest women in the world coverage frames.

More than tripled: the combined wealth of the top ten self-made women rose from about 30 billion dollars in 2015 to about 96 billion in 2026.

The growth has been rapid, with the number of self-made women billionaires rising from 12 in 2015 to 43 in 2026, and their combined wealth climbing to a record as more women reach the billion-dollar mark. The near-quadrupling of the number of self-made women billionaires since 2015, and the tripling of the top ten fortune, together capture the speed at which women have been building great self-made wealth over the past decade.

Which States Have the Most?

The richest self-made women are concentrated in a few states. California is home to about 16 of the 43, by far the most, followed by Florida with about six, reflecting the concentration of technology and finance in those states. The concentration of the richest self-made women in California reflects the state dominance of the technology industry, which has created more self-made female fortunes than anywhere else in the country. California is home to about 16 of the 43 richest self-made women, more than a third of the list, followed by Florida on about six, with the rest spread across states from Wisconsin to New York and Texas.

The California lead reflects the concentration of technology companies in the state, which have created many self-made women fortunes, a pattern our financial markets in the US coverage frames.

California leads: California is home to about 16 of the 43 richest self-made women, by far the most, followed by Florida with about six.

Outside California and Florida, the richest self-made women are spread across the country, from Wisconsin, home to both Diane Hendricks and Judy Faulkner, to New York, Texas and Washington. The spread of the richest self-made women beyond California and Florida, to states from Wisconsin to New York and Texas, shows that great self-made female wealth is being built across the country, not just in the technology hubs.

The Biggest Gainers

The biggest gainer was the Anthropic cofounder Daniela Amodei, who leapt from 28th place a year ago to second, as the value of the artificial-intelligence company soared. Her fortune rose by more than 12 billion dollars in a single year. The extraordinary rise of Daniela Amodei, from outside the top twenty-five to second place in a single year, captures the speed at which the artificial-intelligence boom is creating vast new fortunes almost overnight. Daniela Amodei fortune rose by more than 12 billion dollars over the year, lifting her from 28th place to second, as the value of the artificial-intelligence company Anthropic soared. The story of the year is the rise of artificial-intelligence wealth, embodied by Daniela Amodei, whose leap up the ranking shows how quickly a single company success can create a vast new fortune almost overnight.

The rapid rise of Daniela Amodei reflects the artificial-intelligence boom, which has lifted the value of companies such as Anthropic and enriched their founders, a boom our biggest companies by market value coverage frames.

Amodei surges: Daniela Amodei fortune rose by more than 12 billion dollars over the year, lifting her from 28th place to second.

Four-fifths of the women on the list were richer than a year earlier, with only five seeing their fortunes fall, including Diane Hendricks, whose building-supplies fortune dipped slightly even as she kept the top spot. The fact that four-fifths of the women on the list grew richer over the year, even as a handful saw their fortunes fall, reflects the strong performance of the technology and other companies behind most of the fortunes. Whether the recent surge in technology fortunes continues will shape future lists, but for now the artificial-intelligence boom has been the single biggest driver of change among the richest self-made women.

The Celebrity Self-Made Women

Several celebrities rank among the richest self-made women. Oprah Winfrey leads them at about 3 billion dollars, followed by the musicians Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Beyonce and the businesswoman Kim Kardashian, each worth about 1 to 2 billion. The presence of entertainers among the richest self-made women reflects a new era in which fame can be turned into great business wealth, through music catalogues, media empires and consumer brands built on a famous name. Oprah Winfrey about 3 billion dollars leads the entertainers on the list, ahead of the musicians Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Beyonce and the businesswoman Kim Kardashian, each worth about 1 to 2 billion.

The presence of entertainers reflects how a handful of women have turned fame into great business fortunes, in music, media and consumer brands, a shift our global stock markets by country coverage frames.

Oprah leads: Oprah Winfrey leads the celebrity self-made women on about 3 billion dollars, ahead of Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and Beyonce.

For the first time, only billionaires made the list, so familiar names worth less than a billion dollars, such as some earlier entertainers and entrepreneurs, dropped off, leaving only the wealthiest self-made women. The new billionaires-only rule, which dropped women worth less than a billion dollars from the list, reshaped the lower ranks, leaving a smaller but wealthier group of the very richest self-made women.

The Net Worth Bands

The richest self-made women span a range of net worths. Only two, Diane Hendricks and Daniela Amodei, are worth more than 10 billion dollars, while about seven are worth 5 to 10 billion and around fourteen are worth 2 to 5 billion. The spread of the richest self-made women across net worth bands shows how few reach the very top, with only a tiny group worth more than 10 billion dollars and the great majority worth a few billion. Only two of the richest self-made women, Diane Hendricks and Daniela Amodei, are worth more than 10 billion dollars, while about seven are worth 5 to 10 billion and around fourteen are worth 2 to 5 billion.

The narrow group at the very top reflects the scarcity of the largest self-made fortunes among women, most of whom, even on this list, are worth a few billion rather than tens of billions, a pattern our largest asset managers coverage frames.

Few above 10 billion: only two self-made women are worth more than 10 billion dollars, while about seven are worth 5 to 10 billion and fourteen 2 to 5 billion.

Below the top few, the number of women rises through the lower bands, with about twenty worth between 1 and 2 billion dollars, the threshold for making the billionaires-only list for the first time in 2026. The concentration of the richest self-made women in the lower net worth bands, with only a couple worth more than 10 billion dollars, mirrors the shape of great wealth in general but with even fewer of the very largest fortunes.

The Oldest and Youngest

The richest self-made women span a wide range of ages. The oldest are the J.B. Hunt cofounder Johnelle Hunt, at 94, and the Little Caesars cofounder Marian Ilitch, at 93, while the youngest self-made female billionaire among the best-known names is the musician Rihanna, at 38, one of the youngest self-made billionaires on the list. The wide range of ages among the richest self-made women, from entertainers in their thirties to entrepreneurs in their nineties, reflects the many years it often takes to build a great fortune from nothing. The oldest women on the list are the J.B. Hunt cofounder Johnelle Hunt, at 94, and the Little Caesars cofounder Marian Ilitch, at 93, while the youngest of the best-known names is the musician Rihanna, at 38.

The wide age range reflects how self-made fortunes are built over a lifetime, with the oldest women having spent decades building their companies, a pattern our sources of billionaire wealth coverage frames.

From 38 to 94: the richest self-made women range from the 94-year-old Johnelle Hunt to the 38-year-old Rihanna, showing the long careers behind most fortunes.

The presence of women in their nineties near the top of the list, alongside younger entrepreneurs and entertainers, shows how self-made wealth can be built and held across a long career, from the founding of a company to its maturity. The long careers behind many of the fortunes, with several women having built their companies over half a century or more, underline how self-made wealth is often the product of decades of work rather than a sudden windfall.

How the List Changed Since 2015

The list has grown enormously since 2015. The number of self-made women billionaires has risen from 12 to 43, driven above all by technology, where the number of women billionaires rose from about four to about twenty. The transformation of the list since 2015, more than tripling in size, is one of the clearest measures of how women have moved into the ranks of the self-made rich, above all through the technology boom. The number of self-made women billionaires has risen from 12 in 2015 to 43 in 2026, with technology alone accounting for a rise from about four to about twenty over the same period. The transformation of the list since its first edition in 2015 is a story of how a small group of self-made women billionaires has grown into a sizeable one, driven above all by the extraordinary rise of the technology sector.

The surge in technology fortunes reflects the rise of self-made women founders and executives in software, artificial intelligence and hardware over the past decade, a shift our crypto market coverage frames.

Technology surged: the number of self-made women billionaires in technology rose from about four in 2015 to about twenty in 2026, driving the list growth.

The growth across every major industry, led by technology, shows how self-made women have built great fortunes in a widening range of fields, even as they remain far outnumbered by self-made men. The broad growth of the list across industries, led by the surge in technology, points to a continuing rise in the number of self-made women billionaires, even if their numbers still lag far behind those of men. Looking ahead, the number of self-made women billionaires seems likely to keep rising as more women found and lead great companies, though closing the gap with self-made men will take many years.

The Richest Self-Made Women in Numbers

A few numbers capture the picture. Diane Hendricks is the richest self-made woman in America at about 21.7 billion dollars, there are a record 43 self-made women billionaires worth about 166 billion between them, and nearly half made their fortunes in technology. These figures together map the richest self-made women in America, a record group building great fortunes across a widening range of industries, led by technology, even as they remain far outnumbered by self-made men. Taken together, the numbers tell a story of steady progress, with more self-made women reaching the billionaire ranks each year, even as the overall picture remains one of women far outnumbered by self-made men at the very top.

The figures matter because the richest self-made women show how women are building great fortunes, increasingly in technology, a picture our euro to dollar exchange rate coverage sets in the global context.

Together these figures show a record number of self-made women billionaires, led by Diane Hendricks, building fortunes across technology, food, logistics and media, even as they remain far fewer than self-made men. For now, the list stands as a record of how far self-made women have come, and of how far they still have to go to match the numbers and fortunes of their self-made male counterparts.

Richest Self-Made Women: The Big Picture

Taken together, the richest self-made women of 2026 map the rise of women building their own great fortunes, increasingly in technology, led by Diane Hendricks, a story our gold as an investment coverage sets against other assets.

Whether more women build billion-dollar fortunes will depend on the markets and the technology cycle, but the number of self-made women billionaires has never been higher, alongside the markets in our hedge fund assets and federal funds rate overviews.

Frequently Asked Questions: Richest Self-Made Women