Net Worth: $83M Served: 1929-1933
Herbert Hoover is the very definition of a self-made millionaire. His parents both died when he was a child, and he grew up living with an uncle. He earned his degree in geology from Stanford and went on to work internationally for different mining companies before WWI shook everything up. He saved thousands upon thousands of lives, both helping Americans evacuate from around Europe, and feeding over 10 million refugees.
All of his philanthropic work during the war earned him both the nickname of “The Great Humanitarian,” and the attention of President Wilson, who nominated him to head up the Food Administration. That’s what initially got his foot in the door of the political world, where he ended up doing a lot of good work and making a very impressive amount of money for it. Hoover passed away in NYC in 1964, when he was 90 years old.
President Cleveland
Net Worth: $28M Served: 1885-1889 and 1893-1897
You may recognize the face of President Cleveland from some famous dollar bills – or, thousand-dollar bills, that is. His was the mug chosen to be printed on the $1,000 bank notes, last made in the 1940’s. He was the son of a preacher and modest bookstore owner, growing up, and he earned his attorney’s license and practiced for 12 years before he went into office. First, he served as the mayor of Buffalo, NY, then he went on to become governor before he was elected to the presidency.
But Grover Cleveland’s $28 million net worth didn’t all come from his time in law and politics. Rather, he also dabbled in high-end real estate, earning several millions of dollars through flipping various properties, including his own mansion in New Jersey. Cleveland rose the bar as president, becoming the very first president to serve two terms, nonconsecutively, and also the first democratic leader since the Civil War.
President Eisenhower
Net Worth: $9M Served: 1953-1961
Dwight D. Eisenhower is another shining example of someone who made the most out of the American Dream. He grew up in a rural farm town, with a blue-collar family. His father worked as a mechanic and his mother was a stay-at-home Mennonite. He attended West Point and then joined the military, where he served for an extensive period of time before his time in office.
He became extremely decorated within the service and even obtained the rank of five-star general. He also worked as president of Columbia University from 1948-1953 when he was elected to the Oval Office. He may have in fact been elected for a 3rd term if the 22nd amendment of the constitution hadn’t been ratified that year to prevent him (or any other U.S. future president) from being able to run again.
President George Bush Jr.
Net Worth: $39M Served: 2001-2009
George Bush Jr, son of former president Bush Sr, served the United States as the 43rd president. Before his time in office, he attended Yale, where he also became a member of Skull and Bones, and was basically set up financially and politically, thanks to his father’s influence and path-making. Like his father, he worked in oil for several years before settling down with his wife and embarking on his journey into politics.
Bush was elected as the governor of Texas, where he served from 1995-2000. He was incredibly popular among voters, hence his re-election and ultimate election into the Oval Office. There are a lot of conspiracy theories that surround the Bush administration and 9-11, and while no one knows for certain if there is any truth behind them, one thing is for sure: The Bush family has made an absolute fortune in the oil industry…
President Clinton
Net Worth: $76M Served: 1993-2001
Aside from the very public reasoning behind why Bill Clinton was impeached, he was actually a terrific president for the United States during his time in office. While he enjoyed a comfortable salary in the Oval Office, Clinton made a lot of his money through book and press deals. For instance, he apparently made nearly $15 million from sales of his book, "My Life."
But Clinton hadn’t always been so wealthy. In fact, he had a pretty rough time during his childhood, after his biological father passed away and his mother married his stepfather (whose name he ultimately took.) He attended Georgetown, graduating with a degree in International Affairs before entering into politics. His various media and business ventures have enabled him to acquire a net worth of over $75 million in total.