What is Barack Obama's net worth?

Book royalties and entertainment mega-deals sustain the former president's financial portfolio more than eight years after he left office

Barack Obama, in a black tee shirt and a blue coat, waves to fans at a basketball game
Obama was part of a publishing arrangement that 'appears to be bigger than any previous presidential book deal in history'
(Image credit: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images)

When President Trump was sworn in for his second term in January 2025, former President Barack Obama's last day in office was but a distant memory. Obama, still a youthful 63, has had a very eventful post-presidency: He has stumped for Democratic candidates in election after election, appeared as a speaker at Democratic National Conventions and simultaneously laid the groundwork for — and then launched — a career as an entertainment executive. He has founded a film production company with former First Lady Michelle Obama, steered the operations of the non-profit Obama Foundation as well as written and published multiple volumes of his memoirs.

Like all presidents, Obama drew a salary during his time in office that made him a higher earner than 97% of all Americans. His family wealth today, however, is largely derived from royalties and advances from books, speaker fees from public engagements, deals for the couple's production company and real estate holdings. In 2018, the New York Post claimed that the Obamas were worth $135 million, although no methodology was shared with readers. Forbes estimated the Obamas' net worth in September 2024 to be $70 million.

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David Faris

David Faris is an associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics. He is a frequent contributor to Informed Comment, and his work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Indy Week.