What is Dave Ramsey's net worth?

Dave Ramsey's net worth: 
The most popularly reported figure for Dave Ramsey's net worth is $200 million by Celebrity Net Worth, but this figure is debatable and the media outlet does not reveal its calculation for arriving at that figure.

Dave Ramsey is among the most well-known financial commentators in the nation, and his media empire has earned him significant wealth, with his radio and podcast alone drawing 20 million listeners every week.

Much of his wealth is invested in real estate and other private assets that aren’t publicly disclosed or frequently appraised, making his net worth difficult to determine and largely dependent on publicly known information and estimates of his business’s value, commonly placing it around \$200 million.

How did Dave Ramsey make his fortune?

Much of Ramsey’s net worth is credited to his real estate investments. His interest in flipping properties likely stems from his parents, who were both real estate agents. At age 19, he passed his real estate exam and joined the business.

Ramsey doesn’t publicly share details about his real estate holdings but has mentioned he owns commercial properties and 15 to 20 houses. Each of these properties was bought with cash and carries no debt.

He also earns significant income from his media empire. Ramsey has written multiple bestselling books and still receives royalties from them. Additionally, he profits from courses, public speaking, and his nationally syndicated radio show, the Ramsey Show, which reportedly earns millions in ad revenue.

Dave Ramsey’s holdings

Dave Ramsey’s investment portfolio primarily includes fully paid real estate and mutual funds.

In his 20s, Ramsey built wealth by flipping properties but borrowed excessively and went bankrupt. That setback didn’t deter him from real estate investing—it just changed his approach. Today, Ramsey buys all properties without loans or debt. In a podcast interview, he said he “owns 15 to 20 houses and a bunch of commercial real estate.”

Ramsey is also a strong advocate of mutual funds. He firmly advises against picking individual stocks or following trendy investments. He believes the best way to grow wealth long-term is to diversify and let professionals handle buying and selling decisions.

It’s not known precisely which specific funds Ramsey holds in his own portfolio. However, he has extensively discussed an ideal portfolio being divided in the following manner:

Investment Type	Percentage of Investment Capital
Funds targeting large companies with high growth potential	25%
Funds buying companies that offer a blend of growth potential and dividends	25%
Funds investing in smaller or newer companies with high growth potential	25%
Funds that invest outside the U.S.	25%

Salary info

Dave Ramsey’s salary isn’t publicly disclosed, so it must be estimated based on the most readily available financial data.

Ramsey has multiple income sources, some with variable payouts. His largest earner is his podcast — ranked the third highest-paid by Hello Audio, with The Ramsey Show reportedly bringing in around $10 million annually. He also earns up to $300,000 per speaking engagement at workshops and conferences, according to Gotham Artists.

Read Also: What is Jamie Dimon’s net worth?

Ramsey likely earns significant income from subscription services and referral partnerships, along with his sizable investment portfolio. This includes real estate and mutual funds that probably generate returns through rent and dividends, which may also be reinvested.

Arrived Homes has attracted attention—not just because of support from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos—but also due to its own strengths. The platform features a simple interface and allows retail investors to purchase fractional shares in vacation rentals and single-family homes across several U.S. states, with minimum investments starting at only $100.

Though newer than some rivals, Arrived holds BBB accreditation, has paid out $12 million in dividends, and enabled nearly $250 million in property investments. It’s especially attractive to investors seeking a straightforward, flexible way to select individual real estate assets.

Key milestones in career

Here are some of the key milestones in Ramsey’s work life and the years they occurred.

1972/73, when Ramsey was 12, he asked his dad for money to buy a popsicle. His dad replied that he needed a job, not money, which inspired Ramsey to tap into his entrepreneurial spirit and launch his first business mowing neighbors’ lawns.
1988, after earning millions through real estate, Ramsey had to declare bankruptcy. He had taken on significant debt for his investments, and when the banks demanded repayment, he couldn’t pay. This low point transformed his outlook on money and debt, leading to his well-known “no debt” philosophy.
1992, Ramsey self-published his first book, Financial Peace, which became a success and established him as a personal finance voice. That same year, he launched a local radio show in Nashville and founded Ramsey Solutions, his media and education company that started as a small financial counseling service.
2003, The Total Money Makeover, Ramsey’s most successful and bestselling book, was published.
2015, Ramsey Solutions opened its headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, symbolizing Ramsey’s evolution from a solo financial advisor to the head of a growing media empire.

Investment strategies

Ramsey’s investing strategy is laid out in several steps on his website.

He first advises eliminating all debt — except for a home mortgage — then saving an emergency fund that covers three to six months of expenses. Only after reaching this milestone does he recommend beginning to invest.

Ramsey’s investment strategy focuses on putting 15% of monthly income into mutual funds through tax-advantaged retirement accounts. He emphasizes diversification and firmly opposes investing in individual stocks.

Ramsey also supports risk diversification by investing equal portions across four different funds. He suggests dividing the total investment capital into four equal parts as follows:

25% in a fund targeting growth
25% in a fund focused on growth and income
25% in funds invested in small companies with lots of upside
25% in funds specializing in non-U.S. stocks

Ramsey doesn’t specifically list his top holdings, but he has previously mentioned several funds by name, including S\&P 500 index tracker funds and the New Perspective Fund.

Another core principle of Ramsey’s investment philosophy is patience and long-term commitment. He discourages frequently switching investments, advocating instead for staying the course.

About Dave Ramsey: Personal life and history

Age: 64
Title: Founder and CEO of Ramsey Solutions
Income source: Speaking, events, books, courses and investing in mutual funds and real estate
Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Dave Ramsey’s personal experiences have played a major role in shaping his financial principles. His journey through early success, financial collapse, and recovery laid the foundation for his strict views on debt, budgeting, and long-term investing.

Ramsey inherited a strong work ethic from his parents, and his father encouraged him to start working at age 12. This motivated Ramsey to find creative ways to earn money from a young age.

While earning his degree in finance and real estate at the University of Tennessee, Ramsey borrowed extensively to invest in property. His eventual bankruptcy reshaped his views on money, deepened his Christian faith, and became the foundation for many of the financial principles he teaches today.

Family plays a central role in Ramsey’s teachings. He frequently emphasizes how a strong marriage can lead to better financial choices. Married to his wife, Sharon, since 1982, Ramsey has three children. One of them, Rachel Cruze, is a bestselling author and speaker who works within the Ramsey brand.

Ramsey’s financial philosophies have faced criticism over the years. Some argue that his strict no-debt rule can be unrealistic for lower-income individuals trying to build wealth. Additionally, his workplace policies have drawn controversy, with reports alleging that employees were terminated for holding non-Christian beliefs.