Arnold Schwarzenegger Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s net worth?

An Austrian-American bodybuilder, model, actor, businessman, and politician, Arnold Schwarzenegger has amassed a net worth of $750 million. Recognized as one of the most prominent figures globally, he has at times been the entertainment industry’s highest-paid individual, earning between $20 to $30 million per film at the peak of his career. Throughout his professional journey, Arnold has brought in hundreds of millions from his film salaries.

Apart from earnings from films, Arnold has established a substantial real estate portfolio and notably holds 5% of an investment firm, Dimensional Fund Advisors. Since his early years in the US during the 1970s, he has reinvested his earnings into real estate, becoming a millionaire by 25 due to these investments. His combined commercial and personal real estate assets are estimated to be worth between $100 and $200 million. In 1996, he acquired his 5% stake in Dimensional Fund Advisors for an undisclosed sum when the firm managed assets worth $12 billion. According to his financial disclosure made in 2003 while running for Governor of California, the firm’s assets had grown to $300 billion by that time, and currently, they are believed to be close to $700 billion. Based on these figures, the value of Arnold’s pre-tax stake in the firm ranges from $300 million to potentially $500 million.

Arnold Schwarzenegger epitomizes what can be achieved through sheer ambition and determination. After gaining recognition as an Austrian bodybuilding champion in the early 1960s, winning “Mr. Universe” titles in 1967 and 1968, he moved to the United States with aspirations of becoming an actor, despite having minimal English skills. Over the following nine years, he enhanced his language skills, obtained a Bachelor’s degree, authored a bestselling book, and captured nearly every bodybuilding crown available. His acting career began in the early 1970s and he received a Golden Globe for his performance in his second feature film. However, it wasn’t until the release of “Conan the Barbarian” in 1982 that audiences truly took notice of him. This success paved the way to the “The Terminator” franchise, a rewarding action star career, and a politically aware marriage to Maria Shriver, who is the niece of John F. Kennedy. Notably, Arnold Schwarzenegger served an eight-year term as Governor of California from 2003 to 2011, during which he left behind approximately $200 million in acting salaries.

2003 Financial Disclosure

As previously mentioned, Arnold released a comprehensive financial report in August 2003 during his campaign for Governor, outlining his business assets and net worth at the time. According to this disclosure, Arnold’s net worth was estimated at $200 million in 2003. The report indicated that he accrued $14 million in 2003 and $24 million in 2002, paying $11 million in federal taxes and $4 million in state taxes over the preceding three years. He channels all his movie earnings through an LLC named Oak Productions Inc., based in Santa Monica, California. The Oak Productions office is situated in a commercial property at 3110 Main Street, which houses about a dozen tenants in a prime location, and Arnold owns the entire building. An April 2006 disclosure revealed that he earned $17 million in 2004, and at that time, he had not yet submitted his 2005 tax returns.

Early Life

Born on July 30, 1947, in the small village of Thal, Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger was the son of Gustav, the local police chief, and a homemaker mother. In 1960, his football (soccer) coach introduced him to the local gym, sparking the beginnings of his fitness journey.

The world of bodybuilding was introduced to a 13-year-old Arnold. Initially, his father hoped he would pursue a career as a police officer, while his mother desired for him to go to a trade school. However, Arnold felt he was meant for something entirely different, far beyond their small Austrian village. Upon discovering that several recent winners of the Mr. Universe competition transitioned into successful acting careers in Hollywood, Arnold set his ambition on becoming the most renowned professional bodybuilder globally.

In 1965, Arnold claimed victory at the Junior Mr. Europe Contest. By 1967, at just 20 years old, he became the youngest individual to secure the Mr. Universe title. Arnold eventually won this prestigious title three more times. Despite his accomplishments in bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger managed to attend business school during his spare time.

Real Estate Investments

In September 1968, Schwarzenegger relocated to America with $27,000, which he had earned from competitions. When adjusted for inflation, that amount in 1968 translates to approximately $182,000 today, indicating it was quite a significant sum. Shortly after his arrival in Hollywood, Arnold initiated small-scale real estate investments. He purchased a small land parcel in Palmdale, California, which was rumored to soon host a new supersonic airport. Although this initial investment did not succeed, Arnold remained undeterred. He used his remaining funds and borrowed $10,000 from his trainer at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California, to acquire an apartment building priced at $214,000. Within a year, he sold the building for $360,000. Arnold then upgraded to a 12-unit building, progressing to a 36-unit building, and later a 100-unit building. Each time he sold a property, he reinvested the profits into the next endeavor to evade taxes and magnify his future returns. By the age of 25, Arnold had established himself as a real estate millionaire, well before he achieved fame as an actor.

Currently, Arnold possesses an expansive real estate portfolio, primarily consisting of commercial properties in Southern California. Excluding his personal residences, the worth of this portfolio exceeds $100 million.

Dimensional Fund Advisors

In 1996, Arnold acquired a 5% share in Dimensional Fund Advisors for an undisclosed sum. At that time, the firm was managing around $12 billion in assets. Presently, the firm oversees nearly $700 billion in assets, and Arnold’s 5% stake is estimated to be worth between $300 million to $500 million, excluding taxes.

Film Success

He clinched his first “Mr. Olympia” title in 1970, a title he would win multiple times throughout his career. Following this victory, Arnold received his first significant opportunity in the film industry when he was cast in “Hercules in New York.” His fame surged in 1977 with the release of the bodybuilding documentary “Pumping Iron.”

His stardom continued to expand with films like “Conan the Barbarian,” but his career truly catapulted after his role in the 1984 blockbuster “The Terminator.” For this film, he earned $75,000, which ultimately grossed $80 million globally. After “The Terminator,” Arnold’s career took off significantly. He followed with hits such as “The Running Man,” “Red Heat,” and “The Predator.” He even ventured into comedy with the 1988 film “Twins,” co-starring Danny DeVito.

In the 1990s, he reprised his role as the Terminator alongside his friend and director James Cameron. Their collaboration led to tremendous success with “True Lies.” Schwarzenegger concluded the 90s with movies like “Last Action Hero,” 1996’s “Eraser,” and “Batman and Robin.”

Largest Paycheck

So far, Arnold has brought in a minimum of $400 million solely from his film salaries, prior to taxes. However, the most significant paycheck he received came from a film that may surprise you. It wasn’t one of his many action-packed blockbusters. It was the 1988 film “Twins.”

For “Twins,” both Arnold, Danny Devito, and director Ivan Reitman concurred to take no salary from the studio in return for 40% ownership of the film (13.33% each). The movie was a major success, grossing over $215 million at the worldwide box office alone. It also reaped significant profits in VHS and cable sales. In an interview from March 2014, Arnold stated that he made more money from “Twins” than from any other film during his entire career. He mentioned that the same could likely be said for Reitman and Devito. Assuming that Arnold, Danny, and Ivan each earned $35-40 million from this movie in 1988, adjusting for inflation yields an amount equivalent to $70-$80 million. The trio would later collaborate again in the film “Junior.”

Other Notable Salaries

As previously mentioned, Arnold received $75,000 for his role in “The Terminator.” He was paid $2 million for “Commando,” $3.5 million for “Predator,” $11 million for “Total Recall,” and $12 million each for “Kindergarten Cop” and “Terminator 2.” In “Terminator 2,” Arnold delivered just 700 words of dialogue, which translates to $21,429 per word spoken.

Arnold was compensated $15 million each for “True Lies,” “Junior,” and “Last Action Hero,” followed by $20 million for both “Eraser” and “Jingle All The Way.” His salaries exceeded $25 million for “Batman & Robin,” “The 6th Day,” and “Collateral Damage.”

Terminator 3 Salary

Having received the go-ahead from James Cameron to star in a Terminator film that wouldn’t involve the franchise’s original creator, Arnold set about negotiating his contract for what would become “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” in 2003. Ultimately, he secured an initial salary of $29.25 million in addition to a 20% royalty on gross profits exceeding $380 million for “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.” The film grossed $433 million globally, bringing Arnold’s estimated earnings to around $35 million. His arrangement was a “pay or play” contract, meaning he would get paid regardless of whether the film was made or not. Additionally, his contract provided him $1.6 million for any filming days that extended beyond the original 19-week schedule. Furthermore, during production, Arnold had a budget of $1.5 million at his disposal for private jet travel, a trailer customized as a gym, three hotel suites, bodyguards, and round-the-clock drivers.

Governor of California

A longstanding member of the Republican Party, Schwarzenegger made headlines in 2004 when he delivered a speech at the National Republican Convention to discuss his reasons for becoming a Republican. In a surprising announcement on “The Tonight Show” in 2003, he revealed his candidacy for Governor of California. Serving from 2003 to 2011, Arnold later expressed that his eight years in office cost him approximately $200 million in potential movie earnings. Despite being entitled to an annual salary of $175,000 as Governor, he chose not to accept this payment.

Personal Life

From 1986 to 2017, Arnold was married to Maria Shriver, a television news personality and niece of President John F. Kennedy. They share four children, including Katherine Schwarzenegger, who is married to actor Chris Pratt, and model/actor Patrick Schwarzenegger.

Their relationship concluded in 2011 following revelations that Arnold had fathered a child with the family housekeeper 14 years earlier. The divorce settlement lasted six years and allegedly cost Arnold $200 million. While he retained their long-standing family home in Brentwood, Maria utilized his assets to purchase a nearby residence.

Personal Real Estate

Arnold Schwarzenegger possesses personal real estate assets valued at $50-60 million. In 2002, he and Maria purchased a property in LA’s Brentwood neighborhood for $4.8 million, which spans approximately 6 acres. Arnold continued to reside in this home post-separation. Situated in a gated community, home to Dr. Dre as well, Arnold’s residence is a 14,500-square-foot mansion featuring ocean views, a tennis court, a pool, and ample privacy. This property is now estimated to be worth $20-30 million.

Additionally, Arnold and Maria hold joint ownership of vacation properties located in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.