The 16 industries that have made America's richest people, from tech to trucking
Some of America's richest billionaires have made their fortunes in not-so-glamorous sectors such as trucking and pest control.
The 16 industries that have created America's wealthiest individuals span a diverse range of sectors, from finance and technology to less obvious areas like trucking and pest control. Finance and technology industries have generated the majority of billionaires, comprising nearly half of the 400 richest people in America, as ranked by Forbes.
However, substantial fortunes have been amassed in other industries as well. Business Insider analyzed the 2026 Forbes 400 list to determine which sectors have produced the most ultra-wealthy individuals in America. Here are the top 10 industries that have spawned the most billionaires on the Forbes 400 list, from most to least prevalent:
1. Finance & investments - 108 members, with Warren Buffett leading the pack with a net worth of $144 billion.
2. Technology - 91 members, with Elon Musk as the richest individual with a net worth of $908 billion.
3. Food & beverage - 35 members, including the Mars family, co-chair of the food and beverage distribution firm Reyes Holdings, and Harry Stine, who made his fortune licensing soybean and corn genetics.
4. Fashion & retail - 26 members, with the Walmart fortune shared by eight individuals in this industry.
5. Energy - 23 members, dominated by oil tycoons and their families, such as the Greth family with a net worth of $30 billion.
6. Real estate - 18 members, with Stephen Ross topping the list with a net worth of $21.5 billion.
7. Media & entertainment - 17 members, including Rupert Murdoch and his family, with a net worth of $25 billion.
8. Sports - 16 members, with Stanley Kroenke leading the pack with a net worth of $27.6 billion.
9. Healthcare - 15 members, with Thomas Frist Jr. and family being the wealthiest, having amassed their fortune in hospitals.
10. Manufacturing - 15 members, with the Forbes list showcasing a diverse range of manufacturing magnates.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
