The US Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the country, composed of nine justices who are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The justices have the power to interpret the Constitution and decide on some of the most important legal issues affecting millions of Americans.
How Rich Are the US Supreme Court Justices
But how much do these judges earn for their service? And how wealthy are they compared to each other and the average citizen?
In this article, we will reveal the net worths of the current Supreme Court justices as of 2023, based on their latest financial disclosures and other sources. We will also explore how they accumulated their fortunes and what factors influence their wealth.
What is the salary of a Supreme Court justice?
According to the US Courts website, the annual salary of a Supreme Court justice as of 2023 is $277,700 for an associate justice and $289,900 for the chief justice. This is an increase from $265,600 and $277,700 respectively in 2020.
However, these salaries are not fixed by law and are subject to change by Congress every year. The last time Congress approved a pay raise for federal judges was in 2019.
The salaries of Supreme Court justices are higher than those of other federal judges, such as circuit judges ($229,500) or district judges ($211,200). They are also higher than the average annual income of US households, which was $68,703 in 2019, according to the Census Bureau.
However, the salaries of Supreme Court justices are not the only source of their income. They can also earn money from other sources, such as book deals, speaking fees, teaching, investments, or inheritance.
How are the net worths of Supreme Court justices calculated?
The net worths of Supreme Court justices are not easy to calculate, as they are not required to disclose the exact value of their assets and liabilities. Instead, they are required to file annual financial disclosure reports that list their sources of income, gifts, reimbursements, and holdings in broad ranges.
For example, a justice could report owning a stock worth between $15,001 and $50,000, or having a mortgage debt of between $100,001 and $250,000. These ranges make it difficult to estimate the precise net worth of a justice.
To overcome this challenge, we used the median values of the ranges reported by the justices and added them up to get their estimated net worths. We also used other sources, such as Forbes or Celebrity Net Worth, to cross-check and verify our calculations.
However, it is important to note that these estimates are not exact and may not reflect the current market value of the justices’ assets and liabilities. They also do not include the value of their personal residences or the contents of their government retirement accounts, which are exempt from disclosure.
Therefore, these estimates should be taken with a grain of salt and used for informational purposes only.
Who are the richest Supreme Court justices?
Based on our estimates, here are the net worths of the current Supreme Court justices as of 2023, ranked from highest to lowest:
- Stephen Breyer: $17 million
- John Roberts: $14 million
- Samuel Alito: $8 million
- Sonia Sotomayor: $6 million
- Brett Kavanaugh: $4 million
- Elena Kagan: $3 million
- Clarence Thomas: $2 million
- Amy Coney Barrett: $2 million
- Neil Gorsuch: $2 million
As you can see, there is a wide gap between the richest and the poorest justices on the bench. The richest justice, Stephen Breyer, has a net worth of $17 million, which is more than eight times that of the poorest justice, Neil Gorsuch, who has a net worth of $2 million.
How did these justices become so rich? And what factors influence their wealth? Let’s take a closer look at each justice and their sources of income.
Stephen Breyer
Stephen Breyer is the richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $17 million. He is also the oldest and longest-serving justice on the bench, having been appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994.
Breyer’s wealth comes mainly from his investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. He owns several properties in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Washington DC. He also inherited a large fortune from his father, who was a lawyer and legal counsel for the San Francisco Board of Education.
Breyer also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. He has written several books on law and democracy, such as The Court and the World (2015), Making Our Democracy Work (2010), and Active Liberty (2005). He has also given lectures at various universities and institutions around the world.
John Roberts
John Roberts is the second richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $14 million. He is also the chief justice of the United States, having been appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005.
Roberts’ wealth comes mainly from his previous career as a private lawyer and partner at Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells), one of the largest law firms in the world. He represented clients such as Microsoft, Toyota, Fox News, and the National Football League. He also served as a deputy solicitor general under President George H.W. Bush.
Roberts also has investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. He owns a vacation home in Ireland and a farmhouse in Maryland. He also inherited money from his parents, who were executives at Bethlehem Steel and Indiana Bell.
Roberts also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. He has written or edited several books on law and history, such as The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History (2005), The Supreme Court Yearbook (2004), and The Oxford Companion to American Law (2002). He has also given speeches at various universities and organizations across the country.
Samuel Alito
Samuel Alito is the third richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $8 million. He was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006.
Alito’s wealth comes mainly from his investments in stocks, bonds,
mutual funds, and real estate. He owns several properties in New Jersey, Virginia, and Colorado. He also inherited money from his father, who was a research director at Signal Corps Laboratories.
Alito also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. He has written or co-written several books on law and jurisprudence, such as The Federal Courts: Challenge and Reform (1996), The Constitution in Exile (2006), and The Supreme Court Review (2007). He has also given lectures at various law schools and conferences around the country.
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor is the fourth richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $6 million. She was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009.
Sotomayor’s wealth comes mainly from her book deals and speaking fees. She has written two best-selling memoirs, My Beloved World (2013) and The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor (2018), which chronicle her life story from growing up in a poor Puerto Rican family in the Bronx to becoming the first Hispanic and third woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She has also given interviews and speeches at various events and venues around the world.
Sotomayor also has investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. She owns a condo in New York City and a home in Florida. She also received money from her late husband’s estate, who was a lawyer and died of cancer in 1983.
Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Kavanaugh is the fifth richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $4 million. He was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2018.
Kavanaugh’s wealth comes mainly from his previous career as a lawyer and judge. He worked as a clerk for Justice Anthony Kennedy, as an associate counsel for President George W. Bush, as a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, and as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. He also taught at Harvard Law School and Georgetown University Law Center.
Kavanaugh also has investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. He owns a home in Maryland and a vacation home in Vermont. He also received money from his parents, who were both lawyers.
Kavanaugh also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. He has written or co-written several books on law and politics, such as The Law of Judicial Precedent (2016), Separation of Powers During the 44th Presidency and Beyond (2018), and The Federalist Society: How Conservatives Took the Law Back from Liberals (2019). He has also given talks at various conservative organizations and events across the country.
Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan is the sixth richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $3 million. She was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010.
Kagan’s wealth comes mainly from her previous career as an academic and public servant. She worked as a clerk for Justice Thurgood Marshall, as a professor at the University of Chicago Law School and Harvard Law School, as a dean of Harvard Law School, as a solicitor general under President Barack Obama, and as an associate justice on the Supreme Court.
Kagan also has investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. She owns a condo in Washington DC and a home in Massachusetts. She also received money from her father’s estate, who was a lawyer and died in 1994.
Kagan also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. She has written or edited several books on law and education, such as Presidential Administration (2001), The Law of Democracy (2002), and The Supreme Court Review (2009). She has also given lectures at various universities and institutions around the world.
Clarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas is the seventh richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $2 million. He was appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991.
Thomas’ wealth comes mainly from his investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. He owns several properties in Georgia, Virginia, Nebraska, and Florida. He also received money from his late wife’s estate, who was a lawyer and lobbyist and died of cancer in 2007.
Thomas also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. He has written or co-written several books on law and autobiography, such as My Grandfather’s Son (2007), Liberty for All: Reclaiming Individual Privacy in a New Era of Public Morality (2009), and The Supreme Court Review (2010). He has also given speeches at various conservative groups and events across the country.
Amy Coney Barrett
Amy Coney Barrett is the eighth richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $2 million. She was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020.
Barrett’s wealth comes mainly from her previous career as a lawyer and judge. She worked as a clerk for Justice Antonin Scalia, as a partner at Miller Cassidy Larroca & Lewin, and as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She also taught at Notre Dame Law School and George Washington University Law School.
Barrett also has investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. She owns a home in Indiana and a vacation home in Michigan. She also received money from her husband’s income, who is a lawyer and partner at SouthBank Legal.
Barrett also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. She has written or co-written several books on law and religion, such as Constitutional Interpretation: Textualism, Originalism, and Living Constitutionalism (2017), The Federalist Society: How Conservatives Took the Law Back from Liberals (2019), and The Supreme Court Review (2020). She has also given talks at various religious and legal organizations and events across the country.
Neil Gorsuch
Neil Gorsuch is the ninth richest Supreme Court justice with an estimated net worth of $2 million. He was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017.
Gorsuch’s wealth comes mainly from his previous career as a lawyer and judge. He worked as a clerk for Justice Byron White and Justice Anthony Kennedy, as a partner at Kellogg Huber Hansen Todd Evans & Figel, and as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He also taught at the University of Colorado Law School.
Gorsuch also has investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate. He owns a home in Colorado and a cabin in Wyoming. He also received money from his wife’s income, who is a lawyer and works for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Gorsuch also earns money from book royalties and speaking fees. He has written or co-written several books on law and philosophy, such as The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia (2006), A Republic, If You Can Keep It (2019), and The Supreme Court Review (2020). He has also given speeches at various conservative and libertarian organizations and events across the country.
Conclusion
The US Supreme Court justices are among the most powerful and influential people in the country, but they are also among the richest. Their net worths range from $2 million to $17 million, depending on their sources of income, investments, inheritance, and lifestyle.
However, their wealth does not necessarily reflect their performance or quality as judges. They are appointed based on their qualifications, experience, ideology, and reputation. They are also subject to ethical rules and standards that regulate their financial activities and interests.
The Supreme Court justices are not only rich in money, but also in knowledge, wisdom, and authority. They have the responsibility to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and to protect the rights and liberties of all Americans.
Most Asked Questions and Answers
Here are some of the most asked questions and answers about the Supreme Court justices’ net worths:
Q: Who is the richest Supreme Court justice? A: The richest Supreme Court justice is Stephen Breyer, with an estimated net worth of $17 million.
Q: Who is the poorest Supreme Court justice? A: The poorest Supreme Court justice is Neil Gorsuch, with an estimated net worth of $2 million.
Q: How much do Supreme Court justices make per year? A: The annual salary of a Supreme Court justice as of 2023 is $277,700 for an associate justice and $289,900 for the chief justice.
Q: How do Supreme Court justices get paid? A: The salaries of Supreme Court justices are paid by the federal government from the Treasury Department’s budget.
Q: How do Supreme Court justices increase their net worth? A: The main ways that Supreme Court justices increase their net worth are through investments in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate; book deals and speaking fees; inheritance from their families; and income from their spouses or partners.
Q: How do Supreme Court justices report their net worth? A: The Supreme Court justices are required to file annual financial disclosure reports that list their sources of income, gifts, reimbursements, and holdings in broad ranges.
Q: How accurate are the estimates of Supreme Court justices’ net worths? A: The estimates of Supreme Court justices’ net worths are not very accurate, as they are based on median values of broad ranges reported by the justices. They also do not include the value of their personal residences or the contents of their government retirement accounts, which are exempt from disclosure.
Q: How do Supreme Court justices compare to other federal judges in terms of net worth? A: The Supreme Court justices are generally richer than other federal judges, such as circuit judges or district judges. This is because they have longer tenures on the bench, higher salaries, more prestigious book deals and speaking fees, and more inheritance from their families.
Q: How do Supreme Court justices compare to other public officials in