Craig Venter Highest-Paid Scientist in the World

It's been a rough year for the scientist, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 79-year-old Craig Venter has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid scientists for 2026 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 21/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Craig Venter tops annual list of highest-paid scientists

In 2023 it looked like the scientist’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Friday (March 20) that Venter is the highest-paid scientist in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $60 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The American scientist has an estimated net worth of $275 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Venter Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Salt Lake City Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderventer - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Craig) and a fashion line called “Craig Venter Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Craig fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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