Scott Kelly Highest-Paid Astronaut in the World

It's been a rough year for the astronaut, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 62-year-old Scott Kelly has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid astronauts for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 24/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Scott Kelly tops annual list of highest-paid astronauts

In 2023 it looked like the astronaut’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 23) that Kelly is the highest-paid astronaut in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $50 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 astronaut has an estimated net worth of $245 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 Kelly Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Orange Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderkelly - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Scott) and a fashion line called “Scott Kelly Seduction”.

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

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