Forbes’ 10th annual list of America’s 100 most successful self-made women shows that they are accumulating bigger fortunes and increasing their influence. Thirty-eight women on the new list are billionaires, their wealth originating in everything from aerospace to music to software. This compared with just 18 female billionaires in 2015.
To eligible for the 2025 ranking, women had to have a minimum net worth of $350 million, up from $250 million a decade ago, when Forbes ranked only 50 entrants.
To compile net worths, Forbes researchers valued individual assets, including stakes in public companies, using stock prices from May 2. They valued private companies by consulting with outside experts and conservatively comparing them with public companies.
Women who made the list substantially made their own fortunes in the U.S. and/or are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Although none of the women inherited their wealth, some climbed higher and overcame more obstacles to get into the elite ranks.
To find out how far some have come, researchers gave each woman a self-made score of 6 (hired hand) to 10 (rags-to-riches entrepreneur). They tried to vet numbers with all entrants on the list; some cooperated, others didn’t.
See the gallery for the 13 richest self-made American women in 2025, according to Forbes.
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