Colorado billionaires climbed in the standings as the minimum wealth required to crack the 33rd annual Forbes 400 ranking of richest Americans increased.
Charlie Ergen, the 61-year-old founder and chairman of Douglas County-based pay-TV company DISH Network, moved up to No. 26 on the list from No. 32 as his estimated fortune grew to $17.2 billion from $12.5 billion last year.
Philip Anschutz, 74, whose billions come from investments in oil and gas, real estate, technology and entertainment, dropped to No. 40 on the list from 38 last year, although his estimated net worth increased to $11.1 billion from $10.3 billion.
Cable television magnate John Malone, 73, moved up one spot in the rankings to No. 60. His wealth increased to $7.6 billion from $6.7 billion last year.
James Leprino, the 76-year-old chairman of Leprino Foods, dropped to No. 190 in the rankings from No. 166 last year, although his estimated net wealth held steady at $3 billion.
Pat Stryker,58, the only Colorado woman on the list, climbed to No. 324 this year, up three spots, as her medical-equipment related wealth increased to $2 billion from $1.6 billion.
Gary Magness, who tied with Stryker for No. 324 last year with an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion, is one of 27 people who dropped off the Forbes 400 this year as the cost of admission to the list rose to $1.55 billion, up from $1.3 billion last year.
Forbes estimated that the combined wealth of the 400 richest Americans is $2.29 trillion this year — the highest ever, due in part to the strength of the U.S. stock market — and up from $2.02 trillion in 2013.
Net worth increased for 303 billionaires who remain on the list and 36 decreased. The average net worth of a Forbes 400 member is $5.7 billion, the highest to date, up from $5 billion last year.
For the 21st straight year, Bill Gates was at the top of the standings with estimated net worth of $81 billion, up $9 billion from last year. Warren Buffett ranked No. 2 with $67 billion, up $8.5 billion, and Larry Ellison finished at No. 3, worth $22.5 billion, up $9 billion. After slipping in 2013, Steve Ballmer has re-cracked the top 20, finishing at No. 18 with net worth of $22.5 billion.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 30, No. 11, was the biggest gainer for the year, with his net worth swelling by $15 billion since last year to $34 billion. GoPro founder Nicholas Woodman, 39, was the biggest percentage gainer. His fortune tripled to $3.9 billion. He’s ranked No. 129.
The list includes 27 newcomers, including WhatsApp founder Jan Koum, 38, at No. 62 with $7.6 billion; Uber Technologies founder Travis Kalanick, 38, No. 190 at $3 billion; Rockstar Energy founder Russ Weiner, 44, No. 249, at $2.5 billion; and 75-year-old New York real estate developer David Walentas, No. 368, at $1.7 billion.
Including Stryker, there are 47 women on the list, down from 48 in 2013. Thirty-year-old Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the blood testing company Theranos, is new to the list, landing at No. 110 with estimated net worth of $4.5 billion. In addition to the women who made it to the list solo, there are five women ranked as part of families or couples.
This year Forbes assigned a “self-made score” to every member of the list to help distinguish how far some billionaires have climbed. The measure ranges from 1 — inherited with with no activity to build the fortune — to 10, the “classic Horatio Alger saga.” The scores were assigned to the Forbes 400 going back 30 years. Twenty years ago, more than half of the Forbes 400 reached the list via inherited wealth. This year, more than two-thirds are self-made.
