Definitely not disposable! Arnold Schwarzenegger's net worth in 2025 will be huge
Arnold Schwarzenegger's net worth was literally built through his own blood, sweat, and tears—on and off screen.
Maybe even stronger than the former governor's biceps are his business acumen, both of which he's honed since childhood.
"I had a sense of business and making money and I was never afraid to work. I've always loved working," he told the Express. "From the early age of 13, I would work in different places to earn money and buy gym clothes and trainers. I didn't have to ask my parents for these things. They didn't have the money to buy them for me, so I bought them myself."
Despite his vast wealth and megastardom, the "The Man with the Bag" star somehow remains humble. When asked about his film achievements, he told The Hollywood Reporter, "I can't give you an honest assessment because I've never analyzed myself that way. I've never thought of myself as a star. I've been lucky to be one of the few people who is happy both professionally and personally. But I never felt like I was on top of the world, even when I was winning the Mr. Olympia in bodybuilding. I was always striving for more, always hungry to get better."
How did Arnold Schwarzenegger become famous?
Schwarzenegger was born in Austria in 1947 and grew up in a poor family. He had a keen athletic ability from an early age and was particularly passionate about bodybuilding. He began competing in competitions as a teenager and became the youngest winner of the Mr. Universe contest at the young age of 20. He went on to win the same competition four more times and the Mr. Olympia seven times.
Schwarzenegger used some of his earnings from bodybuilding to emigrate to the United States in 1968. In 1970, he made his film debut under the stage name Arnold Strong, appearing in Hercules in New York. At the time, his Austrian accent (which would later become one of his trademarks) was so strong that his lines were dubbed in post-production.
His next breakthrough came in 1976 with Stay Hungry, starring alongside future Oscar winners Sally Field and Jeff Bridges, for which he won the Golden Globe for Best Newcomer (a now-defunct category), a sensational win at the time as other winners included Robert Redford, James Earl Jones, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Newman, Warren Beatty and Sir Ben Kingsley.
What is Arnold Schwarzenegger's net worth in 2025?
Arnold Schwarzenegger's net worth is estimated to be $850 million in 2025. His income comes primarily from negotiating prominent film contracts, as well as his business and real estate investments.
Schwarzenegger has no plans to slow down anytime soon. "I'm always positive in life, never negative. I don't need money," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "I make money because I have to be worth a certain amount, and my agent negotiates for me. But I really enjoy this job. I love everything about my job. I don't plan on retiring."
How much was Arnold Schwarzenegger paid for Kindergarten Cop?
Schwarzenegger reportedly made a whopping $12 million for Kindergarten Cop—far more than a New York City public school teacher makes in a year! Schwarzenegger has said that Kindergarten Cop was one of his favorite movies to film because of his love of comedy and the precocious kids in the cast and the late director Ivan Reitman. In 2020, he reunited with his grown-up children for the film, and it was every bit as adorable and wholesome as you'd expect.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make for the Twins?
Amazingly, Schwarzenegger didn't receive any upfront money for Twins, yet still made a huge amount. Speaking to Business Insider, he described the film as a labor of love, one that showed him he could do comedy as well as action movies.
"I literally got no pay for 'Twins.' I just wanted to try it, and it just so happened to be the first movie to ever gross $100 million domestically," he said. "And so the studio realized this could work, and Schwarzenegger could crossover."
According to the Los Angeles Times, Schwarzenegger opted to take 15% of the studio's earnings in lieu of an upfront payment, and it paid off handsomely. During a June 2025 appearance on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," he said he made over $40 million from the film.
"Arnold bet on himself," Tom Pollock, the producer who headed Universal Pictures at the time of Twins' release, said (via the Los Angeles Times). "If the film had flopped, he would have made even less."
A sequel to Twins, titled Triplets, was in the works, with Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito reprising their roles and Eddie Murphy or Tracy Morgan joining the cast as a new third sibling, but Schwarzenegger told THR in 2023 that the project had been put on indefinite hold following the death of director Ivan Reitman.
What businesses does Arnold Schwarzenegger own?
Schwarzenegger owns the Arnold Sports Festival, Oak Productions, and Fitness Publications. He also has numerous real estate investments, including stakes in Dimensional Fund Advisors and Easton Town Center in Columbus. The Express estimates that Schwarzenegger may have stakes in as many as 100 businesses.
What movie made Arnold Schwarzenegger the most money?
The largest advance Schwarzenegger has ever received was $29.5 million for Terminator 3, plus bonuses (more on these later).
Who is richer: Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Schwarzenegger won an arm-wrestling contest with Sylvester Stallone for net worth. His estimated $850 million is more than double that of his action star friend, who has a reported net worth of $400 million.
Does Arnold Schwarzenegger get royalties?
Schwarzenegger has earned royalties from many of his films, with Terminator 3 earning him over 20% of the gross profits from TV rights, video sales, merchandise, etc. (He made a lot of money from this film - more on that later!).
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make from bodybuilding?
While it's unclear exactly how much Schwarzenegger made from bodybuilding, we do know that he invested it very wisely: He used some of his earnings for a down payment on an apartment, and made a fortune thanks to the real estate market of the 1970s.
"Within a year, I bought what I thought would be $500,000 for $800,000, and I only put $100,000 down, so I made a 300% profit," he told author Tim Ferriss in CNBC's "Tools of Titans." "I quickly developed the building, upgraded it, and bought more apartments and office buildings on Main Street in Santa Monica. I became a real estate millionaire."
How much money did Arnold Schwarzenegger have when he came to America?
Schwarzenegger famously saved up $27,000 before moving to the US in 1968, which, adjusted for inflation, is about $247,000.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make from Batman & Robin?
Schwarzenegger was paid $25 million upfront for his role as Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin—more than Batman himself. However, the film was panned by critics, and George Clooney received a lot of flak for his role as Bruce Wayne. Clooney said on The Howard Stern Show, "Schwarzenegger was paid, I think, $25 million, which was like 20 times what I was paid, and we'd never worked together! We worked together once, and I was the one who got the flak." Still, Clooney holds no grudges, explaining that Schwarzenegger was the bigger star at the time. He added, "I couldn't have done that role differently. It was a big machine. You have to remember that I was just an actor trying to get work at the time. I wasn't the kind of person who could greenlight a movie."
How much does Arnold Schwarzenegger make per movie?
At his peak, Schwarzenegger was earning between $20 million and $30 million per film, often in addition to box office bonuses.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make from The Terminator?
For his role as the T-800 in the original 1984 The Terminator, Schwarzenegger was paid $75,000 for his first appearance (about $230,000 adjusted for inflation). Why does his pay seem so low, considering he's the face of the film? Because he barely spoke any lines in the movie.
Schwarzenegger only had a total of 17 lines in The Terminator, meaning he was paid about $4,400 per word, which translates to about $13,500 per word in today's money.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make from Terminator 3?
Schwarzenegger made a killing for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines—and he would have made it whether or not the movie even got made. According to Slate, Schwarzenegger had a “pay or play” fee of $29.25 million, a record-high salary at the time.
Schwarzenegger reportedly received $3 million of his salary upfront, and his contract stipulated that he would receive an additional $1.6 million for each week that filming exceeded the scheduled 19 weeks. He also negotiated an additional 20% of the worldwide box office revenue, derived not only from box office receipts but also from video and DVD sales, licensing (television, video games, merchandise, etc.), and in-flight viewing. Additionally, Schwarzenegger received various perks during production, including use of a private jet, luxury accommodations, personal bodyguards, and the right to choose his director. Schwarzenegger's contract included a clause that ensured he would be paid at what he and his lawyers defined as a "break-even point," as well as a special tax rider that required him to pay a small portion of his salary to the U.S. government.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make from Conan the Barbarian?
Schwarzenegger reportedly received $250,000 for his role in 1982's Conan the Barbarian. The film was a commercial success, grossing approximately $69 million worldwide on a total production budget of $20 million. A sequel, Conan the Destroyer, was made in 1984, but grossed less than half of its predecessor.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger make from Predator?
Schwarzenegger reportedly made $3.5 million for "Predator," and according to Variety, talks to star in "Predator 2" fell through over a $250,000 salary, though the exact amount was not disclosed.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger get paid for Total Recall?
Instead of Predator 2, Schwarzenegger starred in Total Recall opposite Sharon Stone, for which he was reportedly paid $11 million and 15% of the company's profits.
How much did Arnold Schwarzenegger get paid for The Expendables?
Schwarzenegger starred in the first three Expendables films, but his salary for each ensemble action movie was undisclosed. He turned down a role in Expendables 4.
"I thought the first and second films were great," Schwarzenegger told Entertainment Weekly in 2017. "But with the third one, I felt like my role wasn't well-written, and I didn't perform well in the film. Maybe other people have different opinions, but I felt like I didn't add anything to the film. By the way, I love the series. I love the idea, I love what he wants to do with it, and if it's a really good script and my role is well-crafted, I'll do it. If not, I'm not going to do it."
How much was Arnold Schwarzenegger paid for Commando?
It's rumored, but unconfirmed, that Schwarzenegger received $2 million for the 1985 film Commando, on a total production budget of $9 million. The film was a huge hit, grossing nearly $60 million worldwide and re-establishing him as a bona fide action hero.