They have more money than you can imagine.
The 18 richest people in America are worth an astounding $793 billion - more than the annual GDP of the Netherlands, Turkey, or Switzerland.
The two richest people in America are no surprise: Bill Gates and Warren Buffett maintain their lead at the top despite being the two most generous people on earth.
But US tech moguls continue to creep toward the very top. Heavyweights like Jeff Bezos of Amazon and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook add billions to their net worths each year as their powerful companies continue to grow in value and influence.
Not everyone is an entrepreneur though. Inherited wealth has kept a hefty portion of the country's cash in the hands of a few families, as the Koch brothers, the Waltons of Walmart, and the heirs to the Mars candy conglomerate each rank among the wealthiest.
Check out the full list here:
18. Phil Knight
Net worth: $25 billion
Age: 78
Country: US
Industry: Retail
Source of wealth: Self-made; Nike
17. George Soros
Net worth: $25.2 billion
Age: 86
Country: US
Industry: Hedge funds
Source of wealth: Self-made; Soros Fund Management
16. Steve Ballmer
Net worth: $27 billion
Age: 60
Country: US
Industry: Tech
Source of wealth: Self-made; Microsoft
15. Sheldon Adelson
Net worth: $28 billion
Age: 83
Country: US
Industry: Real estate
Source of wealth: Self-made; Las Vegas Sands
13. and 14. John and Jacqueline Mars
Net worth: $32.4 billion each
Age: 77 and 81
Country: US
Industry: Candy
Source of wealth: Inheritance; Mars Inc.
12. Alice Walton
Net worth: $34 billion
Age: 67
Country: US
Industry: Retail
Source of wealth: Inheritance; Walmart
11. Jim Walton
Net worth: $35.1 billion
Age: 68
Country: US
Industry: Retail
Source of wealth: Inheritance; Walmart
10. Rob Walton
Net worth: $35.4 billion
Age: 72
Country: US
Industry: Retail
Source of wealth: Inheritance; Walmart
9. Sergey Brin
Net worth: $41.6 billion
Age: 43
Country: US
Industry: Technology
Source of wealth: Self-made; Google
8. Larry Page
Net worth: $42.5 billion
Age: 43
Country: US
Industry: Technology
Source of wealth: Self-made; Google
7. Larry Ellison
Net worth: $45.3 billion
Age: 72
Country: US
Industry: Tech
Source of wealth: Self-made; Oracle
5. TIE: David Koch
Net worth: $47.9 billion
Age: 76
Country: US
Industry: Diversified investments
Source of wealth: Inheritance/self-made; Koch Industries
5. TIE: Charles Koch
Net worth: $47.9 billion
Age: 81
Country: US
Industry: Diversified investments
Source of wealth: Inheritance/self-made; Koch Industries
4. Mark Zuckerberg
Net worth: $58.5 billion
Age: 32
Country: US
Industry: Technology
Source of wealth: Self-made; Facebook
3. Jeff Bezos
Net worth: $73.1 billion
Age: 53
Country: US
Industry: Tech
Source of wealth: Self-made; Amazon.com
2. Warren Buffett
Net worth: $77.2 billion
Age: 86
Country: US
Industry: Diversified investments
Source of wealth: Self-made; Berkshire Hathaway
1. Bill Gates
Net worth: $85.2 billion
Age: 61
Country: US
Industry: Tech
Source of wealth: Self-made; Microsoft
