As young kids, we often dream of being professional athletes. How amazing would it be to get paid for doing something you love? Major sports like football, basketball, and soccer are popular disciplines and can pay extremely well. Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, makes $45 million per year. Golden State Warriors superstar, Stephen Curry, earns $53.75 million per year, and international soccer star, Christiano Ronaldo, is the world’s highest-paid athlete, earning a staggering $260 million per year.

But what about snow sports athletes? Can they make it big as well? In the United States, Olympians who reach the podium in their competitions receive payments of $37,500 for every gold medal won, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze. For World Cup competitions, the first-place winner receives $64,300, second place gets $30,000, and third place is awarded $16,600. Other countries may offer more or less, but this isn’t pushing people to millionaire status.

To be truly financially successful as a skier or snowboarder, finding other avenues to reach peak earning potential is imperative. Many use their sports fame to land lucrative partnerships as brand ambassadors or form new business ventures. Below is the estimated net worth of 11 individuals (12 actually) who have turned skiing and snowboarding into financial success the best.

#11 (tie) Mikaela Shiffrin – $3 million

Born in Vail, Colorado, Mikaela Shiffrin is considered one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time. She was the youngest slalom champion in Olympic history at age 18 and has the most World Cup wins of any alpine skier in history (men or women). She has made an impressive fortune, all before the age of 30. Her endorsements include Atomic, Barilla, Adidas, Oakley, Usana, Longines, Visa, and Reusch.

#11 (tie) Candide Thovex – $3 million

Many skiers and non-skiers anxiously await when French professional skier Candide Thovex will drop another mind-blowing video. Thanks to winning X Games gold medals, performing on the Freeride World Tour, being a filmmaker, and entrepreneur who owns his own ski company, he has amassed a respectable net worth. Over the years he has had partnerships with Faction Skis and Rossignol, as well as having a devoted following on YouTube and social media.

#10 Jamie Anderson – $4 million

At age 13, Jamie Anderson was one of the youngest participants ever at the Winter X Games. The American-born snowboarder has won multiple gold medals in the Olympics and X Games and was the first female snowboarder to win more than one Olympic gold medal. Her partnerships include Billabong, Oakley, GoPro, and Monster energy drinks.

#9 Jonny Moseley – $5 million

In his skiing career, Jonny Moseley won Gold in 1998 in Nagano, Japan as a member of the US Olympic Team with what had become his signature move, the 360 mute-grab. That same year he also won the World Cup mogul skiing title and the US National Title. Thanks to his on-mountain performance, Moseley went on to host Saturday Night Live which launched him into a career of hosting and commentary. Many know him as the host and narrator for numerous Warren Miller films and he has also hosted MTV’s The Challenge series, American Ninja Warrior on NBC, and the Jones and Moseley show on FS1. Additionally, he was the Olympic and World Cup Freestyle skiing analyst for NBC from 2010 to 2022.

#7 (tie) Bode Miller – $8 million

In a career that spanned almost two decades, Bode Miller became the most successful American ski racer of all time. He is considered one of the greatest World Cup racers with 33 race victories and being one of five men to win World Cup events in all five disciplines. Now a businessman, Miller has done well for himself by launching digital ski platform SKEO, is the chief operating officer for Alpine-X, and co-founder of Peak Ski Company.

#7 (tie) Jon Olsson – $8 million

Jon Olsson is a Swedish freeskier who is known for his invention of several new double flips, including a D-spin 720 into a flatspin 540 (DJ flip), a switch double rodeo 1080 (hexo flip), a double flatspin 900 (kangaroo flip), and a switch cork 720 to flatspin 540 (the tornado). He hosted the big air event Jon Olsson Invitational, also known as JOI, which in 2007 was voted Best Big air Event by Freeskier magazine. Now retired, he is a media influencer, documenting his day-to-day adventures through YouTube vlogs, as well as the owner of a bag and luggage company called Douchebags.

#6 Jeremy Jones – $10 million

Besides being a professional snowboarder which led to sponsorships in itself, Jeremy Jones has created quite a profile as an entrepreneur and environmental advocate. Most notably in 2009, he founded Jones Snowboards, a company specializing in high-performance snowboards and backcountry gear. He has also made a name for himself in film production with his trilogy of snowboarding films, “Deeper,” “Further,” and “Higher.” These not only showcased his snowboarding prowess but also generated significant revenue through sales and screenings. Additionally, his non-profit organization, Protect Our Winters (POW), works to combat climate change, and while it is a non-profit, it has helped to elevate his profile and indirectly help his earning potential.

#5 Lindsey Vonn – $14 million

After winning four overall World Cup championships and three Olympic medals over the course of four games, Lindsey Vonn quickly became a celebrity on the slopes. Her endorsement deals include the likes of Red Bull, Beats by Dre, Oakley, Rolex, GoPro, and Under Armour. Her book ‘Strong is the New Beautiful’ has also fetched her income from its sales. The opportunities continue to come in as she was recently appointed to the board of directors for the United States SailGP team as well as being named as brand ambassador for Three Creeks Ranch in Colorado.

#4 Marcel Hirsher – $16 million

Austrian Marcel Hirsher is one of the most successful ski racers ever. Over his career he won two Olympic gold medals, seven World Championships and eight times took the overall World Cup. His success landed him sponsorships with, well-known companies like Atomic, Red Bull, Audi, Under Armour, and Raiffeisen Bank of Austria. After retiring from skiing, he turned to entrepreneurship with his own ski label Van Deer-Red Bull Sports.

#3 Eileen Gu – $20 million

As an American-born Olympic skier who competes for China, Eileen Gu’s story is unique. After success at the X Games and World Championships, she made her debut on the world stage at the 2022 Olympics games in Beijing where she won a number of medals, including two golds for China. Her success and marketability have served her well as a model and product endorser. She currently has endorsement deals with Victoria’s Secret, Fendi, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., and Louis Vuitton, as well as has endorsement contracts with at least 30 international and Chinese brands.

#2 Vanessa-Mae – $45 million

Vanessa-Mae is another unique story as she is primarily a Singaporean-born British violinist. She competed for Thailand in the 2014 Winter Olympics as an alpine skier under the name Vanessa Vanakorn (her father’s surname), so she makes this list. Her music album sales are in the millions helping catapult her earnings and net worth.

#1 Shaun White – $65 million

Shaun White had unprecedented success as a professional snowboarder. Over his career, he has been a five-time Olympian and has won three Olympic gold medals in half-pipe snowboarding. He holds the world record for the most Olympic gold medals by a snowboarder ever and is one of the most successful and highest-paid Olympians of all time. His endorsements have included Burton Snowboards, Target, Oakley, and Hewlett-Packard. He also appeared in numerous films but has now ventured into entrepreneurship with his own active lifestyle brand, WHITESPACE. The company sells snowboarding goods, streetwear apparel, and athletic equipment.

All of these individuals have done a tremendous job of marketing themselves and seizing the opportunities that have come their way. The skill they possess on the slopes is rivaled by their business savvy, helping to launch them into the affluent realm. We have marveled at their athletic feats, but their remarkable talents also exemplify how passion, perseverance, and entrepreneurial ventures can lead to extraordinary financial success.