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Beginning their careers with just a board and four wheels, it is incredible the amount of wealth some of these skateboarders were able to accumulate throughout their careers. All of them at one point or another were renown skateboarders but it was also their ability to utilize their notoriety to obtain sponsorships and create businesses that have gotten them a spot on this list.
10. Ryan Sheckler Net Worth: $16 million
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At just eleven years old Ryan Sheckler was once the youngest pro skateboarder in the world. He has done plenty more than make the people writing articles about him feel incompetent though, as now at twenty-eight years old he has gone on to accumulate significant sums of wealth. Having gotten three gold medals in the summer X-Games, Sheckler has received millions in sponsorship revenue from companies like Red Bull and Oakley. Not only that though, but Sheckler also starred in his own show Life of Ryan which aired for three seasons. All this has resulted in Sheckler being one of the youngest and most successful skateboarders alive today.
9. Chad Muska Net Worth: $16 million
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After years of living homeless on a beach in California, it is incredible what Muska has been able to achieve through sponsorship deals as well as opening his own stores. He initially became prominent by appearing in many skateboard videos from 1990-2000, and then used this newfound prominence to promote brands such as Element, Supra, and Skytop. He continues to do work with some of these brands today, as well as opening his own store called “Factory413” based in Los Angeles. Through his various business ventures, and long sponsor filled career Muska has been able to obtain this large sum of wealth.
8. Stefan Janoski Net Worth: $20 million
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Stefan Janoski is a skateboarder, Artist, writer, musician, and shoe designer who has used these various skills to accumulate the significant wealth he has today. He initially became recognized by getting sponsored by the Expedition One skateboard company, but really obtained international recognition as designer Nike SB Zoom shoe. This came about in 2002 just as Nike was initially trying to establish itself in the skateboarding market. They asked Janoski to design a shoe which instantly became a classic, playing a large factor in the large sums of wealth he has today.
7. Rodney Mullen Net Worth: $30 million
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Considered to be the pioneer of modern street skating, Rodney Mullen has had incredible influence on the state of skateboarding for years. Not only has he invented classic tricks like the kickflip, but Mullen also had some influence on the overall design of skateboards. In 2000 Mullen designed and patented his own skateboard truck concept, and then went on to found a company based on the idea. The truck has since become an industry standard for skateboards and provides an explanation for how Mullen has become so wealthy. Not only this, but Mullen has since become a spokesman for innovation, and continues to get paid for numerous speaking events like this Ted Talk.
6. Shaun White Net Worth: $40 million
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Known primarily for his snowboarding career, Shaun White is actually a respected skateboarder as well, having competed and even gotten a medal in the summer X-games for skateboarding. As one of the most well known and recognizable athletes today, White has gotten incredible amounts of revenue from endorsement and sponsorship deals, as well as some business ventures on his part. White has also had his name appear on two video games, Shaun White Snowboarding and Shaun White Skateboarding and is likely to have received significant revenue from the sale of both those titles.
5. Rick Howard Net Worth: $45 million
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Rick Howard is a professional skateboarder as well as co-founder of Girl Skateboards and Lakai Limited Footwear. Having become initially recognized for his work with Plan B Skateboards, Howard eventually left the company to found his own Skateboard company Girl. As one of the founders, Howard went on to accumulate much wealth when the brand obtained global recognition and went on to sign some of the most prominent skaters of its time. Not only that, but Howard also founded his own company, Lakai Limited Footwear, which has produced some very well known skate shoes. While initially starting as a skateboarder, it is more Howards business ventures that have led him to a spot on this list.
4. Bam Margera Net Worth: 45 Million
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Know primarily for his hit reality TV show Viva La Bam and being a member of the Jackass crew, Bam Margera was actually a fairly successful professional skateboarder before getting involved with these franchises. He was sponsored by Toy Machine Skateboards as well as a member of Team Element before shifting his focus primarily to stunt work and entertainment for his various shows. It was here that he made his fortune as he went on to star in multiple Jackass movies as well as producing three of his own shows.
3. Rob Dyrdek Net Worth: $50 million
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Another skateboarder who made the transition into reality TV star, Rob Dyrdek became a pro at the early age of twelve, and by sixteen had already decided to skip his senior year of high school and move out to L.A to pursue his professional skateboarding career. From here he quickly got involved with DC Shoes and has been sponsored by them since 2016. His main sources of revenue though, are his various TV shows as well as business ventures. It would be hard to have been alive during the 2000’s and not have heard about the show Rob and Big and Dyrdecks skateboarding dog Meaty. He went on to star in two more hit shows after that called Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, and the internet clip show Ridiculousness.
2. Jamie Thomas Net Worth: $50 million
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Another skater turned entrepreneur, Jamie Thomas became a professional skateboarder at eighteen years old. After moving from Alabama to San Francisco, Jamie signed with Toy Machine skateboards and produced the skate video Welcome To Hell which went on to become one of the most influential videos of the nineties. From here he decided to found his own companies called Zero Skateboards and Fallen Footwear. Both companies did incredibly well from their conception, and as founder and CEO of both, it becomes clear how Thomas achieved such a high spot on this list.
1. Tony Hawk Net Worth: $140 million
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A name no one is surprised to see at the top of this list, Tony Hawk has been the face of skateboarding practically since the sport was invented. He famously is the first person ever to land a 900, and he used the recognition he got to create many business ventures that brought him even more wealth and fame. The most well known of these ventures is his Tony Hawk: Pro Skater series which is said to have grossed him $30,000,000. This along with the many sponsorship deals he has gotten throughout the years as well as the many businesses and brands he owns are what put him on the top of this list.
