The actors featured in this article did not complete high school. Some pursued their GED diploma, while others did not. Despite this, these celebrities have amassed significant net worth.
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Let’s now examine the net worth of some of America’s most renowned actors and actresses, with figures adjusted for inflation where applicable.
1. Marlon Brando
Born on April 3, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska, Marlon Brando left high school early to join his sister in New York City, where they both took acting classes. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Brando won two Academy Awards for Best Actor.
Recognized as one of the most influential and greatest actors of the 20th century, he passed away at the age of 80 in 2004. At the time of his death, Brando’s net worth was estimated at $100 million, which would be approximately $130 million today when adjusted for inflation.
2. Al Pacino
Born on April 25, 1940, in East Harlem, New York, Al Pacino has enjoyed a remarkable acting and filmmaking career that has spanned over five decades.
His impressive list of accolades includes two Tony Awards, an Academy Award, and two Emmy Awards. Al Pacino is one of the rare performers to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting.
Despite struggling with grades in high school and leaving school early to follow his acting aspirations, he has built a substantial fortune, with his net worth estimated at $120 million.
3. Nicolas Cage
Born on January 7, 1964, in Long Beach, California, Nicholas Cage began his acting career in 1982. He is the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, the acclaimed director of *The Godfather*. Cage has been nominated for numerous major cinematic awards and has won a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Leaving Las Vegas.
Cage left high school early to pursue a career in filmmaking alongside his family. Although his net worth once exceeded $100 million and he has earned over $200 million from acting alone, it is now estimated to be around $25 million.
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4. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Born on July 30, 1947, in Thal, Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger left high school early to pursue a career as a professional bodybuilder.
By 2021, the Austrian-born actor had expanded his career to include roles as an investor, producer, businessman, author, activist, philanthropist, and politician.
He is well-known for serving two terms as the Governor of California and for his marriage to Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family.
Schwarzenegger gained fame with his 1982 role in Conan the Barbarian, followed by his iconic portrayal in The Terminator in 1984 and its sequels.
His notable action film roles include Commando (1985), The Running Man (1987), Predator (1987), Total Recall (1990), and True Lies (1994), among others. As of now, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s net worth is approximately $400 million.
5. Tom Cruise
Born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, Tom Cruise is one of the highest-paid actors globally.
He has garnered numerous accolades, including three Golden Globe Awards for his roles in Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, along with three Academy Award nominations.
Cruise left high school early to chase an acting career in New York. His breakout role came with the 1983 film Risky Business, and his performance in the 1986 action drama Top Gun further cemented his superstar status. Tom Cruise’s net worth is estimated to be around $69.9 million.
6. Keanu Reeves
Born on September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon, Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor who left high school to pursue his acting career.
He first gained prominence with his role in the 1989 science fiction film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and earned acclaim for his performance as a hustler in the 1991 film My Own Private Idaho.
Reeves continued to build his reputation with action-hero roles in Point Break (1991), Speed (1994), and The Devil’s Advocate (1997). His major breakthrough came in 1999 with his iconic role as Neo in the Matrix trilogy. Keanu Reeves’s net worth is estimated at $360 million.
7. Robert De Niro
Born on August 17, 1943, in New York City, Robert De Niro left high school early to pursue an acting career. He is renowned for his performances under Martin Scorsese and has garnered numerous awards, including a Golden Globe Award, two Academy Awards, the Cecil B.
DeMille Award, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2009, De Niro received the Kennedy Center Honor Award and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2016.
He starred in iconic films such as The Godfather Part II, Casino, and Goodfellas. De Niro’s net worth is estimated at $500 million.
8. John Travolta
Born on February 18, 1954, in Englewood, New Jersey, he left high school to chase his acting dreams.
His illustrious career includes memorable roles in films such as Pulp Fiction (directed by Quentin Tarantino, who also left high school early), Grease, Urban Cowboy, Face/Off, and Saturday Night Fever. He first gained widespread recognition in the 1970s through his role on the television sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.
Travolta has been nominated for an Emmy, twice for an Academy Award, and has won a Golden Globe Award.
In 2016, he earned a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as a producer on the anthology series American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson. John Travolta’s net worth is estimated at approximately $250 million.
9. Robert Downey Jr
Born on April 4, 1965, in New York City, Robert Downey Jr did not finish high school but chose to embark on an acting career.
He is renowned for his role as Tony Stark (Iron Man) across nine films and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder.
In 1992, Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Charlie Chaplin in the film “Chaplin,” earning an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. His net worth is estimated to be $300 million.
10. Johnny Depp
Born on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky, Johnny Depp left high school early to chase a career in music.
His acting debut was in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street. Depp has received ten Golden Globe nominations, winning one for Best Actor for his role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and has been nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Although his net worth was previously around $200 million, it is now estimated at $150 million.
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11. Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen, born Carlos Irwin Estévez on September 3, 1965, in New York City, was expelled from high school just before graduation due to poor attendance and low grades.
He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role as Charlie Crawford, and received multiple Emmy Awards and Golden Globe nominations for his portrayal of Charlie Harper on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men.
Currently, Sheen’s net worth is estimated at $10 million, though it was substantially higher about ten years ago.
12. Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz was born on August 30, 1972, in San Diego, California, and is a versatile talent known for her work as an actress, model, author, and producer.
She made her mark in the entertainment industry with notable roles in comedies and dramatic films. Diaz left Long Beach Polytech High School early to pursue a modeling contract.
Throughout her career, Diaz received four Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress: for her role in the 1998 comedy There’s Something About Mary, Spike Jonze’s 1999 surrealist fantasy Being John Malkovich, the 2001 film Vanilla Sky, and Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York.
Her net worth is estimated at $140 million.
13. Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox was born on June 9, 1961, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and left high school early to pursue an acting career. He gained recognition for his performances in Teen Wolf, Family Ties, and the Back to the Future trilogy.
In the 1990s, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and established a foundation to support research for the condition.
Due to his worsening health, Fox retired from acting in 2020. Over his career, he received numerous accolades, including four Golden Globe Awards, five Primetime Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy.
He was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2002. Michael J. Fox’s net worth is approximately $56 million.
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13. Nicole Kidman
Born on June 20, 1967, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Nicole Kidman is an Australian citizen.
She left high school early to pursue an acting career and later won an Oscar for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours.
Kidman gained recognition with her breakthrough roles in the 1989 miniseries Bangkok Hilton and the thriller Dead Calm, and made her Hollywood debut alongside Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder.
With an estimated net worth of around $250 million, Kidman is among many notable individuals who hold a GED instead of a traditional high school diploma.
14. Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg was born on November 13, 1955, in Chelsea, New York. She left high school before graduating, finding it too challenging at the time. Later, she was diagnosed with dyslexia, though it was undiagnosed during her school years.
As a highly celebrated television personality, actress, and comedian, she has received numerous awards, including a Grammy, an Emmy, a Tony, and an Academy Award.
Additionally, she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her role in The Color Purple. Whoopi Goldberg’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $6.99 million.
15. Demi Moore
Demi Moore, born on November 11, 1962, in Roswell, New Mexico, left high school at 16 to chase her acting dreams.
Over her career, she has earned numerous accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award, with additional nominations for the Critics’ Choice Movie Award.
In the 1990s, Demi Moore emerged as one of the highest-paid actresses in history. Notably, she was the first actress to command a salary exceeding $10 million (specifically $12 million) for her performance in Striptease (1996). Her estimated net worth is $200 million.
FAQs
Who is the Richest Person Without a High School Diploma?
The richest person without a high school diploma is Amancio Ortega, the founder of the fashion retail chain Zara. Ortega dropped out of school at age 14 to work in local shops, eventually establishing Inditex, which owns Zara and other brands.
His net worth is estimated at $74 billion, making him the wealthiest individual in Spain and one of the richest globally.
Other notable high school dropouts include Richard Branson and Jay-Z, but Ortega’s wealth surpasses theirs significantly, showcasing his remarkable success in the fashion industry.
How many Millionaires have a High School Diploma?
Approximately 22.7 million millionaires exist in the U.S., with varying educational backgrounds. A significant 88% of millionaires hold degrees, indicating that formal education correlates with wealth accumulation.
However, those with only a high school diploma still have a chance of becoming millionaires.
For instance, the likelihood of becoming a millionaire with a high school diploma is about 6% for Asians, 5% for Whites, 2% for Hispanics, and 1% for Blacks.
This data suggests that while higher education generally enhances wealth prospects, a high school diploma can still lead to millionaire status, albeit with lower probabilities.
What Famous Person didn’t Graduate High School?
Many famous celebrities never graduated high school, including Jennifer Lawrence, who dropped out at 14 to pursue acting and went on to win an Oscar.
Other notable dropouts include Ryan Gosling, who left school at 17 to join the Mickey Mouse Club, and Rihanna, who signed a record deal at 16 and built a fashion and beauty empire.
Jay-Z also dropped out to deal drugs before becoming a billionaire rapper. While education is important, these stars prove that success is possible without a high school diploma through hard work, talent and determination.
Can you be Successful without a High School Diploma?
Success without a high school diploma is possible, although it often comes with challenges. Many entrepreneurs, like Richard Branson and David Karp, achieved significant success despite dropping out of school.
Branson left at 16 and built a global brand, while Karp created Tumblr after leaving school at 15. However, statistics show that individuals without a diploma face higher unemployment rates; in 2019, 56% of those over 25 without a high school diploma were unemployed.
Furthermore, median earnings for this group are significantly lower, at about $606 weekly compared to $1,559 for those with advanced degrees.
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