Betsy DeVos’s Net Worth Helped Fuel a Political Empire — And a Few Yachts Too

Most people know Betsy DeVos as the polarizing Secretary of Education under Donald Trump. Few realize just how deep her fortune runs — or how much of it has quietly powered political campaigns, private investments, and luxury toys (yes, including multiple yachts). Her net worth has been a topic of speculation for years. Just how much money does she have?

Spoiler: It’s a lot.

Betsy DeVos’s net worth has long been cloaked in layers of family wealth, business entanglements, and strategic giving. From her marriage into the Amway empire to her own family’s auto parts fortune, she’s at the center of one of the most influential dynasties in conservative politics. Thanks to recent financial disclosures and deep reporting, the picture of just how far her money stretches is finally coming into focus.

Betsy’s net worth is estimated at around $2 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Forbes once described her as the richest member of Trump’s cabinet. But that number isn’t just hers — it includes her husband Dick DeVos and their four adult children. Together, they control massive stakes in the Amway empire, the Orlando Magic NBA team, and a sprawling portfolio of real estate, yachts, private equity investments, and other assets.

Much of that wealth can be traced back to two family fortunes: her own and her husband’s. Betsy was born Elisabeth Prince, the daughter of auto parts magnate Edgar Prince, who struck gold with a patented sun visor that brought in royalties from every major car manufacturer. Her brother is Erik Prince, founder of the controversial military contractor Blackwater.

But the bigger slice of the pie comes from her marriage to Dick, son of Richard DeVos Sr., who co-founded Amway in 1959. That multi-level marketing giant (and frequent source of controversy) helped turn the DeVos family into one of the wealthiest in America. When Richard Sr. passed away in 2018, his net worth was estimated at $6 billion.

According to Forbes, the DeVos family still owns half of Amway, which is now a private company operating under its parent, Alticor. Dick and his three siblings are believed to share equal stakes in that half. If that’s true, Betsy and her immediate family control about 12 percent of Amway, a stake worth around $1.3 billion.

That’s not all. They also reportedly hold 25 percent of the Orlando Magic, which is worth an estimated $300 million. Other assets include a resort in the Bahamas, a sportsplex in Florida, a baseball stadium in Michigan, and at least ten yachts, including the 164-foot Seaquest.

Then, there are the investments: Betsy and Dick have holdings in firms like Vista Equity Partners and AEA Investors, and they’ve backed companies like At Home and SpaceX. Betsy’s personal stake in outside investments (excluding Amway and the Magic) is worth at least $335 million, based on her financial disclosure forms.

Their wealth is managed through two entities: RDV Corporation, which handles the family’s broader financial empire, and Windquest Group, which oversees Betsy and Dick’s personal ventures.

The DeVos family isn’t shy about spending to influence elections. Betsy once told Senator Bernie Sanders during a confirmation hearing that she wasn’t sure how much her family had donated to Republican causes — but said $200 million sounded “possible.” She made that statement in 2017.

By 2024, their political influence had only grown. According to MLive, the family has donated nearly $12 million to political causes this election cycle alone, including:

• $2.3 million to the Michigan Freedom Network, a conservative PAC
• $1 million to the Sentinel Action Fund, launched by Heritage Action
• $1 million to the AFC Victory Fund, which supports school choice candidates
• $1.4 million to the NRCC and NRSC, the official GOP House and Senate campaign arms
• $3.8 million to various state-level campaigns and PACs

And that’s just this cycle. Since the 1980s, they’ve been behind a network of Republican campaigns and conservative organizations. Betsy and Dick also backed voucher-style school funding efforts, including the Let MI Kids Learn ballot initiative in Michigan. Despite millions in support, the proposal failed to reach voters.

Betsy previously chaired the Michigan Republican Party and has served on the boards of conservative think tanks and pro-charter school groups.

Betsy’s financial empire is more than just a fortune — it’s a long-term strategy. From Amway to education reform and from yachts to election spending, her wealth has quietly shaped American politics for decades.

Whether you see her as a philanthropist, a power broker, or a political lightning rod, the scale of her financial influence is impossible to ignore — and shows no signs of slowing down.