Inside Ross Perot's Fortune: Ross Perot - Is the Star a Billionaire? Net Worth 2026: Career Earnings & Assets

Many fans are curious about Ross Perot's financial success in April 2026. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What Was Ross Perot's Net Worth?

Ross Perot was an American businessman who had a net worth of $4 billion at the time of his death in 2019. Famous for his involvement in politics and his shrewd instinct for business, Ross Perot was one of the richest people in the world for decades. He initially worked as a salesman for IBM before founding Electronic Data Systems in the early 1960s. After selling this company in the 1980s, Perot became a billionaire.

During this time, he was famously portrayed byDana Carveyin a number of classic "Saturday Night Live" sketches.

In terms of his political activities, Ross considered himself either an independent or a Republican, depending on the period of his life. He was passionate about the issues surrounding the Vietnam War, particularly the prospect of hundreds of American soldiers being left behind as prisoners of war. He then strongly opposed the Gulf War during George H. W. Bush's reign.

Perot became one of IBM's highest-performing salesmen after leaving the Navy, and he soon left to found Electronic Data Systems in 1962. During this period, EDS received lucrative government contracts, and its shares skyrocketed when it went public in 1968. During his time as the leader of EDS, two of its employees were imprisoned in Iran. Ross personally organized their rescue in a risky mission led by a former Special Forces colonel.

Ross Perot became popular among populists during the 1992 presidential elections because of growing resentment towards the Republicans. Although he led the polls with a projected 39% of the vote at one point, his campaign nosedived after widespread criticism from the media and a conspiracy theory that suggested he was a member of the CIA. He then failed to win the election, although he did receive a surprising amount of the popular vote.

Henry Ray Perot was born on June 27, 1930, in Texarkana, Texas. After graduating from high school in 1947, he entered the United States Naval Academy in 1949. He changed his name to "Ross" at the age of 25 in honor of his late father. From 1953 to 1957, he served as a junior officer in the Navy on destroyers and aircraft carriers.

By 1992, he had decided to run as an independent candidate for the President of the United States. He performed surprisingly well on a platform that opposed outsourcing jobs and stressed the importance of a balanced budget. He was even leading in the polls at one point, and he received 18.9% of the popular vote in 1992. After a less successful bid for the office of president in 1996, Ross neglected to run again and generally endorsed Republican candidates.

Ultimately, Ross Perot's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.