The Obama sisters grew up in front of America's eyes, transforming from adorable children
into beautiful and accomplished young women.
While they haven't entered the workforce yet, they are well on their way to becoming two
wealthy, accomplished adults.
So how much are they really worth?
Sasha and Malia are no strangers to hard work.
The Obama sisters may have grown up famous and in a well-off family, but that doesn't
mean they've had everything handed to them.
Barack and Michelle made sure that their kids knew the importance of working hard.
Michelle told ABC News,
"That was the first thing I said to some of the staff when I did my visit.
Don't make their beds.
Make mine.
Skip the kids.
They have to learn these things."
Barack said that until his presidential campaign became too chaotic, he was giving Malia an
allowance of $1 per week, hardly enough to spoil his then-prepubescent daughter.
Sasha was likely too young to receive any allowance at all at that point.
It looks like when the Obama sisters are ready to enter the workforce, they'll do so with
a strong work ethic cultivated by their hard-working parents.
While Sasha and Malia are still pretty young and haven't had much of an opportunity to
build up their own fortunes, the Obama sisters will likely inherit a hefty amount from their
mother one day.
Michelle has amassed quite a bit of wealth throughout her career.
In 2018, the New York Post reported that Michelle commands a speaking fee of $225,000 and often
gives speeches for corporations and nonprofits.
In 2018, Michelle and her husband also signed a $50 million production deal with Netflix
which stands to earn a substantial profit.
The former first lady also earned millions for her best-selling memoir, Becoming, which
was selected as an Oprah's Book Club pick in 2018.
According to Reuters, the autobiography received an advance of more than $60 million, adding
a pretty penny to the Obamas' fortune.
The outlet reported in March 2019 that Michelle's memoir could eventually become the best-selling
autobiography of all time.
Sasha and Malia will probably inherit quite a lot of money from their dad.
The former president is worth millions.
According to Business Insider, the Obamas entered the White House in 2008 with an estimated
net worth of $1.3 million.
That already impressive sum has since ballooned to a conservative estimate of $40 million
by 2018, although the New York Post estimates that the former president and first lady could
be worth as much as $135 million.
"I've gotta go because I've gotta go raise some more money."
That sum includes money from speaking engagements, book deals, and a six-figure annual pension
which all former U.S. presidents receive.
Barack reportedly earns as much as $400,000 for a speaking engagement.
Between Barack's astronomical earnings and his wife's equally impressive success, the
Obama sisters will almost certainly inherit millions, if not more, from their famous and
powerful parents one day.
Even though Sasha and Malia are still in college, they're not as broke as most college students.
As the daughters of millionaires, the Obama sisters won't have to take out student loans
to complete their college educations.
Sasha is a student at the University of Michigan, which, according to the university's website,
comes with a price tag of nearly $55,000 for out-of-state students for the 2019 through
2020 school year alone.
Room and board costs almost an additional $12,000.
Malia is studying at Harvard which also costs quite a lot of money.
According to the school's website, Harvard's fees for the 2018 through 2019 school year
were nearly $68,000 for tuition, room, and board.
While it's not clear if the Obama sisters have earned any scholarships, their parents'
fortune means that they won't qualify for financial aid.
"And yes you do have to go to school in the morning."
Graduating without student debt will put them at a significant advantage.
According to NBC News, 20 percent of adult Americans carry student loan debt, with the
average monthly student loan payment ranging from $200 to $300.
The Obama sisters' college careers are shrouded in a lot of secrecy, and it's not surprising
that they would want to remain as private as possible after living life in the public
eye for so long.
It's not clear what Malia is studying in college, but it's likely to be something that will
earn her a considerable salary after graduation, whether or not she decides to go on to graduate
school.
As a Harvard alum, Malia will be joining the ranks of rich and powerful people, including
her own parents.
According to Emolument, the average starting salary for a Harvard grad can vary considerably
depending on field of study, but Harvard grads are often big earners.
Legal and paralegal grads, for example, make an average of $306,000 per year, while those
in human resources make $134,000.
While being the kid of a former president isn't a guaranteed pathway to success, it
does significantly increase the odds of becoming successful.
Being the child of a former president comes with a lot of clout that could serve the Obama
sisters well after they graduate from college, just like it has with other former presidential
children.
They could very well find themselves following in the footsteps of other prominent figures
whose fathers were also presidents.
Chelsea Clinton, for example, is now worth millions.
Her stock in IAC, which owns a portfolio of internet brands, is worth more than $6 million,
according to Barron's magazine, and Clinton is on the company's board.
George W. Bush's daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, is also worth a fortune, an estimated $10
million, earning $4 million a year as a co-host on the Today show.
While Sasha's exact net worth is unknown as of early 2020, Malia's estimated net worth
is $100,000, although the International Business Times says she could be worth as much as $250,000.
While this may not sound like that much money compared to her family's millions, it's certainly
a pretty impressive fortune for a college student.
Yahoo!
News reported in 2012 that Barack bought Bright Directions Age-Based Growth Plans for Sasha
and Malia in 2007 which would have been worth, as of 2010, anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000
each.
Sounds like the Obama sisters will always be well off.
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