Howard Schultz Net Worth

Howard Schultz has an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Howard Schultz profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $4.9 billion.

Howard Schultz is an American businessman best known for building Starbucks into a global coffee chain. He joined Starbucks in 1982, then left in 1985 to start Il Giornale after pushing for espresso drinks. In the late 1980s, Il Giornale merged with Starbucks, and Schultz took charge. Starbucks later went public in 1992. He served as CEO from 1986 to 2000, returned from 2008 to 2017, and was interim CEO from 2022 to 2023.

His wealth is tied mainly to Starbucks, the coffee company he expanded from 11 stores to more than 35,000 worldwide. Schultz also invested outside Starbucks through Maveron Capital, with bets on consumer brands including Groupon, Madison Reed, Allbirds and Lucy. He owned the Seattle SuperSonics from 2001 to 2006 and wrote 4 business books. Forbes says his net worth is $3.5 billion on its real-time billionaires tracker as of October 20, 2026.

How Howard Schultz built his fortune

Schultz made his name, and most of his wealth, through Starbucks. After starting at the company in 1982, he left to open Il Giornale in 1985. That business later merged with Starbucks, giving him control of the brand. He then pushed a company-owned store model instead of franchising. Starbucks went public in 1992, and Schultz used that step to expand fast across the United States and later overseas.

His money story is not only about coffee sales. Schultz led Starbucks through multiple chapters, including a return in 2008 during the financial crisis and another turn as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023. Outside Starbucks, he invested through Maveron Capital in consumer companies such as Groupon, Madison Reed, Allbirds and Lucy. He also owned the Seattle SuperSonics from 2001 to 2006, adding another business asset to his career.

What Forbes says about his wealth

Forbes tracks Schultz in Food & Beverage and ties his fortune to Starbucks. Its estimates moved over time. Forbes put him at $3.5 billion in 2019, then $3 billion in 2020. The estimate climbed to $4.9 billion in 2021 before slipping to $4 billion in 2022. Those shifts came while Starbucks was still the core business behind his wealth and while Schultz moved through another leadership stint at the company.

The Forbes estimate kept changing after that. Forbes listed Schultz at $3.7 billion in 2023 and $3.1 billion in 2024. By 2025, Forbes placed him back at $3.5 billion, the same figure it showed on its 2026 World's Billionaires list. Schultz is considered self-made by Forbes. Beyond Starbucks, his foundation supports veterans and youths, but the main driver of his fortune remains the coffee company he helped turn into a top brand.