Riley P. Bechtel’s net worth over time
Only dates with a published estimate are shown. Nothing is filled in between. Tap or hover a bar to see the source.
See the numbers as a table
| Date | Estimate | Source |
| 2019 | $2.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $1.9 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $2.9 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $2.9 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $2.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $2.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $10.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $10.8 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
Where the money comes from
These are the main sources of wealth named in the reporting we cite. No published source breaks the total into exact amounts, so we do not show percentages.
Riley P. Bechtel’s fortune in real-life terms
Based on the Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 estimate above. Median full-time U.S. pay is $65,416 a year ($1,258 a week, BLS, Q2 2026), before taxes. Typical (median) U.S. family net worth is $216,100 (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances).
How do you compare to Riley P. Bechtel? New
Type your yearly income and see how you stack up. It runs in your browser: nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.
Riley P. Bechtel has an estimated net worth of $10.8 billion, according to Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Riley P. Bechtel profile (figures as of Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026). That is up from $2.7 billion in 2019.
Riley P. Bechtel is an American business leader known for running Bechtel, a major construction and engineering company. He joined the firm full-time in 1981 as a contract coordinator after working at a law firm. In 1989, he became president and chief operating officer. He moved up again in 1990, when he became chief executive. Later, in 1996, he also took on the chairman role, giving him a central place in the family company.
His wealth is tied to Bechtel, a business known for major projects including the Hoover Dam and the Bay Area Rapid Transit system in San Francisco. Forbes says he, his siblings, and their children together own an estimated 40% stake in the company. He ran Bechtel from 1990 to 2014, and stayed chairman until 2017. Forbes currently estimates his net worth at $10.8 billion on the 2026 World's Billionaires List.
How Riley P. Bechtel built his fortune
Most of Riley P. Bechtel's money comes from his family's longtime stake in Bechtel, which works in engineering and construction. He is not listed by Forbes as self-made. Instead, his fortune is connected to ownership in the company and to the leadership roles he held there for years. He joined in 1981, advanced through senior jobs, became CEO in 1990, and later added the chairman title in 1996.
Bechtel's business spans large building and infrastructure work, and its history includes headline projects such as the Hoover Dam and San Francisco's BART system. That kind of work helps explain why the company's value can support a large family fortune. Forbes notes that Riley Bechtel, his siblings, and their children together hold an estimated 40% of Bechtel. His son Brendan now serves as chairman and CEO, the fifth generation to lead the company.
How the Forbes estimate changed
Forbes valued Riley P. Bechtel at $2.7 billion in 2019, then $1.9 billion in 2020. The estimate rose to $2.9 billion in 2021 and stayed there in 2022. After that, Forbes put his fortune at $2.5 billion in 2023 and again in 2024. Those shifts track changes in how Forbes assessed the value of his family's construction and engineering holdings over time.
The biggest jump came later. Forbes raised the estimate to $10.3 billion in 2025, then to $10.8 billion in 2026. Forbes still ties his wealth to the same core business, Bechtel, and to the family's large ownership stake. Even after he stopped running the company in 2014 and later left the chairman role in 2017, that stake remained the key reason he stayed on the billionaire rankings.
Career and money timeline
- 1977
He earned a JD/MBA from Stanford University.
- 1981
He joined Bechtel full-time as a contract coordinator.
- 1989
He was elected president and chief operating officer.
- 1990
He became chief executive of Bechtel.
- 1996
He also became chairman of Bechtel.
- 2014
He stepped down as CEO after leading Bechtel from 1990.
- 2017
He remained chairman until April 2017.
Riley P. Bechtel net worth FAQ
What is Riley P. Bechtel's net worth?
Riley P. Bechtel's net worth is an estimated $10.8 billion, according to Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Riley P. Bechtel profile (Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Riley P. Bechtel get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Engineering, construction.
Is Riley P. Bechtel a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 estimates Riley P. Bechtel is worth $10.8 billion.
How has Riley P. Bechtel's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $2.7 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $10.8 billion (Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026).
What company is Riley P. Bechtel tied to?
He is tied to Bechtel, the family construction and engineering firm. He ran it from 1990 to 2014 and later remained chairman until 2017.
Why is Riley P. Bechtel so wealthy?
His wealth comes mainly from his family's stake in Bechtel. Forbes says he, his siblings, and their children together hold an estimated 40% of the company.
Sources
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Riley P. Bechtel profile (March 10, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Riley P. Bechtel profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Riley P. Bechtel profile (April 7, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Riley P. Bechtel profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Riley P. Bechtel profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Riley P. Bechtel profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Riley P. Bechtel profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Riley P. Bechtel profile (April 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Usual Weekly Earnings (Q2 2026) (July 2026)
- Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (median family net worth, Table 4) (October 2026)
- Background facts: Wikipedia, Riley P. Bechtel (accessed October 23, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Every number on this page is an estimate published by the source named next to it. We never fill in years with our own guesses. How we handle estimates.