Forbes list of the world's highest-paid models

This is a list of the highest-paid models—applicable to either sex— in the world as ranked by Forbes magazine. For measurement, the magazine used pretax earnings, and fees for agents, managers and lawyers are not deducted, based on the report of 2018.^[1] The estimated figures are based on interviews with managers, agents, brand executives, and industry experts.^[1] Models income came from multiples entries, including endorsements, licensing ventures, runway shows, and commercial catalogs.^[2][3]

The lists are nearly exclusive to female models, as the magazine rarely compiles a list based on male models—the last time being in 2013.^[4][a] The modeling industry is a women-dominated sector, one of the few industries where the gender pay gap is reversed, where male models typically earn far less than their counterparts.^[5] According to PayScale in 2013, female models had an average salary of $41,300, earning 148% more than male models.^[3] By 2008, a successful male model could earn a mid-six-figure range, maxing out around $500,000 a year.^[5]

Supermodel Gisele Bündchen was the highest-ranked model on Forbes earning lists till 2017 before being overtaken by Kendall Jenner, in different measurements, including the largest string of appearances on the top, and the highest sum registered ($47 million in 2014). Sean O'Pry has the highest sum reported by Forbes for a male model in a year ($1.5 million in 2013).

Highest-paid models by year

Gisele Bündchen has more appearance within the top five, and on the top.

Sean O'Pry became the most "successful" male model on Forbes earning lists

Adriana Lima made at least sixteen appearances in the top five.

Kate Moss made at least ten appearances in the top five.

Heidi Klum made at least nine appearances in the top five.

David Gandy is one of the few male models to appear twice in a Forbes-earning list, including the last one dedicated to the subject (2013).

2022

The 2022 list:^[6]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Kendall Jenner	United States	$40 million
2	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$33 million
3	Rosie Huntington-Whiteley	United Kingdom	$32 million
4	Cara Delevigne	United Kingdom	$31 million
5	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$30 million

2021

The 2021 list:^[7]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Kendall Jenner	United States	$40 million
2	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$30 million
3	Cara Delevingne	United Kingdom	$19 million
4	Rosie Huntington-Whiteley	United Kingdom	$9 million
5	Gigi Hadid	United States	$9 million

2020

The 2020 list:^[8]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Kendall Jenner	United States	$40 million
2	Chrissy Teigen	United States	$39 million
3	Rosie Huntington-Whitely	United Kingdom	$32 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$31 million
5	Cara Delevingne	United Kingdom	$31 million

2018

The 2018 list:^[1]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Kendall Jenner	United States	$22.5 million
2	Karlie Kloss	United States	$13 million
3	Chrissy Teigen	United States	$11.5 million
4	Rosie Huntington-Whitely	United Kingdom	$11.5 million
5	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$10 million
	Cara Delevingne	United Kingdom	$10 million

2017

The 2017 list:^[9]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Kendall Jenner	United States	$22 million
2	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$17.5 million
3	Chrissy Teigen	United States	$13.5 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$10.5 million
5	Gigi Hadid	United States	$9.5 million

2016

The 2016 list:^[10]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$30.5 million
2	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$10.5 million
3	Gigi Hadid	United States	$10 million
4	Kendall Jenner	United States	$10 million
5	Miranda Kerr	Australia	$9 million
	Karlie Kloss	United States	$9 million

2015

The 2015 list:^[11]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$44 million
2	Cara Delevingne	United Kingdom	$9 million
3	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$9 million
4	Doutzen Kroes	Netherlands	$7.5 million
5	Natalia Vodianova	Russia	$7 million

2014

The 2014 list:^[12]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$47 million
2	Doutzen Kroes	Netherlands	$8 million
3	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$8 million
4	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$7 million
5	Kate Upton	United States	$7 million
	Miranda Kerr	Australia	$7 million
	Liu Wen	China	$7 million

2013

The 2013 list:^[13]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$42 million
2	Miranda Kerr	Australia	$7.2 million
3	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$6 million
4	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$5.7 million
5	Liu Wen	China	$4.3 million

The 2013 list (male models):^[3][14]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Sean O'Pry	United States	$1.5 million
2	David Gandy	United Kingdom	$1.4 million
3	Simon Nessman	Canada	$1.1 million
4	Arthur Kulkov	Russia	$905,000
5	Noah Mills	Canada	$740,000

2012

The 2012 list:^[15]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$45 million
2	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$9.2 million
3	Natalia Vodianova	Russia	$8.6 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$7.3 million
5	Doutzen Kroes	Netherlands	$6.9 million

2011

The 2011 list:^[16]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$45 million
2	Heidi Klum	Germany	$20 million
3	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$14.5 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$8 million
5	Alessandra Ambrosio	Brazil	$5 million

2010

The 2010 list:^[17]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$25 million
2	Heidi Klum	Germany	$16 million
3	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$9 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$7.5 million
5	Doutzen Kroes	Netherlands	$6 million

2009

The 2009 list:^[18]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$25 million
2	Heidi Klum	Germany	$16 million
3	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$8.5 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$8 million
5	Doutzen Kroes	Netherlands	$6 million

The 2009 list (male models) also known as "World's Most Successful Male Models" list:^[19]

Rank	Name	Nationality
1	Sean O'Pry	United States
2	Matt Gordon	Canada
3	David Gandy	United Kingdom
4	Danny Schwartz	United Kingdom
5	Garrett Neff	United States

2008

The 2008 list:^[20]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$35 million
2	Heidi Klum	Germany	$14 million
3	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$7.5 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$7 million
5	Doutzen Kroes	Netherlands	$6 million

The 2008 list (male models), also known as "World's Most Successful Male Models" list:^[5]

Rank	Name	Nationality
1	Taylor Fuchs	Canada
2	Mathias Lauridsen	Denmark
3	Matt Gordon	Canada
4	Cole Mohr	United States
5	Nick Snider	United States

2007

The 2007 list:^[21]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$33 million
2	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$9 million
3	Heidi Klum	Germany	$8 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$6 million
5	Alessandra Ambrosio	Brazil	$6 million

2006

The 2006 list:^[22]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$33 million
2	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$9 million
3	Heidi Klum	Germany	$8 million
4	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$6 million
5	Alessandra Ambrosio	Brazil	$6 million

2005

The 2005 list:^[23]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$15.2 million
2	Heidi Klum	Germany	$7.5 million
3	Tyra Banks	United States	$6 million
4	Kate Moss	United Kingdom	$5 million
5	Adriana Lima	Brazil	$4.5 million

2004

The 2004 list:^[24]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Milla Jovovich	Ukrainian SSR	$10.5 million
2	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$10 million
3	Heidi Klum	Germany	$8 million
4	Carolyn Murphy	United States	$5 million
5	Tyra Banks	United States	$4 million

2003

The 2003 list:^[25]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$12.8 million
2	Heidi Klum	Germany	$8.2 million
3	Milla Jovovich	Ukrainian SSR	$7.6 million
4	Christy Turlington	United States	$7.2 million
5	Carolyn Murphy	United States	$6.8 million

2002

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$12.5 million[26]

2000

The 2000 list:^[2]

Rank	Name	Nationality	Earnings
1	Claudia Schiffer	Germany	$9 million
2	Christy Turlington	United States	$8.5 million
3	Gisele Bündchen	Brazil	$8 million
4	Cindy Crawford	United States	$6.3 million
5	Tyra Banks	United States	$5.5 million

Notes

1. First known lists were made in late 2000s, called "World's Most Successful Male Models".