Biography
Stephen Ross is among the world's most closely watched billionaires from UNITED STATES, with an estimated fortune of $17B. The bulk of Stephen Ross's wealth comes from Real estate, closely tied to Real estate. Stephen Ross is an 85-year-old American real estate developer, philanthropist, and sports team owner, with a net worth of $17.0 billion. He is the chairman and founder of Related Companies, a global real estate firm, and is best known for developing the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project. Ross's career began as a tax attorney, leading him to found Related Companies in 1972. His achievements include developing numerous high-profile properties and owning the Miami Dolphins. He is also a major benefactor to the University of Michigan, having donated a total of $480 million and is committed to giving back through various philanthropic initiatives. Key career milestones include Founded Related Companies (1972); Established the Stephen M. Ross School of Business (2004); Owner of Miami Dolphins (2009); Hudson Yards Opened (2019). This profile documents verified holdings, career milestones, and multi-year net worth history drawn from Forbes rankings, company filings where available, and our editorial methodology. Readers use it to understand how public markets, private company stakes, and major business bets shape one of the largest personal fortunes on record. Wealth estimates move with stock prices, funding rounds, and disclosed transactions—figures on this page are research estimates, not cash balances. We publish year-by-year net worth history when verified data exists, link to primary sources, and update profiles when Forbes Real-Time Billionaires or major filings change the picture materially. For investors and researchers, the most useful reading pairs the headline number with ownership structure, geography, sector exposure, and the multi-year history chart on this page—especially during volatile markets when single-day moves can shift rankings without any operational change at the underlying companies.