A shot at the Powerball jackpot or an unexpected holiday gift can make you feel like a million bucks. But there are people in the nation who are making millions every day. Some became entrepreneurs straight out of college; others worked at companies for years before conceiving life-changing inventions. Some of America's most affluent people inherited their wealth, while others' path to prosperity has all the makings of a rags-to-riches story. Who are the wealthiest people in America, and how have they maintained financial success?

How Were the Richest People in America Ranked?

There are many ways to make money in America, from technology to investments to software development. Stacker compiled a list of the 25 wealthiest people in the nation. These individuals are ranked by estimated net worth, using Forbes 400 (Real Time) data accessed in November 2022. The list starts with people with tens of billions of dollars and climbs even higher, finishing with one person reported to be worth $200 billion.

Continue reading to see where a shoe designer, Microsoft's co-founders, and department store moguls rank on this list of the richest people in the country.

25 richest people in America and how they did it

Stacker compiled a list of the 25 wealthiest people in the country and how they've maintained their fortune.

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