The 15 Richest Male Models in the World

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Being a male model often means you don’t have as much fame or notoriety as female models. They do just as much work, but they’re less often recognized. The reason why is that male models typically don’t do as much outside of modeling as female models; for example, they don’t tend to marry major movie stars, start too many charities or look like, well, supermodels after giving birth six weeks before walking in one of the biggest runway shows in the world. However, male models are abundant, and they’re well paid. Read on to find out which 15 male models are the richest.

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Colton Haynes – $4 million

He was born in Kansas and moved to New York City in an effort to begin his modeling career. His first job was with the teen favorite, Abercrombie & Fitch. After modeling for them, he decided to take his talents to the opposite coast and try his hand at acting. He was fortunate (or talented) enough to score roles on Teen Wolf as well as Arrow. He’s also had roles in television shows such as CSI: Miami, Pushing Daisies, Melrose Place, and Privileged. He’s still fairly new to the modeling and acting game, however, and his net worth as well as his face and name will likely become more famous over time.

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James Marsden – $4 million

You might recognize the fact that James Marsden has been acting since the 90s. However, before he was an actor, he was a male model. He had a few small gigs here and there in the modeling industry, but his big break came when he landed a job working with Versace, which made him famous virtually overnight. Today, he’s one of the most successful and busiest actors in all of Hollywood, as well as a family man. And it’s all thanks to beginning his career as a male model back in the 80s and 90s, which was a big time for the modeling industry.

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Ian Somerhalder – $4 million

Today he’s one of the hottest actors around, with a role as the vampire Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries. Before he was the vampire with the gorgeous blue eyes and the slightly evil smile, however, he was a model. He actually began his modeling career as a child, modeling for companies such as Kids ‘R Us. Once he grew up a bit, he modeled for slightly bigger name fashion brands such as Guess and Versace. It didn’t take him long to realize, however, that he’s actually pretty talented and could make a living acting.

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Taylor Kitsch – $4 million

Before he was a main character on the television series Friday Night Lights, Taylor Kitsch was a male model. He began his career by moving from his native Canada to New York City when he was 18-years-old and signing a modeling contract with major company IMG. He did what most hot male models do; he modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch. He also modeled for a few other fashion brands, though. This included Liz Claiborne. When he was finished in the modeling world, he decided to take his talent to Hollywood and become an actor.

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Kellan Lutz – $5 million

It’s hard to be so pretty that you’re everywhere, but that’s what it’s like to be Kellan Lutz. The handsome actor began his career as a model. I’m sure it will shock you, but his first modeling job was with Abercrombie & Fitch. Landing a job with this company is the equivalent of just assuming massive success throughout the modeling and acting world. Once he was discovered thanks to his modeling jobs, the model went on to become an actor in major movies such as the Twilight Saga, which further launched his career into stardom.

(Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret)

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Sean O’Pry – $6.5 million

He began his career at just 17-years-old (all thanks to his MySpace page when one of his photos attracted the attention of a well-known modeling agent, no less) and he’s been making money ever since. He’s a Georgia-born model who works for some of the biggest designers in the world. His portfolio includes campaigns for designers such as Calvin Klein, Giorgio Armani and even Dolce & Gabbana. He’s gotten plenty of time on television making commercials, and he’s even slated to appear in minor roles in some television shows in the coming months, if rumor can be trusted.

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David Gandy – $10 million

As his net worth of $10 million suggests, David Gandy has had a very successful career as a male model. He’s a British-born model with a long career and a number of major campaigns behind him. This male model has been the face of Carolina Herrara, Hugo Boxss, Zara and H&M, which are all major brands. He’s also been in dozens of commercials and you might recognize him from his magazine covers. He’s graced the covers of GQ, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as been the recipient of a number of modeling awards in his day.

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Baptiste Giabiconi – $12 million

You might not recognize his name, as most male models are not as easily recognized by name as female models. However, if you follow high fashion and haute-couture, you will recognize his face. Baptiste Giabiconi is the face of Karl Lagerfeld. He’s also worked for other high-end designers such as Chanel and Fendi and he has been in several other campaigns for commercial brands. He was born in France and has made a name for himself in the modeling world after winning a beauty contest in his high school that was the starting point for his successful career.

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Tyson Beckford – $14 million

He’s a male model with a big career behind him. Not only has he spent the vast majority of his career as a model, he’s been in major movies, television shows and other media. He’s considered one of the most successful male models of all time, working for companies such as Ralph Lauren. In 1995, he was named one of the most beautiful people in the world and he was named man of the year. His career has spanned more than two decades, and his net worth is approximately $14 million, which just goes to show that women are definitely paid more than men in this industry.

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Fabio – $15 million

He’s so famous in the modeling world he doesn’t even need a last name. We’re sure he has one, but it’s not important. Fabio is the man who has been gracing modeling campaigns for decades; he’s the man with the hair all women envy. Not only was he part of the Versace “Mediterraneum” campaign, he was also in several soap operas, commercials and on the cover of many romance novels in the 80s and 90s, from which he rose to fame. He made his money and his fame by showing off his pretty face and great body for decades.

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Josh Duhamel – $15 million

Josh Duhamel is a famous actor who had a long-running career in the soaps, and he’s been in several big movies. But before he was a famous face in the acting world and the husband of one of the biggest singers in the world, Fergie, he was just a pretty face from North Dakota who hoped to one day play pro football. When that didn’t pan out, however, he moved to LA and began modeling. He even won a modeling competition called Male Model of the Year, beating out fellow actor and former model, Ashton Kutcher.

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Tyrese Gibson – $25 million

He’s had every career known to mankind. He’s a multi-platinum recording artist, he’s an actor and he used to be a model. That’s right; Tyrese got his start when he was a male model growing up. He began his big and lengthy career as a model for Tommy Hilfiger and Guess, spending much of the 90s on the billboards and ad campaigns for both major brands. He hit it big with his modeling career, and took his fame elsewhere to pursue his other, bigger, dreams in entertainment, landing recording deals and movie roles in some of the biggest movies around.

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Channing Tatum – $50 million

Believe it or not, Channing Tatum’s career did not start out as a major movie star heartthrob. His career began when he was a dancer, but he quickly realized that there was more money in modeling. He went on to become one of the most successful male models of his time. He had contracts with major fashion designers such as Emporio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana. He’s now one of the most successful actors in Hollywood, which is what a lot of male models go onto to do once they realize male models are great, but not as well paid as movie stars.

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Ashton Kutcher -$140 million

When he was in college, he won a competition that was all about fresh faces. He decided it meant he was supposed to become famous and took himself to New York City to pursue a career in modeling. He was quickly taken on as a model, landing campaigns with major brands such as Calvin Klein. He didn’t starve long as a male model, getting his first job almost as soon as he ended up in New York City. He quickly began walking the runway in shows in cities such as Milan and Paris, as well, paving the way for his acting career.

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Mark Wahlberg – $200 million

He was already going by Marky Mark when he was 21, and it’s also when he became super famous for shooting a Calvin Klein ad alongside the very famous (and much better paid as far as modeling goes) Kate Moss. Now Mark Wahlberg is one of the most famous and acclaimed actors of the millennium, starring in dozens of films and making hundreds of appearances all over the world. He, at one point, even made his own fitness video and had a small singing career you probably know a little something about.

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Written by Tiffany Raiford

Tiffany Raiford is a lifelong Floridian, wife to my high school sweetheart and mother of four littles (two girls and boy/girl twins...no, they are not identical and yes, I'm sure). My kids love to whine, so I love to wine. My loves include nap time, bed time, date night, travel and evenings and weekends when my husband is home because he handles all diaper changes.