Republican Donald Trump's pick for vice president J.D. Vance is an investor, venture capitalist, best-selling author and U.S. Senator from Ohio.
If Donald Trump wins the presidential election in November, America will have its first crypto Vice President.
So how much is Vance worth? Here's a look at his fortune.
JD Vance at his office in the Senate Russell Building in Washington, D.C., July 12, 2023.
What is J.D. Vance's Net Worth and Salary?
J.D. Vance is a venture capitalist, author, and Republican politician who has a net worth of $5 million. In 2022, J.D. Vance was elected to the United States Senate. His term began in 2023. Vance rose to fame in 2016 with his bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," which describes his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, and the socioeconomic issues of the Appalachian area.
Previously a vocal critic of Donald Trump, Vance became a Trump loyalist in 2020. In 2024, J.D. Vance was rumored to be a possible choice for Trump's Vice Presidential running mate. Other potential Trump VP picks include businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former North Dakota Governor/businessman Doug Burgum. On July 15, 2024, J.D. was officially revealed as Trump's Vice Presidential running mate.
As we detail in the paragraphs below, Vance has made dozens of investments as a venture capitalist. He served on the board of one of his investments, AppHarvest, until 2021, when he stepped down to run for Senate. AppHarvest focused on indoor farming for tomatoes. The company went public via SPAC in 2021 at a peak market cap of $3 billion. AppHarvest filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
Salary
As a freshman US Senator, J.D. Vance's salary is $174,000. Vance is also separately the co-founder and partner in a venture capital firm called Narya Capital. According to his most recent financial disclosure, Vance earns an annual salary of $327,000 from Narya.
Financial Disclosure
J.D. Vance's August 2022 financial disclosure listed dozens of investments as assets. The vast majority of his 100+ investments, covering roughly 20 pages in the disclosure, were valued at between $1,000 and $15,000. Among his larger investments are a stake in the online video platform Rumble, which was valued at between $100,000 and $250,000, an investment in Kriya Therapies, valued at $50,000 and $100,000, an investment in AppHarvest, Inc., valued at $100,000 to $200,000 and an investment in AcreTrader Inc valued at $15,000 to $50,000.
His top listed asset is JD Vance Enterprises LLC, which "Holds investments, and promotes speaking, writing and media appearances of JD Vance." No value range was given for this asset. Here are some other major Vance assets:
Huntington National Bank which holds $250,000 – $500,000
Charles Schwab checking account which holds $100,000 – $250,000
Robin Hood checking account which holds $100,000 – $250,000
Five Goldman Sachs CDs valued at a combined range of $500,000 and $1.05 million
$500,000 – $1 million worth of shares in the QQQ Exchange Traded Fund
$100,000 – $200,000 worth of 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF shares
$500,000 – $1 million worth of DIA SPDR ETF
$500,000 – $1 million worth of SPY SPDR ETF
$100,000 – $250,000 worth of Bitcoin held through Coinbase
$50,000 – $100,000 worth of Walmart stock
The combined value of the above estimation ranges for these assets alone add up to $2.7 million to $5.6 million.
Real Estate
In June 2018, JD and Usha paid $1.4 million for a home in Cincinnati, Ohio. The 2+ acre property features a 4,700-square-foot mansion, which was built and 1858 and has five bedrooms and five bathrooms. JD's financial disclosure showed that he bought the home with a mortgage valued at $500,000 – $1 million through Navy Federal Credit Union at a 30-year-fixed rate of 3.875%.
Early Life and Education
J.D. Vance was born as James Donald Bowman on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, to Bev and Donald. After his parents divorced when he was a toddler, he was adopted by his mother's third husband. However, Vance and his sister were mostly raised by their grandparents, James and Bonnie, whom they called Mamaw and Papaw.
As a teenager, Vance attended Middletown High School. Following his graduation, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps and served in the Iraq War. Vance later attended the Ohio State University, from which he graduated in 2009 with his BA in political science and philosophy. He went on to obtain his JD from Yale Law School in 2013.
Career Beginnings in Law and Finance
Vance began his career working at a corporate law firm. After that, he moved to San Francisco and became a venture capitalist in the city's tech industry. Vance served as a principal at Mithril Capital, the firm of entrepreneur Peter Thiel. Later, he joined the Washington, DC-based investment firm Revolution and co-founded the Cincinnati-based firm Narya Capital.
(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Hillbilly Elegy
Vance rose to fame in 2016 with his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," which was a New York Times Best Seller. The book chronicles his upbringing in Middletown, Ohio, and describes the socioeconomic hardships of his family and the wider Appalachian area. "Hillbilly Elegy" drew significant press for its depiction of white working-class values in the Rust Belt, especially because of its release in a controversial election year. It was also criticized by many for perpetuating myths about poverty and making generalizations about various groups of people. In 2020, the book was adapted into a film directed by Ron Howard and starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close.
Hillbilly Elegy Royalties
According to Vance's financial disclosures, he earned the following amounts in royalties from publisher Harper Collins thanks to his book Hillbilly Elegy:
2020: $347,752
2021: $475,380
US Senator
In the summer of 2021, Vance officially began running for the US Senate seat being vacated by Ohio Republican Rob Portman. Endorsed by Donald Trump, he went on to win the primary and the general election in 2022.
Trump VP Pick
On July 14, 2024, J.D. Vance was chosen to be Donald Trump's Vice Presidential running mate.
Political Positions
Described as a populist conservative, some consider Vance to be critical of LGBTQ+ rights, women's rights, and the reality of climate change. Vance has persistently opposed supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. In a 2024 NY Times Op-Ed, Vance explained his position by claiming Russia's victory in Ukraine is inevitable and "that reality must inform any future Ukraine policy, from future congressional aid to the diplomatic course set by the president."
Vance was a vocal critic of Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election, calling him "reprehensible" and "America's Hitler." However, he began changing his tune by 2018, and in 2020, he became a full-fledged supporter. Notably, Vance perpetuated the Big Lie that Trump lost the 2020 presidential election due to voter fraud.
Personal Life
In 2014, Vance married Usha Chilukuri, who had been his classmate at Yale Law. Together, they have three children.
Raised Protestant, Vance was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church in 2019.
