J. K. Rowling
Author of the Harry Potter series and the Cormoran Strike novels · United Kingdom[1]
J. K. Rowling is a British author best known for the seven-volume Harry Potter series, which her website says has sold more than 600 million copies, and for the Cormoran Strike crime novels written as Robert Galbraith. Forbes lists her net worth at about $1.2 billion as of 10 October 2026 (an estimate, not income).
- Born
- July 31, 1965
- Politics
- [2]
Has set out her views on sex and gender policy in published statements, including an essay on her website dated 10 June 2020; she describes her position as a defence of sex-based… More
Has set out her views on sex and gender policy in published statements, including an essay on her website dated 10 June 2020; she describes her position as a defence of sex-based protections in law and has also stated that trans people deserve protection.
Earnings by year1
What each year added up to: salary, plus outside income, royalties, endorsements, prizes and investment income where a source reports them. A financial disclosure gives ranges, shown as such.
- 2017$95MTotal
- Forbes highest-paid authors list, 12 months to June 2017 (pretax)[3]
- $95M
Life phases1
One octagon for each phase of the life of J. K. Rowling. Each of the eight axes is scored 0 to 5 against a written rubric from documented evidence, with its source; an axis without evidence is a gap, not a zero. There is no total and no ideal shape: it is a profile, not a ranking. Appearance and personality are not axes, because they cannot be scored from evidence.
No total and no ideal shape: a longer spoke means more of that axis, so a long Misconduct spoke is more documented misconduct.
Scores, rubric and sources
- 01Education3 of 5
- Medium confidenceBA in French, Exeter, 1987; teaching certificate 1996.[1]Highest attainment by then: 1 secondary school, 2 some college, 3 bachelor's degree, 4 master's or professional degree, 5 doctorate.
- 02WealthNo evidence
- Net worth or income against the national thresholds of the time: 1 below the median household, 3 top 5%, 5 top 0.1%.
- 03PositionNo evidence
- Scope of the role held: 1 entry level, 3 senior manager or legislator, 5 head of state or government, or the top role of a major institution.
- 04Public standingNo evidence
- Public approval or favourability where it was measured: 1 under 20%, 3 35 to 50%, 5 over 65%.
- 05Health2 of 5
- Medium confidenceEarly 1994: deep depression, contemplated suicide, sought medical help and had roughly nine months of therapy (her own account as recorded in the biography).[1]Documented health where an examination or disclosure exists: 5 no documented concern, 1 a serious documented condition.
- 06MisconductNo evidence
- The documented legal and ethics record within the phase, as in the misconduct meter: 0 none documented, 1 only matters resolved in their favour, 2 an open matter, 3 one finding, 4 two or three, 5 four or more. More is more documented misconduct.
- 07Social goodNo evidence
- Assessed effects of what they did in the phase on health, safety, education, rights and the environment, from official statistics or peer-reviewed evidence: 0 clearly harmful, 2.5 mixed, 5 clearly beneficial.
- 08Economic goodNo evidence
- Assessed effects of what they did in the phase on efficiency, growth and fiscal sustainability, from CBO and peer-reviewed evidence, as in the good-for-society reading: 0 clearly harmful, 2.5 mixed, 5 clearly beneficial.
Health, weight and religion appear only where the person, their physician or a reputable outlet has published them; each links to its source.