Here's How Much Ben Carson Is Really Worth

Inspired, Carson dedicated himself to his studies. He earned a full ride to Yale, where he earned a B.A. in psychology. After that, he went to medical school at the University of Michigan, and became a neurosurgeon.

As a neurosurgeon, Carson made a pretty penny. According to Glassdoor, the current national average salary for a neurosurgeon is $571,814. Not all of Carson's fortune came from medicine, though. Per Forbes, in the late 90s Carson joined the boards of Costco and Kellogg which paid him more than $5 million. He also earns royalties from his books, which include his memoir One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future and another memoir, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. This, along with the salary he earns as a member of Trump's cabinet, have amassed him a fortune of $20 million.

While Carson's presidential run in 2015 may have been one of the reasons that Trump later appointed him to his Cabinet, Carson's wealth was also one of the reasons that the president wanted him as part of his administration. "I want people that made a fortune!" he told supporters in a rally celebrating his win in December 2016 (via Politico). Trump added that he was "putting together one of the great cabinets that has ever been assembled in the history of our nation."