Ron DeSantis Net Worth: The Florida Governor’s Earnings and Financial Growth

Ronald DeSantis, better known as Ron DeSantis, is an American politician and attorney. He is a former naval officer currently serving as the 46th governor of Florida, a position he has held since 2019. As of 2025, Ron DeSantis’ net worth is estimated at $1.96 million.
Representing the Republican Party, DeSantis has served as a U.S. representative in the 6th congressional district in Florida since 2018. In 2023, he was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, but chose to withdraw his candidacy in January 2024.

During his presidential run, Ron DeSantis significantly boosted his net worth thanks to his book sales. Let’s see what he is worth today and how he has accumulated such wealth over the years.

Breaking Down Ron DeSantis’ Net Worth in 2025

As Ron DeSantis has gained prominence in U.S. politics, his net worth has grown significantly as well. His wealth is mostly driven by his high-ranking positions, book deals, and lucrative earnings from different sources.

Most elected officials, including DeSantis, are required to regularly submit financial disclosure reports, which provides insights into their assets and income. The most recent available data on DeSantis’ net worth comes from December 2023. However, we can estimate his current net worth with his previous disclosures and his salary as the governor of Florida.

DeSantis’ reported net worth in December 2023 was around $1.77 million. He has continued to earn his gubernatorial salary since, which is $141,400 a year. Up until April 2025, he has earned over $176,000 in salary alone. Based on this, we estimate that he is worth at least $1.95 million today.

Ron DeSantis Net Worth: Early Life and Education

Ronald Dion DeSantis was born on September 13, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida. His parents were Karen DeSantis and Ronald Daniel DeSantis. His background is deeply rooted in Italian heritage – his great-grandparents all emigrated from Southern Italy during the first major wave of Italian immigration to the United States. The family name “Rogers” on his mother’s side, for instance, was originally “Ruggiero.”

Before they settled in Florida, DeSantis’ parents and grandparents lived in industrial towns across Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. His mother worked as a nurse while his father was installing Nielsen television rating boxes. They met at Youngstown State University in Ohio and relocated to Jacksonville in the 1970s, eventually raising their family in the Tampa Bay area.

Ron DeSantis grew up in Dunedin, Florida, after brief periods living in Orlando and Jacksonville. He was a sporty, driven child who made headlines early as a member of the Dunedin National Team, which competed in the 1991 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

In 2015, the DeSantis family tragically lost Ron’s younger sister, Christina, to pulmonary embolism at the age of 30.

Education

DeSantis attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, followed by Dunedin High School, where he graduated in 1997. Following his high school graduation, he headed north to attend Yale University, where he majored in history.

At university, Ron DeSantis was a promising academic and a standout athlete, serving as the captain of Yale’s varsity baseball team – and playing in the outfield. During his senior year in 2001, he led the team with an impressive batting average of .336.

While at Yale University, DeSantis was also a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the St. Elmo Society (one of the school’s storied secret societies). To support himself during his university years, he juggled various jobs such as an electrician’s assistant and a coach at a local baseball camp. In 2001, he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history.

After Yale, DeSantis spent a year teaching history and coaching at Darlington School in Georgia. He then enrolled at Harvard Law School, earning his Juris Doctor degree cum laude in 2005. While at Harvard, he was a business manager for the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, marking his involvement in the legal and political world.

Personal Life

Ron DeSantis met Casey Black, his wife, at a golf course at the University of North Florida. She was a television host for the Golf Channel, followed by her role as a TV journalist and news anchor at WJXZ.

DeSantis and Black got married on September 26, 2009. They have three children.

Touchdown Mason meets Touchdown Jesus. #NotreDameVsFSU pic.twitter.com/lqqlS5iuRT

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 9, 2024

Military Service

In 2004, while he was still in his second year at Harvard Law School, Ron DeSantis took a decisive step toward public service when he became a commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy. He joined the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG).

After he completed the Naval Justice School in 2005, DeSantis began his service as a military prosecutor at Naval Station Mayport in Florida. In 2006, his performance earned him a promotion from lieutenant junior grade to full lieutenant.

That same year, DeSantis was deployed to Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO), where he was involved in legal matters concerning the detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. The specifics of his role at the time remain heavily redacted in public records, citing privacy protections. Still, DeSantis has acknowledged that his role included advising the base commander on legal aspects of detainee handling. This included the extremely controversial practice of force-feeding during hunger strikes.

“Hey, you actually can force-feed. Here is what you can do. Here’s kind of the rules for that,” – he explained in an interview with a local CBS TV station.

In 2007, Ron DeSantis transitioned to a new post with the Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, California, serving as a legal adviser to SEAL Team One. That same year, he deployed to Iraq and was stationed in Fallujah, where he worked alongside elite special forces, offering legal counsel to the SEAL commander, Dane Thorleifson.

In April 2008, he returned stateside and continued his legal career in uniform. He became a special assistant U.S. attorney in Florida’s Middle District. His honorable discharge from active duty came in 2010 when he was also serving as a trial defense counsel.

Even after he left active duty, DeSantis remained in the Navy Reserve until February 2019 – the same month he was sworn in as Governor of Florida. By then, he held the rank of lieutenant commander.

Throughout his lengthy and highly successful military career, Ron DeSantis was decorated with several commendations. These included:

• Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in a combat zone
• Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a gold star in lieu of a second award
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal

Ron DeSantis’ Versatile Political Career

After he left the U.S Navy, Ron DeSantis made a shift into the legal and political world. With two law school friends, he co-founded LSAT Freedom, a test-prep company that helped students pass the LSAT.

He also worked as a litigator at Holland & Knight, a prominent law firm in Miami. However, it wasn’t long before he set his sights on politics.

U.S House of Representatives

In 2012, Ron DeSantis ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida’s 6th district, aligning himself with the Tea Party movement. His campaign was backed by conservative organizations like the Club for Growth and the Koch Brothers’ FreedomWorks. He won in the Republican primary and subsequently defeated the Democratic nominee, Heather Beaven, in the general election.

Once he was in Congress, DeSantis emphasized conservative fiscal politics and focused on limited government. He became one of the founding members of the House Freedom Caucus, seeking to push a more libertarian approach to governance.

During his tenure as a senator, DeSantis took a clear stance on a variety of issues. For instance, he was a vocal opponent of the Affordable Care Act and introduced a bill to limit the federal government’s role in education.

DeSantis also made headlines for his hardline positions on immigration, especially when he opposed President Obama’s DACA and DAPA programs. He co-sponsored “Kate’s Law,” which aimed to impose tougher penalties on undocumented immigrants who entered the country after being deported.

In 2018, he left Congress to run for governor of Florida, which marked a new phase in his rise to national political prominence.

Becoming a Florida Governor

DeSantis has been involved in Florida politics for many years. In January 2018, he officially entered the race to replace term-limited Governor Rick Scott. He had President Donald Trump’s backing, which made him a formidable contender in the Republican primary.

DeSantis’ gubernatorial campaign was characterized by his support for Trump, which was exemplified by a viral ad in which he taught his children how to “build the wall” and say “Make America Great Again.” This alliance with Donald Trump was likely central to his victory, where he defeated his Republican rival, Adam Putnam, in August 2018.

DeSantis’ platform during the campaign was based on conservative values. He pushed for expanded gun rights, advocated for a state-level ban on sanctuary cities, and proposed reforms to Medicaid. His most controversial moment came after his primary victory when he made a comment that some interpreted as a racist dog whistle. In his comment, he said that Andrew Gillum, his African-American Democratic opponent, would “monkey up” the state’s recent success.

The general election was a tight race, with DeSantis winning by just 0.4%. This was one of the closest contests in Florida’s history, which triggered an automatic recount. DeSantis was ultimately confirmed as the winner on November 17, 2018.

His victory came with a pay cut. The former Florida governor now earns 25% less than when he was in Congress. His wife, Casey, had left her job as a reporter in 2018. The family sold their Jacksonville home and paid off their mortgage, profiting around $150,000 from the sale. They took up residence at the governor’s mansion.

2022 Gubernatorial Election

In 2022, DeSantis sought re-election amid increasing national attention. He filed for re-election in September 2021, facing the Democratic nominee, Charlie Crist, a U.S. representative and former Florida governor.

Crist criticized DeSantis’ controversial decisions, such as his transportation of undocumented immigrants to Democrat-led states. The gubernatorial debate became quite the flashpoint, with DeSantis firmly defending his record.

DeSantis won the election, securing 59.4% of the vote against Crist’s 40%. His victory was significant not only for the margin but also because of his win in Miami-Dade County, which traditionally had a Democratic stronghold.

DeSantis will complete his tenure as a Florida Governor in January 2027. While he is ineligible to run for governor again, his wife, Casey DeSantis, has been mentioned as a possible successor. She has served as Florida’s First Lady since 2019.

Presidential Campaign

Ron DeSantis’ 2024 presidential campaign was eagerly anticipated and came after years of speculation. By mid-2023, he was considered one of the leading contenders for the GOP nomination, but he faced significant challenges in polls against Trump.

Media outlets and political figures suggested DeSantis as a presidential hopeful before formally announcing his candidacy in a glitch-ridden online event with Elon Musk, held on X. “Decline is a choice,” DeSantis said in his announcement video for the presidency in May, promising to lead a great comeback for America.

However, his plans and promises for America’s revival didn’t come to pass as his poll numbers slipped. DeSantis eventually dropped out of the presidential race after it became clear that he couldn’t contend with Trump.

On January 21, 2024, just before the New Hampshire primary, DeSantis suspended his campaign after finishing second in the Iowa caucuses. He ended his bid with only nine delegates and endorsed Trump.

Ron DeSantis’s Financial Disclosure Forms and Net Worth

In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis’ net worth increased by over 50%. The main reason for the net worth rise was book sales from his second book, “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival.” DeSantis’ first book, “Dreams from Our Founding Fathers: First Principles in the Age of Obama,” wasn’t nearly as profitable.

Because state elected officials are required to file financial disclosure forms every year by July 1, we have a decent idea of what Ron DeSantis earned from his book deal and sales.

In his latest financial disclosure report, DeSantis was required to list income, liabilities, and assets for the previous year. His net worth, as of December 31, 2023, was $1,773,157.90, according to the report.

“The Courage to Be Free” debuted as a best seller on the New York Times and Amazon lists after its release in February 2023. In 2023, DeSantis received $625,500 from HarperCollins Publishers LLC.

In addition to this, he received $160,000 in 2023 from Premiere Collectibles Books, a company that offers signed copies of the book in a deluxe collector set for $50, or $35 for the book alone.

Finally, his salary from the State of Florida as one of the state’s elected officials added up to $141,400 annually. You can see his income report below:

In addition to his book income, DeSantis’ most recent financial disclosure report shows increases in his savings accounts and checking accounts. By the end of 2023, Senator DeSantis had:

• $351,078 in USAA checking and savings account

• $95,592 in a thrift savings plan

• nearly $1.26 million in savings accounts with Interactive Brokers

• $84,196 in the Florida Retirement System

In 2023, Ron DeSantis also had to file financial disclosure forms, where he shared that his net worth, as of December 31, 2022, was $1,174,331.07. In the financial disclosure report for the year, he listed the following holdings and assets:

• $91,719 in a thrift savings plan

• $54,720 in the Florida Retirement System

• $1.046 million in USAA checking and savings accounts

His salary as a Senator was the same for 2022: $141,400. His payment for the book was significantly higher as part of the book deal. HarperCollins Publishers LLC paid Ron DeSantis an impressive $1.25 million as part of the deal.

As of April 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis’s financial disclosure report for the year 2024 has not been filed. According to the Florida Commission of Ethics, the disclosures are due by July each year, so the report is expected to be available soon after that date. Given that he remains a Florida Governor, it is safe to say that DeSantis’ net worth will be higher by a minimum of $141,400.

Ron DeSantis has only become this wealthy in recent years. He has been required to file financial disclosure forms for many years, which gives us a pretty clear idea of his net worth over the years.

Before his book deal, he posted a net worth of $318,986 in 2021. In 2020, he reported a net worth of $291,449 for the previous year. In 2018, he made only $116,000 from his U.S. House Seat, compared to $174,000 per year for the previous years. This was because he gave up his seat before the end of the year after his gubernatorial primary victory.

None of the recent forms report real estate holdings. Before 2020, his forms included a Ponte Vedra Beach home, which he sold in March 2019 for $460,000. In the report he filed for 2018, DeSantis listed the value of his property at $450,000 but said that he had $263,100 in a loan.

Crypto Stance and Holdings

As of April 2025, there is no publicly available information indicating that DeSantis holds any personal investments in cryptocurrencies. This hasn’t been listed in his recent disclosure forms.

During his 2018 financial disclosure forms, he reported investments in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Bitcoin Cash. In May 2023, he expressed strong support for Bitcoin when he announced his presidential campaign. In his campaign announcement event with Elon Musk on X, he spoke passionately about the transformative potential of crypto:

While he has demonstrated a favorable stance toward cryptocurrencies through public statements and policy initiatives, he hasn’t listed any cryptos in his most recent disclosure form.

Lessons to Learn from Ron DeSantis

Ron DeSantis’s story provides several lessons on how to navigate public service and use your skills and platform for financial and political growth. DeSantis’ early life and education played a crucial role in shaping his future. His academic background, combined with his military service, laid the foundation for his political career. He showed that investing in education and making good early career choices can open doors for great opportunities in the future.

DeSantis’s rise in politics also demonstrates the significance of building relationships and networking. His connections with influential figures in the Republican party helped propel him into positions of power.

One of his key financial moves was capitalizing on his public image, particularly through his books. His second book and many media appearances helped him skyrocket his wealth way beyond his government salary. This teaches us the value of diversifying one’s income sources for more success and financial stability.

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