Michael Phelps is the world's richest swimmer, which should come as no surprise. His career was incredible! There are 28 Olympic medals, 23 of which are gold. There have been numerous world records set and scores of historic events. And a large sum of money.

Michael only made roughly $1.9 million from his swimming career, according to Essentially Sports. Michael received a $1 million incentive from Speedo in 2008 after winning eight gold medals, which he used to launch his foundation. A gold medal in the 2016 Olympic Games won American swimmers a total of $100,000.

Brand collaborations, bonuses, and endorsements provided the majority of his wealth. That remains the case today! Michael is said to earn just under $10 million a year from brand endorsements alone! That isn't his only source of money. He also has his swimsuit line, participates in sponsored social media posts, and has published two books. Expect to pay about $100,000 or more to have Michael speak at your next event!

Net Worth: $55 Million

Citizenship: American

You don't think of the richest swimmers when you think about the 1970s! Mark Spitz, who ranks second, is one of the world's most successful swimmers, with a net worth of almost $20 million.

Mark capitalized on his newfound celebrity after winning seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics. In the two years following the 1972 Olympics, he earned roughly $7 million in sponsorships and endorsements. That was a lot of money back then! According to Mark, $1 million in 1972 is equivalent to $10 million today.

Mark found his way onto the screen after retiring from swimming, appearing in several television shows, commercials, and as a sports commentator. He also gives a lot of speeches all across the world every year. For a single speaking engagement, he costs between $30,000 and $50,000! He also works as a stockbroker and owns a profitable real estate company in Beverly Hills.

Net Worth: $20 Million

Citizenship: American

Sweden, like the UK, does not reward medal winners with large sums of money. Sarah, on the other hand, reigns supreme on the international stage and collects the cash!

Sarah made more than $250,000 throughout the 2018 World Cup circuit. She won $70,000 in prize money at the 2019 World Championships. She earned roughly $174,000 in the 2020 ISL season.

Arena and other food and beverage businesses are among her sponsors. Her net worth has been estimated to be anywhere between $2 million to $12 million!

Net worth: $12 million

Citizenship: Sweden

Ryan Lochte is a prime illustration of how to lose your cool. His estimated net worth is between $6 and $8 million. He made up to $2.3 million per year from sponsors such as Gillette, Speedo, Gatorade, and Ralph Lauren at the height of his career. It's understandable, given that he's one of the most decorated swimmers in history, second only to Michael Phelps in terms of medals won.

Ryan secured a sponsorship arrangement with TYR in 2017, his first since the "Lochte-gate" affair. He has been on several TV shows in recent years, including Celebrity Family Feud and Celebrity Big Brother. But don't worry about Ryan; he's doing OK and still enjoying himself!

Net worth: $6-8 million

Citizenship: American

Katie Ledecky is ranked number five on the list of the richest swimmers. Her net worth is reported to be around $4 million.

Katie earned $335,000 in medal rewards alone after her incredible performance at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

She was able to keep the money without jeopardizing her NCAA competition eligibility. She did, however, decline an estimated $5 million in additional sponsorship offers to continue competing for Stanford.

Katie turned pro two years later, signing a 6-year, $7 million deal with TYR. Adidas, Panasonic, Visa, Reese's, and, of course, chocolate milk is among her sponsors.

Net worth: $4 million

Citizenship: American

Caeleb Dressel is up next, who established himself to be the sprint king in Tokyo! His net worth is currently projected to be between $3-5 million, and given the trajectory of his career,it should be expected to skyrocket in the next 5 to 10 years.

Caeleb wins practically every competition in which he participates. He took home $110,000 at the 2019 World Championships! Caeleb took home $291,766 in prize money from the 2020 ISL season alone.

Speedo, Coca-Cola, No Bull, Comcast, Google, and others are among Caeleb's sponsors. Toyota also sponsors him and judging by his automobiles, they've provided him with a few fantastic rides.

Net Worth: $3-5 million

Citizenship: American

The next person on the list is Adam Peaty, who is valued at between $2 and $5 million. The British swimmer is a force in the water, having dominated the breaststroke events on the international stage since 2014.

Because British swimmers are not compensated for winning Olympic gold like competitors from other countries, Adam must rely on other international contests and business sponsorships to supplement his income.

Adam Peaty Race Clinics, which provides in-person stroke technique clinics for young swimmers around the UK, is in addition to his partnerships with Arena, Cupra, Castore Sportswear, and others.

Net Worth: $2-5 million

Citizenship: British

Next on our list is Nathan Adrian, an American sprinter. His net worth is estimated to be between $2 and 4 million dollars.

With all of this in mind, Nathan received approximately $435,000 for his medals. Not bad at all! That's not to mention the money he made from winning nearly 20 world championship medals.

Nathan increased his earning possibilities with sponsorships in addition to his prize money. Speedo, the USA Swimming Foundation, and the Right to Play Foundation are among his sponsors. He's also done a few sponsored Instagram posts, which are likely for a few thousand bucks apiece.

Net Worth: $2-$4 million

Citizenship: American

One of Australia's most successful Olympians is Ian Thorpe. He is tied with fellow swimmer Emma McKeon for the most gold medals earned by a single athlete in any discipline, with five. His estimated net worth is in the millions of dollars.

Ian received around $135,000 for all nine of his Olympic medals, plus additional prize money from other tournaments such as world championships.

Adidas, as well as Australian powerhouse corporations Qantas, Telstra, and Seven Network, sponsored him throughout his career. He even dabbled with television, hosting a couple of reality shows and even acting as an extra on Friends!

Net Worth: over $2 million

Citizenship: Australian

Katinka Hossz is the last on our list. Since the early 2000s, the Iron Lady has been a powerful force on the global scene. She's participated in five Olympic Games!

Katinka was the first female or male swimmer to earn more than $1 million in prize money alone. That's quite remarkable! But, given her four Olympic gold and nearly 40 world championship medals, it's understandable.

Her net worth is reported to be in the $1.5 million range. Katinka has been voted the most valuable Hungarian athlete six times by Forbes, indicating that she excels at exploiting her brand and earning money outside of the pool.

Net Worth: over $1 million

Citizenship: Hungarian