Ryan Murphy is undoubtedly a master of the craft of backstrokes. He is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and remains one of the most versatile American swimmers across different pool lengths.
Murphy, throughout his career, has earned well from his sport, sponsorships, endorsements, and investments. According to various sources, such as Forbes and Business Insider, Murphy's net worth has been estimated to be around $100 million.
Murphy's net worth explored
A person's net worth is always an approximation. Murphy is lauded as one of the wealthiest swimmers in the US, with some sources even approximating his net worth to be around $150 million.
Other sources, such as Exact Net Worth, estimate the American star to be worth $50 million as of 2022. Although the sources vary widely, the popular consensus among analysts and insiders alike is that the safest estimate remains $100 million.
Earnings from the Olympic Games and World Championships
Murphy, in 2016, won three gold medals at the Rio Olympics, for which he earned $25,000 for each of his gold medals. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he earned around $37,500 for his gold medal, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze.
At the 2022 short-course World Championships, it was announced by FINA that each swimmer was paid $10,000 for winning a gold medal, $8,000 for a silver, and $7,000 for a bronze.
From this information, we can safely say that Murphy made around $58,000 from last year's outing, as he finished with five golds and one silver. Aside from the 2022 edition of the short course World Championships, he has won four gold medals, four silver medals, and one bronze from 2012-2018.
Murphy won two golds and two silvers at the 2022 long-course World Championships. This sums up to $55,000 in earnings at the event, as it was announced that each swimmer was paid $20,000 for a first-place finish and $15,000 for a second.
Endorsements
In 2021, Murphy earned the top spot on Speedo's list as he was named the swimwear company's brand ambassador. Apart from this, he is also sponsored by Bridgestone Americas, Inc., a leading global rubber and tire brand, and Eli Lilly, the prescription medicine partner of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Investments
Murphy's money doesn't just flow from the sport that he loves. He is also an avid investor who constantly dabbles in the stock market. Speaking to CNBC in 2020, the swimmer credited his father and his grandfather for making him financially literate:
"I was probably 13 the first time I sat down at the table. My grandpa was taking me through his strategy."
He stated that he began investing in stocks after years of listening to his family's advice. Discussing his strategy with Acorn's Grow, Murphy said:
"Just recognize the longer term you are planning to be in the market, the more risk you can take. That’s when you can invest in maybe a speculative stock that you think could be really cool in a couple of years."
Murphy is still going strong at 27, and it remains to be seen how much farther he can get in the sport.