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American businesswoman and investor, Mary Barra has had a four-decade connection to the auto industry. Barra made history in 2014 when she was named the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors – the first female CEO of any of the largest American automakers, known as “The Big 3 automakers”. In 2016, Barra was elected Chair of the GM Board of Directors.
Since 2013, Barra has consistently appeared on Forbes’ annual list of The World’s Most Powerful Women – being deemed #4 most recently in 2021. Under her leadership, Barra has moved General Motors in the direction of electric and autonomous vehicles (AV). It was her mandate to become a legitimate competitor with AV producers like Tesla and Alphabet.
In October 2017, GM acquired California-based AV start-up company, Strobe. In addition, that same year GM also invested heavily in Palo Alto-based driverless car start-up Nauto. Barra’s vision came to fruition when in 2017, GM released the much anticipated Chevy Bolt EV thus beating Telsa in the quest to produce an affordable electric vehicle with a battery range of 200 miles.
Given Mary Barra’s tremendous success and undeniable influence on the world stage, we here at Sophisticated Investor decided to pose the question, “What is Mary Barra’s net worth?”. There has been much speculation as to how much this CEO actually has to her name. Below, we’ve compiled a profile of Barra based upon all the available public data and personal information.
Of course, it must be noted that these figures are estimations, and may not necessarily reflect Mary Barra’s precise net worth. Yet, we did source all of the publicly available assessments so this likely represents a probable range of Barra’s fortune.
 | Mary Barra |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 24, 1961 |
| Nationality | American |
| Title | Chair and CEO of General Motors |
| Companies Founded | None |
| Best Known For | The first female CEO in the automotive sector |
| Net Worth (USD) | $200 million |
What Is Mary Barra’s Net Worth?
Based upon research, Mary Barra has an estimated net worth in the vicinity of $200 million. In 2019 alone, Barra was the highest-paid CEO in the automotive sector, earning $21.6 million in compensation according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing– and that does not include bonuses or other incentives.
Additionally, General Motors’ annual SEC proxy statement released in 2021 revealed that in 2020 Barra received $40.3 million in total compensation.
Mary Barra Biography
Mary Barra was born on December 24, 1961, in Royal Oak, Michigan. She graduated from Kettering University with a degree in electrical engineering and acquired her MBA from Stanford University.
Barra has had an association with General Motors since the tender age of 18 years old when she worked at the company for a co-op program. In truth, Barra is a unique example of a CEO who has actually spent the entirety of their working life at the same corporation. Therefore, she has a vast working knowledge of virtually every level of the company, coupled with a gargantuan network of GM contacts.
In addition to being the CEO of General Motors, Barra also sits on several boards including the respective board of trustees for both Duke University and Stanford University, in addition to the board at the Walt Disney Company.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Barra switched the General Motors production line to mass-produce life-saving ventilators for Ventec Life Systems.
Since 2013, Mary Barra has consistently been included on Forbes’ The World’s Most Powerful Women list, assuming the #4 position last year.
How Did Mary Barra Build Her Wealth?
Mary Barra accumulated her wealth mainly via her position at General Motors. According to sources, she owns at least 1,122,883 units of General Motors Co stock.
Moreover, since assuming the position of CEO at GM in 2014, Barra has consistently made tens of millions of dollars in annual overall compensation.
How Is Mary Barra’s Net-Worth Calculated?
Basically, Mary Barra’s net worth is calculated with assets subtracted by her liabilities. For the past several years, she has been the highest-paid CEO in the automotive industry. Based upon SEC filings for 2020 alone, Barra received $40.3 million in total compensation.
Although, it must be noted that the $200 million figure is based upon approximations, and may not necessarily be Barra’s precise net worth.
Who Else Invests Like Mary Barra?
Not every investor invests in the same manner. To compare investors like Mary Barra, have a look at these other investor profiles:
Want to Invest Like Mary Barra?
Mary Barra is the very essence of a self-made businessperson. She has spent decades working her way up the ranks of one of the most popular automotive manufacturers in the United States. Now, Barra commands the largest compensation of all executives within the automotive sector.
Yet, having a net worth akin to that of Mary Barra probably will not be a reality for the average investor. Despite that fact, you can still ensure a diversified portfolio by investing in alternative assets like precious metals with self-directed IRAs. To gain a better understanding of your options with this type of retirement account, have a look at our reviews for the best Precious Metals IRA companies.
