Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic Party member and New York lawmaker known for her progressive politics, was the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress at age 29 when she defeated 10-term democratic incumbent Joe Crowley in 2018. Seven years and three successful reelections later, she’s become one of the best-known and most polarizing figures in American legislation.
For much of 2025, AOC toured the U.S. with fellow progressive lawmaker Bernie Sanders, a longstanding independent senator from Vermont. Both politicians are known for platforms centered around the interests of the working class, advocating for concepts like Medicare for all, free public college tuition, and increased taxes on the ultra-wealthy. As some of the father-left-leaning members of the legislative branch, both have drawn their fair share of ire from right-wing figures, including Republican President Donald Trump.
In early 2025, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez embarked on a “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, during which they drew massive crowds in cities across the nation. The speaking tour emerged as a reaction to the increasing influence of billionaire executives on mainstream politics — specifically Elon Musk’s financial support of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and his subsequent role in Trump’s administration as one-time head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
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Despite her young age and modest socioeconomic background, rumors have circulated that AOC is worth tens of millions of dollars, causing some to level accusations of hypocrisy against the democratic socialist, who once wore a “Tax the Rich” dress to the Met Gala.
So, just what is the congresswoman’s net worth? How does she make money? And how has she financed her campaigns?
What is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s net worth in 2025?
The most recent financial information we have on AOC — which comes from a financial disclosure she filed in late 2024 — indicates a maximum net worth of just $31,000 at the time of the filing.
This is based on the maximum value of the assets she listed in the report (which included a savings account, a checking account, and a retirement account, each with balances of between $1k and $15k, and a brokerage account with a balance of between $1 and $1k) and the minimum balance of the liabilities she listed (student loans totalling between $15k and $50k).
It is also possible, based on these figures, that her net worth could have been as low as negative $47,000.
Since it’s been around a year since this filing, it is possible that AOC’s net worth has changed somewhat, but it’s certainly clear that she’s not a multi-millionaire.
Quiver Quantitative, an investment data website, estimates Occasio-Cortez’s net worth at $24,500 as of late July 2025.
Related: Bernie Sanders’ net worth: How much money does the ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ Senator have?
Where did the millionaire rumor come from?
Rumors that AOC’s net worth was $29 million were so common at one time that the senator even dedicated a page on her website to debunking it. The page features an excerpt from a 2022 Reuters article that fact-checked the false claim.
According to Reuters’ investigation, the $29 million figure began circulating widely on social media — mostly Facebook — in 2022.
Some posts mentioning this figure linked to a now-unpublished article on CAKnowledge, which seems to be where the misconception originated. The article’s title mentioned Forbes, ostensibly indicating that the financial publication, which does track the net worth of wealthy individuals, was the source of the $29 million number. And while Forbes does maintain a page dedicated to the young New York lawmaker, this page has never listed a net worth for AOC, so it’s unclear where CAKnowledge got that figure.
More on politicians and their wealth:
- Pam Bondi’s net worth: From Florida prosecutor to U.S. Attorney General
- JD Vance’s net worth: From venture capital to senator to VP
- Tulsi Gabbard’s net worth: From legislator to national intelligence chief
- Kristi Noem’s net worth: From rancher to Homeland Security chief
How does AOC make money? What is her salary as a legislator?
Ocasio-Cortez’s primary source of income is her job as a representative for the state of New York’s 14th district. Like all members of Congress (except for the Speaker of the House and Senate majority and minority leaders), AOC earns an annual salary of $174,000. This compensation level has remained unchanged since 2009.
How does AOC finance her campaigns?
While AOC’s personal net worth is incredibly low compared to that of most other congresspeople — she ranks 438th out of 445 by total wealth, according to Quiver Quantitative — her political campaigns are surprisingly well funded, especially considering her young age and avoidance of donations from political action committees (PACs), controversial donor organizations that often have ties to large corporations.
Related: Kamala Harris’ net worth in 2025: How rich is the former VP?
According to Politico, Ocasio-Cortez raised a remarkable $9.6 million in just the first three months of 2025, smashing her previous quarterly fundraising record.
Even more impressive, the vast majority of her political donations are small in size and come from ordinary individuals. AOC’s campaign manager has stated that she does not accept donations from corporate PACs or lobbyists, and according to her campaign website, the donations she receives from individual supporters average just $16.81 each.
According to OpenSecrets, a DC-based nonprofit that tracks money in politics, her top donor categories include retired workers, education professionals, health professionals, and civil servants.
Frequently asked questions about AOC
Below are answers to some of the most common questions folks have about Ocasio-Cortez.
When is AOC up for reelection? Who is she running against?
AOC will next be up for reelection in 2026, and as of this article’s last update, no major public announcements have been made by other Democratic Party candidates about running against her to represent New York’s 14th congressional district.
Republican Party members who may challenge Ocasio-Cortez include Aurelio Arcabascio, Tina Forte, Diamant Hysenaj, and Ariel Rivera-Diaz, according to Ballotpedia. No republican has won this congressional seat in over 35 years, however.
AOC’s current term ends on January 3, 2027.
How old is AOC?
AOC was born on October 13, 1989. She is 35 years old as of this article’s last update.
Is AOC married?
While not yet married, AOC has been engaged to longtime partner, Riley Roberts, since April 2022. Roberts is a user experience, web development, and marketing professional from Arizona. The pair met as undergraduates at Boston University in the late aughts.
Where was AOC born?
Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx in New York City, but she spent most of her youth living in Yorktown Heights, a suburb about 45 miles from the city.
Related: Scott Bessent’s net worth: Trump’s Treasury Secretary’s wealth in 2025
