Richest billionaires in construction and engineering

The first billionaire is generally considered to be John D. Rockefeller in 1916, though some argue it was Henry Ford in 1925.

Fast-forward some 100 years to 2021: As the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage, a record-breaking 660 people became billionaires globally, growing the previous year's number by 30%.

While the United States has the most billionaires of any country, Americans are somewhat split on their feelings about the billionaire class. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the nation became somewhat more critical of billionaires between 2020 and 2021.

Although support for individual billionaires like Bill Gates is relatively strong, many Americans view the ultrarich—as a group rather than as individuals—negatively. Meanwhile, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is projected to become the world's first trillionaire by 2026.

Construction and engineering magnates built fortunes on the world's skylines and infrastructure. Their companies shape physical environments that define cities and economies, from skyscrapers to roads and bridges.

Stacker compiled the richest billionaires in construction and engineering using data from Forbes. Data is as of September 23, 2025.

#7. Laurans Mendelson
- Net worth: $1.6 billion
- Source: Aerospace
- Lives in: Miami, Florida

#6. John Fish
- Net worth: $2.3 billion
- Source: Construction
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#5. Dwight Schar
- Net worth: $2.6 billion
- Source: Homebuilding, NFL team
- Lives in: Palm Beach, Florida

#4. Robert Clark
- Net worth: $2.9 billion
- Source: Construction
- Lives in: St. Louis, Missouri

#3. Jorge Mas
- Net worth: $3.2 billion
- Source: Construction
- Lives in: Miami, Florida

#2. Riley Bechtel & family
- Net worth: $11.3 billion
- Source: Engineering, construction
- Lives in: San Francisco, California

#1. Diane Hendricks
- Net worth: $22.3 billion
- Source: Building supplies
- Lives in: Afton, Wisconsin

Keep reading to see the top 10 richest women in America.