Kendall Jenner Is 2018’s Highest-Paid Model With a Salary of $22.5 Million
Kendall Jenner only returned to the runway this year after a short hiatus, but she still managed to become the highest-paid model of 2018. That’s all the more impressive when you consider that her salary was counted prior to this past Fashion Month, with a cutoff of June 2018. During that period of time, Jenner raked in $22 million.
While that’s only 13 percent of her younger sister Kylie Jenner‘s earnings ($166.5 million), calculated by Forbes, it’s almost twice as much as the model in the No. 2 slot: Karlie Kloss. Keep in mind, though, this is all merely by Forbes‘s best estimations and not concrete fact.
It’s also interesting because Jenner has been increasingly more selective about her appearances, as she revealed earlier this year in a quote that ended up drawing backlash. “Since the beginning we’ve been super selective about what shows I would do. I was never one of those girls who would do like 30 shows a season or whatever the f-ck those girls do,” she told Love, which caused outrage when it was posted to Instagram. “More power to ’em. But I had a million jobs, not only catwalks but everything else. The whole combination was very overwhelming and I started to freak out a little bit and needed to take a step back.”
Jenner took another step back when she later commented on the quote, tweeting, “I was misrepresented in a recent interview over the wknd & it’s important to clarify the meaning. It was intended to be entirely complimentary but unfortunately, my words were twisted & taken out of context. I want to be clear. The respect that I have for my peers is immeasurable! I get to experience first hand their tireless commitment, their work ethic, the endless days, the lack of sleep, separation from family and friends, stress of traveling, the toll on physical and mental health, yet they still make it all look effortless and beautiful. I’m inspired by so many of these people i have had the good fortune to work alongside! There’s no way i could EVER hate on that ❤️ I want everyone to win. SLAY ALWAYS.”
While this is the second year in a row that Jenner has the honor of being the highest-paid model—after knocking Gisele Bündchen out of that slot in 2017—the reality TV star has said that money isn’t that important to her. “At the end of our life,” she told Vogue earlier this year, “you’re not going to care that you worked every day and you made this much money. You’re going to care about the relationships that you’ve built and the bonds that you have and the love that you’ve created. That’s what you’re going to care about. That’s my whole thing: what you leave behind.” As she’s been been building those relationships, though, her bank account has just been growing.
Top-Paid Models of 2018 According to Forbes:
- Kendall Jenner, $22.5 million
- Karlie Kloss, $13 million
- (tie) Chrissy Teigen, $11.5 million
- (tie) Rosie Huntington-Whitely, $11.5 million
- (tie) Gisele Bündchen, $10 million
- (tie) Cara Delevingne, $10 million
- Gigi Hadid, $9.5 million
- (tie) Bella Hadid, $8.5 million
- (tie) Joan Smalls, $8.5 million
- Doutzen Kroes, $8 million
See 23 of Kendall Jenner’s Best Hair and Beauty Moments
Kendall sports slicked back hair and nude lip while attending the screening of ‘Girls Of The Sun (Les Filles Du Soleil)’ during the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 12, 2018 in Cannes, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Kendall goes for a classic pink lip at the 2018 CFDA Fashion Awards at Brooklyn Museum on June 4, 2018 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Kendall Jenner wearing no makeup but still gorgeous while backstage ahead of the Alberta Ferretti show during Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2019 on September 19, 2018 in Milan, Italy. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Kendall with a nude lip at the Harper’s BAZAAR Celebrates ‘ICONS By Carine Roitfeld’ at The Plaza Hotel on September 7, 2018 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Kendall sports a sloppy bun with a shimmery lip at the first annual “If Only” Texas hold’em charity poker tournament benefiting City of Hope at The Forum on July 29, 2018 in Inglewood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Kendall opts for fuller hair and a pink lip at the Ninth-Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic Los Angeles at Will Rogers State Historic Park on October 6, 2018 in Pacific Palisades, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Kendall sporting her classic slicked back hairdo with clean makeup at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 4, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Debuting her most recent ‘do, Jenner sports a chin grazing bob with a pair of chic sunglasses and a black hat.
Reverting back to her tousled bob with a glossy, raspberry pink lip, Jenner attends the Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets Hollywood premiere.
Kendall Jenner’s short hair is pulled up in a sleek, modern top knot with a creamy, nude lip as she arrives at the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival.
At the 2017 Costume Institute Gala, Kendall Jenner’s makeup features a bold coral lip that pairs beautifully with her sleek wet waves.
A sleek high pony with with radiant, luminous skin and pale pink lip was the look at 2016 Costume Institute Gala.
Staying true to her au natural style, Jenner debuts her newest do with a bare face on the runway of the Michael Kors Spring 2017 show.
The supermodel steps out at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016 rocking a super sleek up do, coral lips, and neutral smokey eye.
Backstage at the Diane Von Furstenberg Spring 2016 show, Jenner poses as one of Pat McGrath’s muses in a 70’s inspired look with large soft curls and a bold colorful eye.
Jenner gets experimental, elevating her look with faux bangs and heavy contouring, for a more mature look at the American Music Awards in 2015.
Kendall Jenner’s heart hair is perhaps her most iconic hairstyle ever. Fellow models Kylie Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin arranged her hair into hearts as she lay on the floor of a yacht while they were vacationing. The photo, posted on May 25, 2015, is one of the most-liked photos ever on Instagram. Photo courtesy of Instagram.
Glowing at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards, Jenner channels a bronzed goddess with sleek straight hair, sun-kissed skin and a golden smokey eye.
At the Teen Choice Awards in 2014, Jenner ditches her natural waves and fresh face for a frosted look, with slicked-back hair and shimmery neutrals.
With her modeling career reaching new heights, Jenner grows into her signature look of a sleek middle part and minimal makeup, save for a bold red lip at the American Music Awards in 2013.
Stepping out at “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” premiere in 2011, Jenner embodies bohemian chic with a long fishtail braid and a natural face.
Following in her famous sister’s footsteps with long wavy locks and a soft glam look, Jenner shows off her newly elevated look at the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party in 2010.
At only 14 years old, Kendall Jenner steps out of the family limelight and into her own. She arrives at the ‘Kiss & Tell’ record release party in 2009 fresh faced, with simple black eyeliner and glossy lip.
