Who Is the Highest-Paid Model in 2025? Rankings, Earnings, and Sources

You want one name, not noise. So here’s the deal: there isn’t a single official scoreboard everyone agrees on in 2025. Different outlets measure different things-Instagram ad rates, beauty contracts, runway work, brand deals, even reality TV. Still, if you need a name to settle a pub debate on a rainy Manchester night, the safest pick is Kendall Jenner. Most credible estimates and industry lists place her at or near the top when you add global beauty contracts, luxury campaigns, and social-driven endorsements. But if you’re making a business decision (press, pitch, budgeting), don’t stop at one headline-check the methodology behind the claim.

TL;DR: Key takeaways

• Quick answer: Kendall Jenner is the consensus pick for the highest paid model 2025, based on multiple rankings and earnings estimates that include campaigns, beauty contracts, and social media income.
• There’s no single authority. Rankings vary because sources count different income streams-some include per-post Instagram rates; others focus on modelling-only contracts.
• Close contenders: Gisele Bündchen (major luxury and beauty campaigns; huge day rates), Gigi Hadid (editorial + mass-market and luxury deals), Bella Hadid (return to major work), and Hailey Bieber (big brand pull; part of her income is from her company).
• For fact-checking: triangulate a few reputable sources (Hopper HQ for social rates; Models.com Money List for who commands top fees; historic Forbes lists to understand baselines).
• Business use? Decide what “counts” first: modelling-only fees vs. total celebrity income. Your definition changes who’s number one.

Direct answer (and why it’s never just one name)

If you need a clean, current, widely defensible answer for 2025: Kendall Jenner. Across the sources that still track earnings or influence at scale-Instagram ad rate reports, industry “money” lists, and brand ambassador announcements-she repeatedly sits at or near the top.

Why she’s the safe call:

• Global beauty contract(s): Beauty pays more than runway. A single multi-year global beauty deal can out-earn a dozen catwalks. Kendall has held one of those marquee beauty seats in recent years (and that category is the backbone of model income).
• Luxury fashion campaigns: High-visibility, multi-region campaigns with major houses stack significant guaranteed fees and usage buyouts.
• Social leverage: She commands top-tier per-post rates. That pushes up endorsement fees and sweetens campaign negotiations.

Ballpark? Public estimates often put her annual take (pre-tax, pre-agent) in the tens of millions of dollars when you include beauty + fashion + endorsements. Specific numbers vary per year and per source, and the exact contracts aren’t disclosed.

Now, here’s the rub: swap the rules and the answer can change. If you count only modelling contracts (no reality TV, no founder equity from businesses), Kendall still rates highly-but Gisele Bündchen can edge first in some years thanks to monster day rates and global campaigns. If you value social-post income more than traditional modelling, Kendall wins by distance. Different game, different champion.

How the “highest-paid model” is calculated (and why lists disagree)

There’s no universal formula. Most public rankings estimate income using a blend of public information (campaign announcements, brand reports), industry leaks, and modelling of social ad rates. Here’s how the sausage is made:

• Modelling-only fees: Editorial day rates, runway appearances, lookbooks, catalogues, global and regional ad campaigns. Big money sits in global campaigns with wide usage (print, digital, OOH) and long usage terms.
• Beauty contracts: The gold standard. Global beauty spokesperson deals (cosmetics, fragrance, skincare) are multi-year, high-six to low-eight figures annually, depending on exclusivity and deliverables.
• Ambassadorships and endorsements: From luxury houses to mass-market brands. Rates climb with reach and brand fit; restrictions and deliverables matter.
• Social media ad value: Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube posts and campaigns. Per-post rates for top names can exceed $1 million, but the real money is in multi-post packages with usage rights and campaign tie-ins.
• What’s excluded (or controversial): Reality-TV income, acting fees, music videos, and founder equity (e.g., personal beauty/tequila/fashion brands). Some lists include them; others don’t. This is the single biggest reason lists clash.

What reliable sources actually do:

• Hopper HQ’s Instagram Rich List: Estimates per-post ad rates from follower counts, engagement, and market CPMs. Strong for social pricing, but it’s not a full modelling-income view.
• Models.com Money List: Curated by industry editors based on who commands the highest fees and most lucrative contracts. It’s qualitative-with no dollar amounts-but it’s a trusted bellwether of who’s bankable.
• Forbes (historical): Used to compile annual “highest-paid models” with estimated earnings from modelling and endorsements. The last full, transparent model-only list was years ago; since then, the outlet has shifted focus. Still useful as context for scale.
• Trade filings/brand reports: Public companies (beauty and fashion conglomerates) rarely disclose exact talent fees, but you can sometimes infer the scale from marketing notes and campaign timing.

Rules of thumb if you’re comparing names:

• One global beauty contract often outweighs half a year of runway + editorial work.
• Repeat campaigns with the same mega-brand are a signal of seven-figure reliability.
• Per-post social rates are the ceiling; package deals and usage buyouts set the real cheque.
• US dollar headlines can hide currency effects. For UK readers, a $10m fee is roughly £7.8m-£8.3m depending on the month.

Who else is in the mix? 2024-2025 snapshot and the data behind it

Here’s where it gets interesting. If you line up the major sources and what they actually measure, you see why the answer can shift. Think of this as your quick “what’s being counted” decoder.

Contenders by case (why they’re close):

• Gisele Bündchen: A veteran with championship-level day rates. Her 2023-2024 surge of luxury and beauty campaigns reminded everyone how fast she can stack income when she’s active. She wins in models-only accounting in some analyses because her deals are pure modelling, not reality TV or founder income.
• Gigi Hadid: A consistent force with high-visibility fashion and beauty work and a strong commercial portfolio. She’s a perennial top-five in any money conversation.
• Bella Hadid: Editorial queen with luxury clout. After time off for health, she ramped up again; when she’s fully active, her campaign slate and fees can rival the very top.
• Hailey Bieber: Social reach plus high-profile ambassador work. A lot of headlines mix in her brand-founder income, which muddies comparisons. Strictly modelling-only, she’s still top tier.
• Liu Wen: Asia’s powerhouse. Global campaigns and long-running beauty work translate to serious, steady fees, sometimes under-reported in Western media.

A quick UK lens: When you see US-dollar figures for annual income, knock roughly 20-25% off for a sterling estimate, depending on exchange rate. And remember-gross earnings aren’t take-home. Agents, managers, lawyers, taxes, and buyout structures take substantial bites.

One more real-world note: public “earnings” headlines are estimates. The only people who know the exact cheques are the model, their agents, the brand, and a very small ring of finance folks. Treat ranges as ranges.

Your playbook: quick checks, pitfalls, and FAQ

Need a confident answer in 30 seconds? Use this quick flow:

1. If the question is casual (pub quiz, friendly debate): say Kendall Jenner. You’ll be aligned with the most-cited current estimates.
2. If you need it for a report or budget: define “earnings” first. Modelling-only? Or all income linked to fame? Then pick the name that fits the definition and cite your source.
3. Cross-check one influence metric (Hopper HQ), one industry judgement metric (Models.com Money List), and one historical earnings context (Forbes past list). If two out of three point to the same person, you’ve got a defensible pick.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Mixing net worth with annual income. Net worth is assets; annual income is what they earned that year.
• Counting founder profits from a personal brand as “modelling.” If you’re strict, keep those separate.
• Assuming more runway equals more money. Beauty and global campaigns out-earn catwalks by miles.
• Taking per-post rates as annual earnings. A model may not sell every post at the ceiling price.

Mini‑FAQ

• Who is the number 1 highest-paid model in 2025? Kendall Jenner is the consensus answer across current estimates, with Gisele Bündchen and Gigi Hadid often next, depending on what’s counted.
• What source should I trust? For social value, Hopper HQ. For who commands top contracts, Models.com Money List. For historical earnings scale, Forbes’ past lists. Use more than one.
• How much does the top model make? Tens of millions of dollars in a busy year when you add a global beauty contract, a couple of luxury campaigns, and social-driven endorsements. Exact numbers vary.
• Do Instagram earnings really matter? Yes. Per-post rates and multi-post brand packages can rival or exceed campaign fees-and they often come bundled with campaign work.
• Does runway pay well? It’s prestigious and can lead to better-paying deals, but runway rates alone don’t top the earnings chart. Beauty and global ad campaigns are the earners.
• Why do some lists still show Gisele at No. 1? Because when she’s active with back-to-back global campaigns, her modelling-only income can outpace peers in certain years. She doesn’t need social to win.
• What about UK models? Jourdan Dunn and Adwoa Aboah are big UK names with strong campaigns; on pure earnings at the very top in 2025, international ambassadors like Kendall and Gisele are typically ahead.

Next steps by scenario

• Pub quiz or headline: Answer “Kendall Jenner.” If pressed, add “Sources vary, but she tops the big estimates in 2025.”
• Brand planning in the UK: Define whether you’re buying social reach, modelling work, or both. Shortlist names from Models.com’s Money List, price-check against Hopper HQ for social, then request rates from agencies.
• Journalist fact-check: State your definition of “earnings,” name your sources (Hopper HQ for social, Models.com for tiers, any brand filings or press releases), and avoid hard numbers unless you can attribute them.
• Student or casual reader: Remember: beauty > runway for pay, and repeat luxury campaigns signal big money.

A small, lived-in note from Manchester life: my wife, Miranda, once asked me at breakfast, “So is it Kendall or Gisele this year?” My answer hasn’t changed-if you want one name for 2025, it’s Kendall. If you want the why, you’ve just read it.