Here's How Much Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Really Worth

For a whole generation of women and girls, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is IT. The youngest woman ever elected to Congress nabbed 78 percent of the vote, in New York's 14th district in the Bronx, effectively rallying her constituents to believe in change. Just a year prior, in 2017, Ocasio-Cortez was working as a bartender (as her detractors are quick to remind the politician of at every opportunity, as though it's something to be ashamed of).

Although she ostensibly feels like a newcomer, as The New York Times notes, AOC worked for Democratic senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, primarily focusing on immigration issues, while studying at Boston University and was a prominent organizer for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. The self-declared democratic socialist is a long-time Sanders supporter, and his 2020 defeat has led many to speculate whether Ocasio-Cortez might be heading for the White House soon herself. Whatever she chooses to do, the NYC native is destined for bigger and better things.

AOC has accomplished a considerable amount during her short time in Congress, memorably listing everything out helpfully for President Trump in November 2019. "In my first 11 months I've cosponsored 339 pieces of legislation, authored 15, took on Big Pharma w/ my colleagues in hearings that brought PreP generic a year early & exposed abuse of power. In 4 years, you've jailed kids & made corruption the cause celebré," she noted emphatically.

The Democratic rep is a social media master and frequently trends for her no-nonsense responses to non-believers. As Stylist notes, Ocasio-Cortez is just as popular for standing up for what she believes in as she is for sharing her beauty routine. By refusing to limit herself by what a "typical" female politician looks or sounds like, AOC is also changing the narrative for herself and everybody considering following in her footsteps. She even makes otherwise dull congressional hearings into must-watch TV.

AOC comes from humble beginnings, hence why she's endeared herself to so many Americans from all walks of life. As Celebrity Net Worth notes, prior to moving into politics, Ocasio-Cortez was a bartender, a waitress, founded publishing firm Brook Avenue Press, and also worked as a lead educational strategist and subsequently the Educational Director of the 2017 Northeast Collegiate World Series.

According to an April 2018 disclosure filed by the congresswoman, AOC had between $1,000 and $15,000 in savings, between $15,000 and $50,000 in her checking account, and up to $50,000 racked up in student loan debt. She earned $26,581 in 2017 from her job at a coffee shop/taqueria. AOC subsequently earned a $6,000 salary from her election campaign and stood to make around $174,000 for her first year in Congress, along with $3,000 for living expenses, health insurance, and retirement benefits. As a result, Celebrity Net Worth puts her earnings to date at $100,000.