If you’ve ever found yourself hitting a dead end while studying, you probably resorted to Khan academy at least once. This education platform is known worldwide and has been of great help to millions of students.
The creator of Khan Academy, Sal Khan, quickly rose to prominence. Though this is a non-profit organization, it might surprise you to know that Sal Khan is actually a millionaire.
So, how much is Sal Khan’s net worth, and how does he earn a living through running a nonprofit organization? Read on to find all the answers.
Sal Khan Early Life, Education, and Personal Life
Salman Amin Khan is an American citizen born to Muslim Bengali parents. Before moving to the United States, the Khan family was highly prestigious in Pakistan. In fact, his grandfather was the speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Sal grew up in Louisiana, and like most South Asian immigrants, he greatly valued his education.
In high school, Khan was so eager to learn that he would take university-level mathematics courses at New Orleans university. In 1994, he graduated and was class valedictorian.
Additionally, not only did he graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in computer science, but he also went on to get a Master’s degree from Harvard business school. Needless to say, Sal Khan has always believed in the power of education.
Khan has been happily married since 2004 to Pakistani physician Umaima Marvi. The couple has three children.
Due to his achievements and philanthropy, Khan has received multiple awards. The most notable ones include the Padma Shri and the Microsoft Education Award.
Sal Khan’s Net Worth
Sal Khan is worth about $310 million. The 48-year-old businessman and educator accumulated his wealth through many ventures, including the world-known Khan Academy.
Khan Academy alone makes approximately $30 million a year, with about one million dollars going directly to Khan as the company’s CEO.
Khan Academy
Everyone knows Sal Khan from the successful YouTube Channel, Khan Academy. Still, many are unaware of its humble beginnings and quick rise to success.
Beginning
Khan academy basically started in 2004. At first, Khan only started tutoring his cousin, Nadia, over Yahoo doodle.
Soon, many of his extended family wanted his help as well. So, Khan thought of posting his doodles on YouTube to explain basic concepts to the other young students, and the rest is history.
To explain, his videos soon gained traction. The reason for their popularity was the simple blackboard background that soon became synonymous with Khan academy. Furthermore, Khan just had a natural teaching ability.
Rise to Fame
In 2009, the videos were so widely popular that Khan quit his job and focused solely on his YouTube channel. The channel was highly successful in piquing the interest of multiple venture capitalists, including John Doerr.
Khan reached immeasurable success by normalizing online learning platforms. In fact, he was invited personally by Bill Gates to do a TED talk.
In addition to the YouTube channel, Khan Academy is now its own standalone platform. The Academy hosts many different educational contents including Crash Course and the Museum of Modern Art.
Khan Academy Now
Now, Khan Academy is an essential part of most International and American students’ lives alike. Actually, many American students prepare for the SATs with the help of Khan Academy, making it the official SAT practice website.
Additionally, Khan Academy has many partners, including the Colleges Board Advanced Placement and even Pixar!
How Does Khan Academy Make Money?
Sure, Khan Academy is a non-profit organization. Anyone can watch Khan Academy’s educational videos on YouTube for free. Yet, Sal Khan is still a millionaire only owing to Khan Academy.
Well, the reason for that is simple: monetization! Like all YouTubers, Khan Academy makes remarkable revenue through YouTube streams and ads.
Naturally, Since Khan Academy has over a billion views and many other subsidiary channels, Sal Khan has made enough to expand his business as well as become a millionaire.
This also prompted Khan to create a school in California, away from the virtual world of YouTube. This school is similarly named Khan Lab School.
Additionally, Khan Academy receives funding from many notable organizations and personnel. The list of donors includes AT&T, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Carlos Slim. This means that most of Khan Academy’s profits go to the staff as the donations are more than enough to fund the Academy.
Other Business Ventures
Sal Khan isn’t just the founder of a multi-million dollar platform, he has many other business ventures. So, he actually earns a living in multiple ways.
First, you’ll be surprised to learn that philanthropists can get paid a hefty amount just for making appearances and giving talks. Many people want to hear Sal Khan’s wisdom and learn more about his innovative mindset. So, even without Khan Academy, Sal can make thousands.
Moreover, Khan published his own book in 2012, The One World Schoolhouse. This book quickly became a bestseller.
Most recently, Khan launched Schoolhouse World, an online education platform that helps connect students, teachers, and teaching material. This was an essential step, particularly due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Many schools quickly signed up for this platform, including MIT and the University of Chicago.
To Conclude
Sal Khan is one of the most prominent figures in education. He rose to fame by creating the YouTube channel Khan Academy in 2004. From there, Khan Academy quickly revolutionized online education.
The success of Khan Academy is the reason Sal Khan’s net worth is now millions. Though Khan Academy is a non-profit organization, it profits millions annually through YouTube streams and ads.
Sal Khan also receives a lot of support from tech moguls such as Bill Gates and Elon Musk. Additionally, Khan expanded his business greatly to include books, inspirational talks, and schools. He even has a collaboration with Pixar!
Needless to say, Sal Khan earned his fortune through his innovative mindset that values education.
Featured image source: khanacademy.fandom.com
