Forbes: Jobs 74th Richest American

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is 74th ranked in the 22nd annual Forbes 400 list of Richest Americans, with a net worth of US$2.6 billion in 2004.

The top three spots went to Microsoftis Bill Gates with $48 billion, Nebraska-based investor Warren Buffett at $41 billion, and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen with $20 billion.

The 49 year old Mr. Jobs was ranked 78th in the 2003 results from Forbes with a net worth of $2.3 billion and 122nd in the 2002 results with a net value of $1.6 billion.

This year it took a minimum net worth of $750 million to make the annual list, up from $725 million last year. A total of 48 wealthy folks that made the list in 2003 failed to qualify this year. Helping to push up the price of admission were rising stock prices as well as the arrival of 11 new members of the Pritzker family, which recently redistributed its Hyatt hotel chain fortune.