Eileen Gu makes $23m a year and almost none of it comes from skiing

Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu is one of the highest-paid female athletes in the world, but her enormous annual earnings have little to do with prize money from competition.

According to a Forbes report published in December, Gu ranked as the fourth-highest earning female athlete globally, behind tennis stars Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Światek. Forbes estimates her annual earnings at more than $23 million.

Where Eileen Gu’s $23m really comes from

The overwhelming majority of Gu’s income comes from endorsements rather than sport. Her brand deals include Red Bull, Porsche, IWC Schaffhausen and, most recently, TCL.

By contrast, her competition earnings are modest. In 2025, Gu earned around $40,000 from winning World Cup slopestyle and halfpipe events, along with a further $55,000 for the halfpipe event in Shaun White’s Snow League.

The disparity highlights just how valuable Gu’s global profile has become beyond the slopes.

Fashion, modelling and global influence

Gu also earns significant income through modelling. Signed to IMG Models, she has walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret and Louis Vuitton.

At the age of 16, she appeared on six different fashion magazine covers in China in a single summer. In the United States, she has featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.

Her reach across markets is a major factor in her earning power. Gu has more than seven million followers on the Chinese social media platform Weibo and over two million followers on Instagram.

Josh Hershman, global chief operating officer at London-based sports marketing agency Ten Toes, described Gu as a “perfect storm” for athlete branding, particularly because of her appeal in both the US and China.

Olympic success and controversy

Gu was born and raised in the United States to a Chinese mother and an American father, but competed for China at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, a decision that sparked widespread debate.

She later spoke about the backlash, saying she felt misunderstood by critics who questioned her identity and loyalty.

At the Beijing Games, Gu won gold medals in the Big Air and Halfpipe events, along with a silver medal in Slopestyle.

All eyes on Milan Cortina 2026

Gu is now preparing for her second Olympic appearance at the Milan Cortina Winter Games in 2026, where she is expected to be one of the most closely watched athletes.

Her performances on snow remain elite, but the numbers underline a broader reality of modern sport. Eileen Gu’s position as one of the world’s top-earning athletes is driven far more by her influence, image and global reach than by what she wins in competition.