Stone Cold Steve Austin Net Worth: 'Broken Skull Challenge' Host Among Richest Wrestlers

Even though Stone Cold Steve Austin hasn’t wrestled in nearly 15 years, the former WWE star continues to stay relevant. Hosting “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” and putting out podcasts twice a week, he keeps adding to an already impressive net worth.

While Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s emergence as one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors makes him the richest wrestler in history, Austin remains near the top of the list. Stone Cold’s actual net worth is unknown, but it’s estimated to be somewhere between $45 million and $50 million.

Austin’s time in the ring was far shorter than that of some of the biggest stars in the history of the business. He became a pro wrestler in 1989 and wrestled in WWE from 1996-2003 until he retired. Former stars like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were main-event stars for multiple decades, while John Cena is about to enter his 16th year in WWE.

But Austin was so popular at his peak that it’s no surprise he’s made more money than almost anyone that’s performed inside the squared circle.

Austin was the biggest star of the Attitude Era, which marked the most popular time period for wrestling in history. Television ratings for “Monday Night Raw” have never been that high, and Austin was responsible for much of it.

From the time Austin 3:16 was born on June 23, 1996 until he turned heel and beat the Rock at WrestleMania 17 on April 1, 2001, Austin was the biggest draw of all time. He generated more money for the company than legends like Hogan, Flair, The Rock and Cena ever did, and he was well compensated for his efforts.

It’s been estimated that Austin might have made up to $12 million a year at the height of his career because of his salary and merchandise sales. During his stint in WWE, Austin won the Royal Rumble in 1997, 1998 and 2001, and he headlined WrestleMania on three separate occasions. WrestleMania 17 sold over one million pay-per-view buys.

Injuries forced Austin to retire from in-ring action at 39 years old. There has been speculation over the years that he might return for a match against someone like CM Punk or Brock Lesnar, but it seems clear that the Texas Rattlesnake has laced up his boots for the last time.

Austin has done some acting since retirement, appearing in movies like “The Condemned,” “The Expendables” and “Grown Ups 2.” “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” is in its fifth season, and there have been five seasons of his show “Redneck Island” on Country Music Television.