Which U.S. Economic Sectors Have Generated the Most Billionaire Wealth Since the Onset of the Dot-Com Bubble?

Presenter: Kylie Anne Byrne

Faculty Sponsor: Kevin L. Young

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Business & Economics

Session: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM, Auditorium, A66

ABSTRACT

This thesis examines which U.S. economic sectors have generated the most billionaire wealth since the onset of the dot-com bubble in 1997. Using data from the Forbes billionaire lists linked to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, the study classifies individual fortunes into major economic sectors such as finance, technology, healthcare, etc. To account for inflation, the study will include individuals from the Forbes 400 lists whose net worths are valued in billions in today’s dollars. By aggregating billionaire wealth by sector and year, this analysis traces changes in the sectoral composition of extreme wealth over time and visualizes these trends. By documenting how billionaire wealth creation has evolved across industries over the past several decades, this research contributes to the broader literature on wealth concentration, sectoral dynamics, and long-run economic change.