Kristi Noem’s Rise: From Rancher to Homeland Security Chief

In January 2025, Kristi Noem was inaugurated as the eighth Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, joining President Trump’s cabinet and administration.

Initially a rancher in South Dakota, Noem later became a member of her state’s legislative body. She went on to get elected for the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from 2011 until 2019, after which she took office as the governor of her home state.

Currently serving as the Homeland Security Secretary, Noem manages one of the largest federal departments in the U.S. government, overseeing a substantial staff of 260,000 individuals.



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The 22 entities within the department handle matters related to immigration and security. These encompass agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service.

This is her net worth as well as her earnings since becoming the head of Homeland Security.

What is Kristi NOEM’s wealth?

Noem’s estimated wealth is approximately $1 million.
financial disclosure
submitted to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics in August 2024.

Noem has
mutual funds
,
index funds
,
exchange-traded funds
, with retirement accounts ranging from $174,000 to $560,000. Additional assets encompass cash savings totaling up to $265,000 when disclosed, along with livestock and machinery worth up to $100,000.

Her husband, Bryon Noem, possesses greater assets than she does. Bryon Noem holds investments in commercial real estate worth up to $500,000 and owns his namesake insurance company, Noem Insurance, LLC, which ranges from approximately $1 million to $5 million in value. Additionally, his equity fund holdings, such as ETFs and index funds, total between roughly $67,000 and $315,000.


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What is Kristen Noem’s salary as the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security?

Noem earns an annual salary of $250,600 as the leader of Homeland Security. This compensation is over twice what she made annually when serving as the governor of South Dakota, where her earnings were approximately $122,000 per year.

From 2011 to 2019 as a U.S. congressperson, Noem earned an annual salary of $174,000, which has been the standard yearly remuneration for members of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2009.

Who is Kristi Noem?

Kristi Noem was born in Watertown, South Dakota, on November 30, 1971, and spent her formative years working on her family’s ranch and farm. Despite not having released them yet, she has secured two advancements amounting to nearly $180,000 for autobiographical books that are still forthcoming.

Education

Noem enrolled at Northern State University in Aberdeen but departed to manage the family ranch after her father passed away due to a farming incident. During her tenure in public service, Noem pursued courses at South Dakota State University and eventually earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 2011.


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Political career

Noem began her political journey serving as a representative of the 6th District, encompassing Hamlin County where her family farm was located, in the South Dakota Legislature from 2007 to 2011 under the Republican Party affiliation.

From 2011 to 2019, Noem acted as South Dakota’s lone delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives. She began her tenure as the state’s initial female governor in 2019, attracting nationwide focus due to her outspoken backing of Trump. Before long, she left office in 2025 to take up the role of Homeland Security director.


More on net worth:


  • JD Vance’s wealth: Shifting from venture capital to senator to vice president

  • Pete Hegseth’s financial status: The estimated wealth of Trump’s Defense Secretary in 2025

  • Scott Bessent’s wealth: From hedge fund leader to potential US Treasury Secretary

In what ways does Kristi-Noem allocate her funds?

Noem used to run her family’s ranch and owned a small business prior to entering politics. During her tenure as governor of South Dakota, which lasted from 2019 till 2025, she resided in the governor’s residence in Pierre with her family. However, they allegedly kept their house at the family farm too.

According to Noem’s financial disclosure, she and her spouse have a 15-year home loan on their primary dwelling ranging from $100,001 to $250,000 with an annual interest rate of 1.875%.

The Noems own other types of property and have significant borrowings, including more than $1 million in commercial property loans and over $1.5 million in business loans.


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