This 78-year-old Chicago native made history as the first woman to secure a major party’s presidential nomination when she became the Democratic nominee in 2016, and as the first former First Lady to serve in the U.S. Cabinet. With an estimated combined net worth of $120 million with her husband Bill Clinton and a Grammy Award among her honors, Clinton remains an influential figure in American politics and public service.
Who is Hillary Clinton?
Hillary Clinton is a lawyer and politician who rose to national prominence as First Lady of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1992, followed by her tenure as First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. She became the first former First Lady elected to public office when she won the U.S. Senate seat from New York in 2000. In 2008, she ran a competitive campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, eventually losing to Barack Obama, who subsequently appointed her Secretary of State.
Clinton made history again in 2016 when she became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party, though she ultimately lost the election to Donald Trump despite winning the popular vote. Throughout her career, she has been known for her work on healthcare reform, children’s welfare, and foreign policy.
Hillary Clinton Biography / Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton |
| Birth Name | Hillary Diane Rodham |
| Date of Birth | October 26, 1947 |
| Age | 78 years (as of February 2026) |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Lawyer, Politician, Diplomat, Author |
| Education | Wellesley College (BA Political Science, 1969); Yale Law School (JD, 1973) |
| Political Party | Democratic |
| First Lady | 1993-2001 |
| U.S. Senator (New York) | 2001-2009 |
| Secretary of State | 2009-2013 |
| Presidential Candidate | 2008 (primary), 2016 (nominee) |
| Spouse | Bill Clinton (married October 11, 1975) |
| Children | Chelsea Clinton (born February 27, 1980) |
| Net Worth | $120 million (combined with Bill Clinton, estimated) |
Early Life
Hillary Clinton Real Name is Hillary Diane Rodham was born on October 26, 1947, at Edgewater Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. When she was three years old, her family moved to the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, where she was raised in a Methodist family. Her father, Hugh Rodham, was of English and Welsh descent and founded a small but successful textile business. Her mother, Dorothy Howell Rodham (1919-2011), was a homemaker of Dutch, English, French Canadian, Scottish, and Welsh descent.
Dorothy Rodham had an extremely difficult childhood, abandoned by her parents at age 8 and raised by harsh grandparents before moving to Chicago to support herself through office jobs. Hillary later attributed her interest in children’s welfare to her mother’s life experiences. Hillary grew up with two younger brothers, Hugh and Tony Rodham.
In 1965, Rodham enrolled at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she majored in political science. During her first year, she was president of the Wellesley Young Republicans, supporting moderate “Rockefeller Republican” candidates. In 1969, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with departmental honors in political science. She made history as the first student speaker at Wellesley’s commencement, delivering an address that earned a seven-minute standing ovation and was featured in national media.
Rodham then entered Yale Law School, where she served on the editorial board of the Yale Review of Law and Social Action. It was at Yale that she met fellow law student William “Bill” Clinton. She received her Juris Doctor degree from Yale in 1973, having stayed an extra year to be with Clinton. After graduation, Clinton turned down offers from lucrative law firms to work for the Children’s Defense Fund and on the congressional committee that investigated the Watergate scandal.
Hillary Clinton Profession
Hillary Clinton is a lawyer who received her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1973. She practiced law in Arkansas for over a decade, becoming a partner at Rose Law Firm, one of the state’s most prestigious firms. Throughout her legal career, she focused on issues affecting children and families.
Beyond law, Clinton is a career politician and diplomat who has served in multiple elected and appointed positions including U.S. Senator and Secretary of State. She is also an author who has written several books including her memoirs “Living History” (2003) and “Hard Choices” (2014). She works as a public speaker and remains engaged in political advocacy and philanthropic work through the Clinton Foundation.
Hillary Clinton Career Journey
After graduating from Yale Law School in 1973, Hillary Rodham worked for the Children’s Defense Fund and joined the impeachment inquiry staff advising the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate scandal. In 1975, she married Bill Clinton and moved to Arkansas, where she joined the faculty of the University of Arkansas School of Law.
When Bill Clinton became Governor of Arkansas in 1979, Hillary served as First Lady of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 1992. During this period, she was a partner at Rose Law Firm in Little Rock and worked extensively on education reform initiatives. She was twice named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal.
When Bill Clinton won the presidency in 1992, Hillary became First Lady of the United States, serving from January 1993 to January 2001. As First Lady, she led the failed Task Force on National Health Care Reform in 1993 and played an active policy role throughout her husband’s administration. She wrote the bestselling book “It Takes a Village” in 1996, which won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 1997.
In 2000, Clinton was elected to the U.S. Senate from New York, becoming the first former First Lady elected to public office and the first woman elected statewide in New York. She served from January 2001 to January 2009, sitting on committees including Armed Services, Environment and Public Works, and Homeland Security. She was re-elected in 2006.
In 2008, Clinton ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, conducting a vigorous campaign against Senator Barack Obama before conceding after the primary season. On December 1, 2008, President-elect Obama nominated Clinton as Secretary of State. She was confirmed by the Senate on January 21, 2009, by a vote of 94-2, resigning her Senate seat the same day.
As Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, Clinton oversaw U.S. foreign policy during the Obama administration, traveling extensively and initiating numerous diplomatic efforts. Her tenure saw significant events including the Arab Spring, the death of Osama bin Laden, and the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. She stepped down in February 2013 after Obama’s first term concluded.
In 2015, Clinton announced her second campaign for president. She won the Democratic nomination in 2016, becoming the first woman to top a major party’s presidential ticket in U.S. history. Despite winning the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, she lost the Electoral College to Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Since leaving government service, Clinton has remained active through public speaking, writing, and advocacy work. In February 2026, she and her husband agreed to appear for in-person depositions in Washington, D.C., regarding a congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
Hillary Clinton Awards
Hillary Clinton has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career:
Grammy Awards:
- Winner, Best Spoken Word Album for “It Takes a Village” (1997)
- Nominee, Best Spoken Word Album for “Living History” (2004)
Honorary Degrees:
- Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Mount Saint Vincent University (June 1995)
Other Honors:
- Lincoln Medal from Ford’s Theatre Society (1997), presented annually to individuals who exemplify Abraham Lincoln’s legacy
- Gracie Allen Awards (1 win)
- The Queerties (1 nomination)
- British LGBT Awards (1 nomination)
Clinton was also named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America twice by the National Law Journal during her time practicing law.
Hillary Clinton Controversies
Email Server Controversy:
The most significant controversy of Clinton’s career involved her use of a private email server for official communications while serving as Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. The issue came to light in March 2015 when The New York Times reported that Clinton exclusively used her personal email server rather than a government-issued one, and that emails were not properly preserved as required by law. The controversy was labeled “emailgate” by some media outlets.
The FBI investigated whether classified information was improperly stored or transmitted through the private server. FBI Director James Comey announced in July 2016 that while Clinton and her team were “extremely careless” in handling classified information, he would not recommend criminal charges. However, days before the 2016 presidential election, Comey announced the FBI was reviewing additional emails, only to clear Clinton again two days before the election. Many analysts believe this controversy significantly impacted the 2016 election outcome.
Benghazi Investigation:
Clinton faced intense scrutiny over the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the deaths of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The House Select Committee on Benghazi investigated Clinton’s role and the State Department’s response to the attack. Clinton testified before the committee for over 11 hours in October 2015, defending her actions and the department’s security decisions.
The Benghazi investigation ultimately led to the discovery of Clinton’s private email server, as the committee sought her communications related to the attack. In May 2017, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Clinton’s email practices contributed to the deaths at Benghazi, ruling that she was acting within the scope of her official duties.
Clinton Foundation Donations:
The Clinton Foundation came under scrutiny for accepting donations from foreign governments and entities during Hillary Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. Critics questioned whether speaking fees that Bill Clinton received from companies and countries that donated to the foundation created inappropriate relationships.
Jeffrey Epstein Investigation (2026):
In January 2026, Clinton initially defied a subpoena and skipped a deposition for a congressional investigation into the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to hold her and Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress. However, by February 2026, both Clintons agreed to appear for in-person depositions in Washington, D.C..
Hillary Clinton Personal Life
Hillary Clinton maintains residences in Chappaqua, New York, and Washington, D.C., with her husband Bill Clinton. She is a Methodist Christian, while her husband was raised in the Baptist tradition. The couple has remained married despite highly publicized challenges during Bill Clinton’s presidency, including the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the late 1990s.
Clinton is a grandmother to three grandchildren through her daughter Chelsea: Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky (born September 26, 2014), Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky (born June 18, 2016), and Jasper Clinton Mezvinsky (born July 22, 2019). She has described her role as grandmother as one of the great joys of her life.
Since leaving government service in 2013, Clinton has focused on public speaking, writing, and philanthropic work through the Clinton Foundation. She and Bill Clinton have earned substantial income through speaking engagements, with reports indicating they earned approximately $230 million from speeches and book deals between 2001 and 2016.
Who is Hillary Clinton Husband?
Hillary Clinton is married to William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, who served from 1993 to 2001. The couple met while both were students at Yale Law School in the early 1970s. Bill first proposed marriage to Hillary following her graduation in 1973, but she initially declined. They married on October 11, 1975, in a small ceremony in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Hillary kept her maiden name “Rodham” for several years after marriage, a decision that became politically controversial during Bill’s early campaigns in Arkansas. She eventually adopted “Clinton” as her surname but often uses the hyphenated “Rodham Clinton” professionally.
The Clintons’ marriage faced severe public scrutiny during Bill’s presidency, particularly during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and subsequent impeachment proceedings in 1998-1999. Despite these challenges and widespread speculation about their relationship, Hillary and Bill have remained married for over 50 years. They have publicly stated their commitment to each other and continue to collaborate on political and philanthropic endeavors.
Hillary Clinton Family
| Relation | Name | Details |
| Father | Hugh Ellsworth Rodham (1911-1993) | Textile business owner; of English and Welsh descent |
| Mother | Dorothy Emma Howell Rodham (1919-2011) | Homemaker; of Dutch, English, French Canadian, Scottish, and Welsh descent |
| Brothers | Hugh Edwin Rodham (younger) | |
| Anthony Dean “Tony” Rodham (1954-2019) (younger) | ||
| Spouse | William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton | 42nd President of the United States (1993-2001); married October 11, 1975 |
| Daughter | Chelsea Victoria Clinton (born February 27, 1980) | Author, global health advocate; married to Marc Mezvinsky (2010) |
| Son-in-law | Marc Mezvinsky | Investment banker; married Chelsea Clinton July 31, 2010 |
| Grandchildren | Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky (born September 26, 2014) | |
| Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky (born June 18, 2016) | | |
| Jasper Clinton Mezvinsky (born July 22, 2019) | |
Hillary Clinton Net Worth
Hillary Clinton’s estimated net worth, combined with her husband Bill Clinton, is approximately $120 million as of 2025-2026 according to Celebrity Net Worth. Earlier estimates varied significantly, with OpenSecrets assessing her wealth at $32 million in 2014 and other sources citing $45 million in 2017. Forbes analysis in 2016 suggested the Clinton family’s combined holdings were around $45 million, which would place Hillary’s individual net worth at roughly $22.5 million when splitting shared assets.
The vast majority of the Clintons’ wealth was accumulated after leaving the White House in 2001. Between 2001 and 2016, the couple earned approximately $230 million through speaking engagements, book deals, and consulting fees. Hillary’s books, including “Living History” (2003) and “Hard Choices” (2014), generated substantial royalties.
According to their publicly released 2015 tax returns, the Clintons reported an income of approximately $10.75 million that year and paid over $3.62 million in federal taxes, reflecting a tax rate of 34.2%. Their wealth includes real estate holdings in Chappaqua, New York, and Washington, D.C., along with investment income and continuing revenue from speaking engagements.
The Clinton Foundation, while having raised over $2 billion for philanthropic causes, is separate from the Clintons’ personal wealth. However, the foundation’s funding sources and operations have been subject to public scrutiny regarding potential conflicts of interest.