Early Life and Education of Jeff Bezos: A Complete Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Jeff Bezos, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Jeff Bezos is an American businessman renowned as the founder and former CEO of Amazon, a global e-commerce and cloud computing giant. As of December 2025, his net worth is estimated at $239.4 billion, ranking him as the fourth richest person globally. He held the title of the wealthiest person in the world from 2017 to 2021.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1944: Ted Jorgensen born

In 1944, Ted Jorgensen, Jeff Bezos' father, was born.

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1946: Birth of Jacklyn (née Gise)

In 1946, Jacklyn (née Gise), Jeff Bezos' mother, was born.

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January 12, 1964: Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen Born

On January 12, 1964, Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen (later Bezos) was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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June 1965: Divorce Filing

In June 1965, Jacklyn filed for divorce from Ted Jorgensen when Jeff was 17 months old.

April 1968: Marriage to Miguel "Mike" Bezos and Adoption

In April 1968, Jeff's mother married Miguel "Mike" Bezos, who then adopted 4-year-old Jeff, legally changing his surname to Bezos.

1982: Attended Princeton University

In 1982, Bezos attended Princeton University and initially majored in physics but later switched to electrical engineering and computer science.

1982: High School Valedictorian and Awards

In 1982, Bezos was high school valedictorian, a National Merit Scholar, and a Silver Knight Award winner.

1982: Bezos Expressed Interest in Space Colonization

In 1982, during his high school valedictorian speech and a subsequent Miami Herald interview, Jeff Bezos expressed an interest in building hotels, amusement parks, and colonies in orbit to preserve Earth from overuse.

1986: Graduation from Princeton

Bezos graduated from Princeton in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE), summa cum laude.

1986: Graduation from Princeton and Wall Street Jobs

In 1986, Bezos graduated from Princeton University with a degree in engineering and subsequently began working on Wall Street in related fields.

1992: Meets MacKenzie Tuttle

In 1992, while working for D. E. Shaw in Manhattan, Jeff Bezos met novelist MacKenzie Tuttle, who was a research associate at the firm.

1994: Moves to Seattle and Founds Amazon

In 1994, Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Tuttle moved to Seattle, Washington, where Bezos founded Amazon.

1998: Bezos Invested in Google

In 1998, Jeff Bezos invested $250,000 in Google through Bezos Expeditions, becoming one of Google's first shareholders.

1999: Bezos second centibillionaire

Bezos was the second person ever to have achieved the feat since Bill Gates in 1999.

1999: Purchases Apartments at 25 Central Park West

In 1999, Jeff Bezos purchased three adjoining apartments at 25 Central Park West in Manhattan for $7.65 million.

March 2003: Helicopter Crash in West Texas

In March 2003, Jeff Bezos was a passenger in a helicopter that crashed in West Texas while surveying land to buy for Blue Origin. All occupants survived with Bezos sustaining only minor injuries.

2010: Donation Against Washington State Income Tax

In 2010, Bezos donated $100,000 towards a movement against a Washington state income tax for "top earners".

2012: Contribution to Washington United for Marriage

In 2012, Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos contributed $2.5 million to Washington United for Marriage, supporting a yes vote on Washington Referendum 74, which affirmed a same-sex marriage law in the state. He also donated to Amazon's political action committee (PAC) which has given money to Democrats and Republicans.

2012: Purchases Fourth Unit at 25 Central Park West

In 2012, Jeff Bezos bought a fourth unit at 25 Central Park West in Manhattan for $5.3 million.

May 2013: Bezos Met with Richard Branson

In May 2013, Jeff Bezos met with Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Galactic, to discuss commercial spaceflight opportunities and strategies.

August 5, 2013: Bezos Announced Purchase of The Washington Post

On August 5, 2013, Jeff Bezos announced his purchase of The Washington Post for $250 million in cash, at the suggestion of Don Graham, establishing Nash Holdings as the holding company.

2013: Pledge to Worldreader

In 2013, Bezos pledged $500,000 to Worldreader, a non-profit founded by a former Amazon employee.

2013: Purchase of The Washington Post

In 2013, Bezos purchased The Washington Post newspaper for $250 million.

2015: Death of Ted Jorgensen

Ted Jorgensen passed away in 2015.

May 2016: Sells Over One Million Shares

In May 2016, Bezos sold slightly more than one million shares of his holdings in Amazon for $671 million, marking the largest sum he had ever raised from selling Amazon stock at that time.

August 4, 2016: Sells Another Million Shares

On August 4, 2016, Bezos sold another million of his shares for $756.7 million.

2016: Invitation to Trump's Defense Innovation Advisory Board

After the 2016 presidential election, Bezos was invited to join Donald Trump's Defense Innovation Advisory Board, an advisory council to improve the technology used by the Defense Department.

2016: Portrays Starfleet Official in Star Trek Beyond

In 2016, Jeff Bezos portrayed a Starfleet official in the movie Star Trek Beyond, fulfilling a long-held desire and having lobbied Paramount for the role.

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May 2017: Donation to Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

In May 2017, Bezos gave $1 million to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which provides pro bono legal services for American journalists.

June 15, 2017: Philanthropy Strategy Inquiry on Twitter

On June 15, 2017, Bezos posted a message on Twitter asking for ideas for philanthropy: "I'm thinking about a philanthropy strategy that is the opposite of how I mostly spend my time—working on the long term".

July 27, 2017: Briefly Becomes World's Wealthiest Person

On July 27, 2017, Bezos momentarily became the world's wealthiest person, surpassing Bill Gates, with an estimated net worth just over $90 billion.

November 24, 2017: Wealth Surpasses $100 Billion

On November 24, 2017, Bezos's wealth surpassed $100 billion for the first time.

2017: Bezos Portrayed on Saturday Night Live

Since 2017, Jeff Bezos has been portrayed by Kyle Mooney and Steve Carell on Saturday Night Live, often as a domineering figure.

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January 2018: Donation to TheDream.US

In January 2018, Bezos made a $33 million donation to TheDream.US, a college scholarship fund for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as minors.

January 19, 2018: Amazon Stock Holdings Appreciated

By January 19, 2018, Bezos's Amazon stock holdings had appreciated to slightly over $109 billion.

January 29, 2018: Featured in Amazon's Super Bowl Commercial

On January 29, 2018, Bezos was featured in Amazon's Super Bowl commercial.

March 6, 2018: Designated World's Wealthiest Person by Forbes

On March 6, 2018, Bezos was formally designated the wealthiest person in the world by Forbes, with a net worth of $112 billion.

March 2018: Meeting with Mohammad bin Salman

In March 2018, Bezos met in Seattle with Mohammad bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, to discuss investment opportunities for Saudi Vision 2030.

May 1, 2018: Alleged Hacking via WhatsApp Message

On May 1, 2018, Forensic analysis indicated that Bezos's mobile phone was likely hacked using a malicious file hidden in a video sent in a WhatsApp message from the personal account of the crown prince.

June 2018: Donation to Breakthrough Energy Ventures

In June 2018, Bezos donated to Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a private philanthropic fund founded by Bill Gates aimed at promoting emissions-free energy.

July 2018: "Richest Man in Modern History"

In July 2018, Bezos was named the "richest man in modern history" after his net worth increased to $150 billion.

September 2018: Announcement of Focus on Homelessness and Preschools

In September 2018, Bezos announced that he would commit approximately $2 billion to a fund to deal with American homelessness and establish a network of non-profit preschools for low-income communities, establishing the "Day 1 Families Fund" and the "Day 1 Academies Fund".

September 2018: Donation to With Honor

In September 2018, Bezos donated $10 million to With Honor, a nonpartisan organization that works to increase the number of veterans in political office.

September 2018: Report on Bezos and the Giving Pledge

In September 2018, Business Insider reported that Bezos was the only one of the top five billionaires in the world who had not signed the Giving Pledge. Also, Janet Camarena was quoted by CNBC as having questions about Bezos's new Day 1 Fund.

2018: Revealed Giving Up Physics Dream

In 2018, Bezos revealed that a Princeton classmate defeated him in solving a mathematical problem, causing him to give up his dreams of becoming a theoretical physicist.

January 2019: Divorce Announcement

In January 2019, Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie released a joint statement revealing that they would be getting divorced after 25 years together. The National Enquirer revealed that Bezos had an affair with media personality Lauren Sánchez.

March 2019: Accusation of Saudi Government Hacking

In March 2019, Bezos's security consultant accused the Saudi government of hacking Bezos's phone, linking it to the Washington Post's coverage of Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

April 4, 2019: Divorce Finalized

On April 4, 2019, the divorce was finalized, with Jeff Bezos keeping 75% of the couple's Amazon stock and MacKenzie getting the remaining 25%.

June 2019: Purchases Apartments Overlooking Madison Square Park

In June 2019, Jeff Bezos purchased three adjoining apartments overlooking Madison Square Park in Manhattan for a combined total of $80 million, making this one of the most expensive real estate purchases within New York City in 2019.

2019: Wealth Reduced by Divorce

In 2019, Jeff Bezos's wealth was reduced by the divorce from his wife MacKenzie Bezos, who received 25% of Bezos's Amazon shares, making her the third-richest woman in the world.

2019: PAC Attempt to Defeat Kshama Sawant

In 2019, a PAC linked to Bezos spent over $1 million in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the reelection bid of Seattle city council member and activist Kshama Sawant.

January 2020: Report on Timing of Bezos's Phone Hack

In January 2020, The Guardian reported that the hack of Bezos's phone was initiated before the murder of Jamal Khashoggi but after Khashoggi wrote critically about the crown prince in the Washington Post.

February 2020: Pledge to Bezos Earth Fund

In February 2020, Bezos pledged $10 billion to combat climate change through the Bezos Earth Fund.

February 2020: Purchases Warner Estate

In February 2020, Jeff Bezos purchased the Warner Estate from David Geffen for $165 million, a record price paid for a residence in the Los Angeles area.

April 2020: Donation to Feeding America

In April 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Bezos donated $100 million to food banks through Feeding America.

August 2020: Net Worth Exceeds $200 Billion

In August 2020, Bezos's net worth exceeded $200 billion, according to Forbes.

February 2, 2021: Bezos Emails Amazon Employees About Transition

On February 2, 2021, Jeff Bezos sent an email to Amazon employees explaining that his transition would allow him to focus on the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The Washington Post, and his other passions.

July 2021: Announcement of Courage and Civility Award

In July 2021, Bezos announced the Courage and Civility Award and donated $100 million each to lawyer Van Jones and chef José Andrés.

July 20, 2021: Bezos Launched on the NS-16 Mission

On July 20, 2021, Jeff Bezos launched on the NS-16 mission with his half-brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk, and Oliver Daemen. The suborbital flight lasted over 10 minutes, reaching a peak altitude of 66.5 miles.

November 2021: Pledge Towards Food Systems and Conservation

In November 2021, Bezos pledged to donate $2 billion towards restructuring food systems and nature conservation at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. The Earth Fund supported the Earth Rover Program, which aims to develop high-yield low-environmental-impact farming by novel seismological study of soils, with $4m.

November 22, 2021: $100 Million Donation to Obama Foundation

On November 22, 2021, Jeff Bezos donated $100 million to the Obama Foundation to "help expand the scope of programming that reaches emerging leaders" and requested the Obama Presidential Center's plaza to be named after John Lewis.

2021: Stepping Down as CEO of Amazon

In 2021, Bezos stepped down as CEO of Amazon and started focusing on Blue Origin, as well as getting engaged to Lauren Sánchez, which may have changed his political views.

February 2022: Expands Residential Holdings

In February 2022, Jeff Bezos further expanded his residential holdings, purchasing a $16.1 million apartment at a 24-story boutique condominium across from Madison Square Park in the Flatiron neighborhood.

November 22, 2022: Award of Grants to Organizations Relocating Homeless Families

On November 22, 2022, Bezos awarded $123 million to organizations that are engaged in relocating homeless families to permanent housing through Day 1 Families Fund grants.

2022: Adds Estate on La Perouse Bay to Real Estate Holdings

In 2022, Jeff Bezos added a remote 14-acre estate on La Perouse Bay in Maui, encircled by inactive lava fields, to his real estate holdings for $78 million.

May 2023: Bezos and Sánchez engaged

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez became engaged in May 2023.

2023: Bezos Becomes Resident of Indian Creek, Florida

Since 2023, Bezos has been a resident of Indian Creek, Florida, which is near Trump's Mar-a-Lago.

February 2024: Bezos Sells 24 Million Shares in Amazon

In February 2024, Jeff Bezos sold 24 million shares in Amazon at a total value of $4 billion, announcing his intention to sell 50 million shares over the next year.

March 2024: Donations to Eva Longoria and Bill McRaven

In March 2024, Bezos donated $50 million each to actress Eva Longoria and retired admiral Bill McRaven.

July 2024: Private Phone Conversation with Trump

As reported by Axios, in July 2024, Bezos held a private phone conversation with then-candidate Trump, planting the seeds of a "Bezos–Trump alliance" months before Bezos blocked the Washington Post's editorial board from endorsing Kamala Harris in the election.

2024: Positive Relationship with Trump

According to the Financial Times, Bezos worked to have a positive relationship with Trump in 2024 and during Trump's second term, reportedly to further his business interests and supporting many of Trump's policies.

February 2025: Dinner with Musk, Trump, and Changes to Washington Post Opinion Policies

In February 2025, Bezos dined with Elon Musk and Trump at Mar-a-Lago. On the same night, Bezos announced changes to the Washington Post's opinion policies to promote "free markets and personal liberties" and suppress divergent opinions.