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, executive chairman, and former CEO of Amazon, a global leader in e-commerce and cloud computing. He is among the wealthiest individuals globally, with an estimated net worth exceeding $220 billion as of May 2025, according to Forbes. Bezos held the title of the world's richest person from 2017 to 2021, according to Forbes and Bloomberg, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in both the business and technology sectors.

Sections (6)

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

1944: Birth of Ted Jorgensen

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

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1946: Birth of Jacklyn (née Gise)

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

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January 12, 1964: Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen Born

On January 12, 1964, Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen, later known as Jeff Bezos, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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June 1965: Divorce Filing

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

April 1968: Mother's Remarriage and Adoption

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

1982: Princeton University Attendance

In 1982, Jeff Bezos attended Princeton University, initially majoring in physics before switching to electrical engineering and computer science.

1982: Awards and Graduation Speech

In 1982, Jeff Bezos was high school valedictorian, a National Merit Scholar, and a Silver Knight Award winner. In his graduation speech, he shared his dream of mankind colonizing space.

1982: Bezos discusses space colonization plans

In 1982, during his high school valedictorian speech and a Miami Herald interview, an 18-year-old Jeff Bezos expressed his vision to build hotels, amusement parks, and colonies in orbit to preserve Earth from resource depletion.

1986: Job Offers and Fitel

After graduating from college in 1986, Jeff Bezos was offered jobs at Intel, Bell Labs, and Andersen Consulting, among others. He first worked at Fitel, a fintech telecommunications start-up.

1986: Graduation from Princeton University

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

1992: Bezos 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: Bezos Moves to Seattle and Founds Amazon

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

1996: Bezos Drove Honda Accord

In 1999, Jeff Bezos was worth $10 billion yet drove a 1996 Honda Accord.

1997: Bezos becomes a millionaire

Jeff Bezos first became a millionaire in 1997 after raising $54 million through Amazon's initial public offering (IPO).

1999: Bezos Purchases Apartments in Manhattan

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

1999: Bezos Drove Honda Accord

In 1999, Jeff Bezos was worth $10 billion yet drove a 1996 Honda Accord.

March 2003: Bezos Survives Helicopter Crash

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, and Bezos sustained only minor injuries.

2010: Bezos Donates Against Income Tax

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

2012: Bezos Supports Same-Sex Marriage

In 2012, Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos supported the legalization of same-sex marriage, and contributed $2.5 million to Washington United for Marriage, a group supporting a yes vote on Washington Referendum 74.

2012: Bezos Buys Another Unit

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

2015: Death of Ted Jorgensen

In 2015, Ted Jorgensen, Jeff Bezos's father, passed away.

2016: Bezos invited to join Trump's Defense Innovation Advisory Board

Following the 2016 presidential election, Jeff Bezos was invited to join Donald Trump's Defense Innovation Advisory Board, which advises on improving technology used by the Defense Department.

2016: Bezos Portrays Starfleet Official in Star Trek Beyond

In 2016, Jeff Bezos portrayed a Starfleet official in the movie Star Trek Beyond, and joined the cast and crew at a San Diego Comic-Con screening.

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June 15, 2017: Twitter post on philanthropy strategy

On June 15, 2017, Jeff Bezos posted on Twitter seeking ideas for a philanthropy strategy focused on long-term impact, reflecting on his lifetime spending of approximately $100 million on charitable causes at that time.

March 2018: Bezos meets with Mohammad bin Salman

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

September 2018: Questions about Bezos's Day 1 Fund

In September 2018, Janet Camarena from Foundation Center raised questions about the structure and funding of Jeff Bezos's new Day 1 Fund.

September 2018: Announcement of Day 1 Fund

In September 2018, Jeff 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".

2018: Talk at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C.

In 2018, during a talk at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., Jeff Bezos revealed that his Princeton classmate Yasantha Rajakarunanayake had defeated him in solving a mathematical problem, leading him to give up his dreams of becoming a theoretical physicist.

January 2019: Bezos and Wife Announce Divorce

In January 2019, Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie released a joint statement which revealed that they would be getting divorced after 25 years together.

April 4, 2019: Bezos' Divorce Finalized

On April 4, 2019, Jeff Bezos' divorce was finalized, with Bezos keeping 75% of the couple's Amazon stock and MacKenzie getting the remaining 25% ($35.6 billion).

June 2019: Bezos Purchases Apartments Overlooking Madison Square Park

In June 2019, Jeff Bezos purchased three adjoining apartments overlooking Madison Square Park in Manhattan, including a penthouse, for a combined total of $80 million.

2019: Bezos's Wealth Reduced by Divorce

In 2019, Jeff Bezos's wealth was reduced due to his divorce from MacKenzie Bezos.

February 2020: Pledge to combat climate change through Bezos Earth Fund

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

February 2020: Bezos Purchases Warner Estate

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

July 20, 2021: Bezos Launches on 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 (107.0 km).

2021: Bezos steps down as CEO of Amazon

In 2021, Jeff Bezos stepped down as CEO of Amazon, focusing on Blue Origin, and became engaged to Lauren Sánchez.

February 2022: Bezos Expands Residential Holdings

In February 2022, Jeff Bezos expanded his residential holdings, purchasing a $16.13-million-dollar apartment in the Flatiron neighborhood.

May 2023: Sánchez and Bezos Get Engaged

Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos became engaged in May 2023.

2023: Bezos becomes a resident of Indian Creek, Florida

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

July 2024: Phone conversation between Bezos and Trump

In July 2024, Jeff Bezos held a private phone conversation with then-candidate Donald Trump, which reportedly planted the seeds of a "Bezos–Trump alliance".

February 2025: Bezos dines with Musk and Trump

In February 2025, Jeff Bezos dined with Elon Musk and Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, and Amazon subsequently donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration. Also in February 2025, Bezos announced changes to The Washington Post's opinion policies to promote "free markets and personal liberties".