I Built a $393K Net Worth by 27 (Here's How I Did It)

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]I want to walk you guys through how I built a net worth of $393,000 as a 27-year-old engineer. And I want to be as transparent as possible for you guys watching. First things first, I'm not sharing these numbers to put other people down because honestly, there's just no point in me doing that. There's always going to be somebody richer than you, always somebody younger than you making more money. There's always going to be somebody online with a million-dollar portfolio. Whatever it is, if you spend your time comparing yourself to others, you're going to be miserable no matter how much money you make. I'm sharing this because when I was younger, I used to search for videos exactly like this trying to figure out how it was even possible for someone with a normal engineering job to build wealth and to achieve financial freedom later in life. I wanted to see people breaking down the numbers and talking about the actual process of building wealth and getting into the nitty-gritty details.

[00:00:49]So, that's my first takeaway. And the second thing I want you guys to take away from this video is that I want to be as transparent as possible about the path that I took to get here because there's probably some of you watching this right now that either have similar goals to me or maybe you're just sitting there feeling like you're behind financially, wondering if building wealth is even realistic anymore in 2026. Everywhere you look online right now feels like people are constantly saying the economy is ruined, inflation is destroying everything, the American dream is dead, and our generation is screwed. And look, I'm not going to sit here and pretend things are easy for us because they're not. I genuinely think it's harder for our generation, and I'm speaking for Gen Z here, to build wealth than it was ever before for generations before us. But I still believe there's opportunity out there for people that are willing to stay disciplined, increase their income, invest consistently, and play the long game.

[00:01:39]So, in this video, I want to break down exactly where my money is invested, how much I have in my different accounts, some of the biggest financial decisions I made in my 20s that helped accelerate my net worth, and also some of the things I would probably do differently if I had to start it all over again.

[00:01:53]This is going to be a long video, so So up and let's get into it. Let me know down in the comments if you have any questions as I go through this video.

[00:02:00]I'll start with the biggest account to the smallest account.

[00:02:03]My 401k currently sits at approximately $217,000.

[00:02:07]And honestly, this is probably the account I'm the most proud of because it really shows what consistency can do over time.

[00:02:14]I work for an oil and gas company, so it's actually the same company that I did three internships with while I was still in school. So I was able to start contributing to this 401k account before I even graduated college. By the time I started working full-time in 2022, I already had about $10,000 in my retirement account. Which is crazy to think about looking back because that early head start made a massive difference. To see it grow from $10,000 to over $200,000 in just a few years honestly feels unreal. And it makes me even more excited to see what this account could look like by the time I'm in my 30s if I stay as consistent as I am today.

[00:02:51]Since starting full-time, I've maxed out my 401k every single year. Pretty much all the way up till this current year cuz I'm not going to max it out this year for other reasons. All while getting a 6% company match. And on top of that, my annual bonus also gets company matched and contributed into the 401k account as well.

[00:03:08]So over time, a pretty significant amount of money has been flowing into this account between my contributions and the employer match. Inside of the account, I keep things relatively simple with roughly 70% invested into the S&P 500 and about 30% invested into a growth focused fund. And that allocation has treated me extremely well over the last several years. Let me know down in the comments if I'm crazy having that high of a growth percentage into my 401k, but I just feel like over the next 20 years growth stocks and growth ETFs are not going anywhere anytime soon. Sure, there might be a bubble.

[00:03:40]But my thought is that these are going to be the most powerful and profitable companies in the world with the surge of AI.

[00:03:46]As I get older, I plan to rebalance to not have as as as the strategy as I have now. But, right now I'm in my wealth accumulation phase. I I like where I'm sitting.

[00:03:56]So, my 401k performance numbers are showing somewhere around a 22% annualized return in the 401k account for me right now, which is an incredible run so far in my first 4 years of my career. A lot of that came from the insane tech growth that we've seen over the last few years, combined with consistently dollar cost averaging during some of the major dips in the market. I will admit I got a little bit lucky with timing because the last couple of years my annual bonus contributions happened to hit my 401k account right around some of the lower points in the S&P 500 for that calendar year, which ended up working out incredibly for me in the long term.

[00:04:31]That is totally random timing, but it's another reminder of why consistently investing, no matter what the market is doing, can pay off in huge way over time. There was no way I was actually going to predict the market, but it just worked out in my favor for when my bonus actually hit my 401k account. Then, as still considered part of my retirement accounts, I have 19,996 in company stock. And this will vest in 2028, so hopefully that can go up, too.

[00:04:57]This was something new I earned through work last year, so that's an awesome boost to the investment portfolio.

[00:05:02]My next biggest account is my taxable brokerage account, which currently sits at around $50,000. And this account has honestly given me a lot more flexibility compared to my retirement accounts.

[00:05:12]Unlike a 401k or a Roth IRA, where there are contribution limits and age restrictions tied to withdrawals, this is basically my unrestricted investing account where I can continue building wealth outside of retirement-specific accounts. Since I started investing into it, the account has averaged around a 20% annualized return, which again has helped a lot by strong market performance over the last several years and staying heavily invested in growth-oriented funds. I really prioritized this account in 2024 because when I relocated for my new position at my job, I received a moving bonus and decided to invest a large portion of that money into this account instead of other things. And then I used the rest of that moving bonus to pay off my car.

[00:05:53]Anytime I've gotten extra money, whether it's bonuses, raises, tax returns, or just unexpected income, instead of immediately spending it first, I funneled a good chunk of that money directly into investments.

[00:06:05]Then after I did that, I would save a percentage of that money and go spend it on fun things.

[00:06:10]You got to remember that if your goal is to build wealth in your 20s, you have to prioritize investing then go have some fun with your money. If your mindset is the other way around, it's just going to be tougher for you to build wealth. Now in 2025 and especially 2026, I've cooled off a bit on contributing to my taxable brokerage account. Right now my main focus is maxing out my Roth IRA first and then building up cash reserves in a high-yield savings account because my fiance and I recently started saving for what we like to call our kid fund. We want to have kids someday and we've started intentionally setting aside cash for those future life expenses now instead of just waiting until the last minute. That brings up an important point, too, because personal finance is not always about maximizing every single dollar into the stock market at all times. There are seasons of life where aggressively investing makes the most sense, and there are other seasons where building cash reserves, reducing stress, preparing for major life milestones could matter more.

[00:07:04]For me right now, it's about trying to balance both building wealth long-term while also preparing for the kind of life my fiance and I want to build together.

[00:07:13]Then I also have my workplace pension, which is another really solid benefit that comes with working in the oil and gas industry. Right now the pension is fully vested and currently sits at around $45,000.

[00:07:25]I actually don't think I included this in my first net worth video because at the time I wasn't fully thinking about it as part of my total assets, but since it's fully vested now, I consider it part of my overall net worth.

[00:07:36]And what's nice about this account is that even if I eventually leave the company at some point in the future, that money is still mine and I'd be able to roll it over into another retirement account like the Roth IRA.

[00:07:48]So, I basically look at this as another long-term retirement boost sitting in the background while my other investment accounts continue to grow.

[00:07:55]Then for my high-yield savings account, I currently have around $28,000 and most of this money is split between my emergency fund and the kid fund that my fiance and I recently started building.

[00:08:05]There's really nothing flashy or exciting about this account. A high-yield savings account is just a great place to park cash that you know you're going to need within the next few years while still earning a decent interest rate on it. I actually didn't open a high-yield savings account until 2023 and looking back, I wish I would have done it a lot sooner because it's such a simple financial upgrade. Your money earns significantly more interest compared to a traditional checking or savings account and it gives you a safe place to build up emergency savings or save for future goals without having to expose that money into the stock market and its volatility that comes with it.

[00:08:41]So, while this account may not explode in value, maybe like an investment account would, it plays a really important role that gives me financial stability and peace of mind.

[00:08:51]For my emergency fund, I like to keep 6 to 12 months of living expenses in there.

[00:08:55]Now, my HSA account sits at $19,247 and this is an account that I've only had for about 3 years now.

[00:09:03]I really wish I would have opened and started contributing to it during my first year working full-time because at the time, I didn't even know what this account was.

[00:09:12]I feel like HSAs are one of the most overlooked wealth-building accounts out there because nobody really talks about them compared to like 401(k)s or Roth IRAs, but in my opinion, this is probably one of the best accounts you can have access to if your employer offers a high-deductible health plan.

[00:09:28]The reason this account is so powerful is because it's the only true triple tax-advantaged account. Your contributions go in tax-free, the investments inside of the account grow tax-free. And if you use your money for qualified medical expenses before the age of 65, you can withdraw the money tax-free as well. And after 65, you can use whatever money is in this account as free cash to spend on whatever you want.

[00:09:51]There's really no other account that gets treated this favorably from a tax perspective, which is why I've made it a priority to max this account every year.

[00:10:00]This year I can contribute around $4,400 into the account. And on top of that, my company also contributes money through a match, which makes it even better. I really wish the government let us put more into this account, but it is what it is.

[00:10:14]Inside of this account, I keep a pretty straightforward ETF split between VOO, SCHD, and SCHG. That's pretty much the same ETF split I carry across all my accounts. So, I've got a mix of broad market exposure here, dividend-focused investing, and growth exposure all working together in my accounts. So far, the allocation has given me around 14% for my HSA in an annualized return, which I'm pretty happy with those returns.

[00:10:40]And one thing about the HSA is that I won't pull money out of it to pay for small medical expenses because I want that money to grow tax-free as much as possible and compound for me. Unless there's some massive medical bill that I have to pay for and I don't have the money for it, I'll leave the money growing in this account. So, in my mind, this account is basically future-proofing myself financially for healthcare costs decades down the road while also getting tax advantages today.

[00:11:05]My next account is the Roth IRA, which currently sits at around $13,820.

[00:11:11]Inside of this account, again, I keep things pretty simple with a split between VOO, SCHD, and SCHG.

[00:11:17]You guys are probably seeing a trend here. The investing strategy that works for me and the ETF allocation that has done me well.

[00:11:24]I'd rather stick with something simple like this than overcomplicating it with 100 different stocks. And while you do see some of the top companies in SCHD inside of VOO as well. If tech has a pullback, then VOO will automatically rebalance, and so does SCHD. I like owning passively run ETFs like these because it can make things that much more simple for me to manage. I only opened the Roth IRA last year, so it's still one of my smaller investment accounts right now, but it's already grown pretty quickly and currently has around a 23% annualized return.

[00:11:55]Obviously, the market has been really strong and it's been on a run recently, especially with tech and growth stocks.

[00:12:02]So, that's definitely helped my performance. But, it's also another example of why getting invested as early as you can matters so much. Even this account for me can start snowballing so fast, and you just let that compounding interest start stacking together for you year after year after year.

[00:12:17]One of the reasons I really love the Roth IRA specifically is because of all that future growth and withdrawals in retirement is tax-free.

[00:12:25]So, in my mind, every dollar I'm putting into this account today has the potential to become significantly more valuable decades down the road without having to worry about future taxes eating away at all those gains. That's why maxing this account out every year has become one of my top financial priorities moving forward.

[00:12:41]And last but not least is my crypto account, which currently sits at $1,135.

[00:12:47]And the only crypto I own is Bitcoin.

[00:12:49]I'm slowly starting to dollar cost average into it over time, and my goal is hopefully to build this account closer to around $3,000 by the end of the year.

[00:12:58]I'm not somebody going all in on crypto or trying to gamble on some random meme coins, but I do think there's value in having at least a small amount of exposure to an asset class outside of traditional stocks and the US dollar.

[00:13:11]My mindset with Bitcoin is pretty simple. If it ends up continuing to grow long-term and has another massive run like we've seen in the past, then I at least want a small piece of the pie instead of sitting on the sidelines completely missing out again. But, at the same time, I'm also very realistic about the volatility and risk that comes with crypto, which is why I keep my allocation relatively small compared to my overall portfolio. If Bitcoin were to tank tomorrow, it's not going to derail my financial future or completely wreck my net worth, and that's intentional.

[00:13:40]I'd rather treat it as a smaller, high-risk, high-reward position alongside of the stable foundation of ETFs that I own.

[00:13:48]Then I know some people don't include their car as part of their net worth, and technically I understand the argument because vehicles are depreciating assets, but I'm personally going to include mine since it's completely paid off and still holds a decent amount of value. Right now, my car is worth around $18,000. Having a paid-off vehicle has been huge because I haven't had to deal with a monthly car payment in a while now. That extra cash flow every month can make a massive difference when you're trying to max out your retirement accounts, when you're trying to build your investment portfolio, or save for other financial goals.

[00:14:20]Looking forward, cars are definitely something I want to approach differently. My goal is to save up and either pay cash for future vehicles or, at the very least, put a large down payment on the next car I buy. I plan on driving my current car for probably another 10 years if I can because I'd much rather keep investing money than consistently resetting the clock with another expensive auto loan.

[00:14:42]I think there absolutely comes a point where upgrading your vehicle makes sense, especially if you're constantly dealing with breakdowns, expensive repairs, reliability issues. If you're dumping thousands of dollars into maintenance every year and stressing every time you turn the key, there's definitely an argument for buying a reliable used car or, in some situations, even buying new car depending on the interest rates and how much the car is worth. Having a reliable vehicle can also bring a lot of peace of mind, and not constantly worrying about your car breaking down on the side of the road has real value, too. For me personally, it's less about never buying a nice car, but more about making sure my car decisions don't destroy my ability to build wealth long-term. And the only debt I currently have is my student loans, which sit at $20,384 with a fixed interest rate of 4.4%.

[00:15:31]Right now, my strategy is not to aggressively pay these off, and instead just make the minimum monthly payments while I continue to prioritize investing.

[00:15:40]The way I look at this is that I've already received the value for my engineering degree because it helped me land a career that significantly increased my income. And with the interest rate being relatively low on these loans, I believe my money has a better chance of growing long-term through investing in the market instead of rushing to wipe out this debt. Now, with that being said, I completely understand why some people choose to pay off debt first. There's definitely a peace of mind that comes with being debt-free. And mathematically paying off a 4.4% loan is basically like getting a guaranteed 4.4% return on your money, which is still a solid return, and it has little risk for you. So, I don't think there's necessarily a right or wrong answer here. But for me though, I'd rather focus on building up my investments, maximizing my retirement accounts, and letting compounding interest work as early as possible while I'm still young and in my 20s.

[00:16:28]That strategy could absolutely change later down the road depending on how I feel financially in the future. But for now, paying off the student loans just hasn't been my top priority.

[00:16:37]So, when I add up all these assets and subtract my student loan debt, that brings my total net worth to 393,040 dollars.

[00:16:47]I'm really proud of what I've been able to accomplish in just 4 years of fully committing to this path towards financial freedom. I've put my head down, I've worked hard, I've invested consistently, and stayed disciplined financially even when it wasn't exciting.

[00:17:00]At the same time, I still feel like I'm just getting started. My long-term goal is to eventually cross that $1 million net worth mark sometime in my mid-30s.

[00:17:08]And I think hitting that milestone would feel incredibly rewarding knowing it came from years of consistency and steady progress. The biggest point I want to drive home in this entire video is that your 9-5 job can be an incredibly powerful tool for building wealth. The reality is for most people a stable 9-5 career combined with discipline investing can absolutely change your life over time. That's literally what I've been doing. I don't want to work a 9-5 forever, but I'm also not going to ignore the fact that a 9-5 can help you build serious wealth.

[00:17:38]I was fortunate enough to land a high-paying engineering job right out of college making around $92,000 a year in my first year. And instead of immediately inflating my lifestyle and trying to look rich, I used that income to build a strong financial foundation while I was young.

[00:17:52]Then over the last 4 years, I've worked extremely hard to become one of the stronger performers in my age group at the company I work for, which eventually led to raises, more responsibility, and a promotion that moved me to a new refinery where I'm now making around $135,000 a year.

[00:18:08]But I think this is the part that people don't always want to hear. None of this happened overnight. It took me years of working long hours, years of gaining all that experience, learning new skills at work, taking on bigger and more stressful projects, and consistently showing up day after day. I'm not sitting here pretending like I've completely made it financially because I haven't. There are people far ahead of me and I still have massive goals for my career, investing journey, and future family life. My vision of financial freedom is not there yet, but I'm really working towards it.

[00:18:38]What I hope this video shows is that building wealth is still possible for a normal people with normal careers, just your average guy, if you stay patient and work long enough.

[00:18:49]You need to invest consistently, stay out of debt as best you can, live below your means, and work towards increasing your income.

[00:18:56]If you combine all of those over a long period of time, it's inevitable that you will build wealth. So, that's all I have for this video. Let me know down in the comments what your current net worth goal is and what you're striving for.

[00:19:08]Also, let me know if you have any questions regarding my net worth and the journey I did to get here, I'd love to answer them below. As always, thanks everyone who supports this channel. I'll see you all in the next one. Peace.