The Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush is among America’s most successful television franchises. One of its primary cast members is miner and fan-favorite Parker Schnabel. He has been on every season of the show. Because of his fame, he got to star in the spin-off series Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail. As of 2022, Parker Schnabel has a net worth of $10 million.
Early Life
On July 22, 1994, Parker Russell Schnabel was born to Roger and Nancy in Haines, Alaska. He has a brother named Payson. His grandfather and fellow reality television star, John Schnabel, was the owner of the mining corporation Big Nugget.
Because of this, Parker has worked in the mining industry as early as five years old. In high school, he was famous for being a part of the varsity basketball team.
For his tertiary education, Schnabel wanted to learn mining studies and geology. The young man planned to take over the business his family had run for several years. However, he did not go to college.
Mining Career
Right after graduating from high school, he went home to work on the family business. Then, when his grandfather stepped down from his position, Parker became the head of daily operations.
At 16, he led a crew of miners more than twice his age, demonstrating his capacity to find high-quality gold. However, he left his initial mining site and skipped college to mine in Yukon, Canada.
Parker Schnabel traveled up to the Klondike at the age of 18 and leased land from the famed miner Tony Beets. He used money from his own college trust fund to start the operation.
Reality Television
In 2010, the mining prodigy appeared on Gold Rush Alaska on Discovery Channel. He became known for assisting Porcupine Creek miners who were mostly clueless about their tasks.
His journey of leaving home for the Yukon was also documented in the show. Parker discovered 1029 oz of gold in his first year of conducting his own operation. His story and personality are what made him a cornerstone of the show.
Apart from the first Gold Rush, he also appeared in two spin-off series. From 2012 to 2016, he was in Gold Rush: The Dirt. He also earned his own show titled Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail, which started airing in 2017.
Net Worth and Earnings
Parker Schnabel is estimated to make around $25,000 every episode in the Gold Rush franchise. It’s also worth noting that he is a producer in all three shows he’s featured in. Of course, there are also his gains from the gold his team finds.
He had already extracted over $13 million in gold by 24. His crew gets a cut from this, which is estimated to be $34 per hour. Taking that into account, Parker’s fortune should be around $10 million.
Personal Life
Schnabel once dated a veterinary nurse named Ashley Youle, but they split up in 2018. The following year, he got in a relationship with assistant producer Sheena Cowell. Currently, Parker is not married to his latest partner and lives in a mansion in Alaska.
