Parker Schnabel rose to fame as a key cast member on Gold Rush and is now a fan-favorite. He’s been on the show since the first season began airing 2010. Thanks to its success, Parker has starred in various spin-off series and earns a reported $25,000 per episode. Today, Parker Schnabel has a net worth of $10 million. Parker and his crew have mined 56,338.9 ounces of gold during 14 seasons on Gold Rush.
Early Life
Parker Russell Schnabel was born on July 22, 1994, to Roger and Nancy in Haines, Alaska. His grandfather, John Schnabel, was the owner of the Big Nugget, a legendary mining company. John played a pivotal role in Parker’s career in mining. He also has a brother, Payson who sometimes features in the series.
Parker spent his summers at the mine with his grandfather and the experience fuelled his passion for finding gold nuggets. In high school, he was a part of the varsity basketball team. Considering his height, this doesn’t surprise us!
Mining Career
After graduating from high school, his grandfather stepped down from running the Big Nugget Mine and Parker took over daily operations. At 16, he led a crew of miners twice his age and demonstrated raw leadership skills.
However, Parker left the Big Nugget Mine and skipped college to mine in Yukon, Canada. Parker Schnabel traveled up to the Klondike at 18 years old and leased land from Tony Beets. He used money from a college trust fund to start the operation.
Reality Television
In 2010, the mining prodigy appeared on the first season of Gold Rush. Despite his youth, Parker was confident and cocky. He made a name for himself helping Todd Hoffman’s inexperienced crew mining at Porcupine Creek.
Parker discovered 1029 ounces of gold in the first year of running his own mining operation. His story and personality are a key part of the show and without him, it would struggle for views!
Apart from the first Gold Rush, he also appeared in two spin-off series. From 2012 to 2016, he featured in “Gold Rush: The Dirt.” He also earned his own show titled “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail”, which began airing in 2017.
Net Worth and Earnings
Parker Schnabel makes $25,000 per episode on Gold Rush and this money compensates for the hassle of dealing with camera crews. Parker pays his crew $34 per hour and also has a lot of expenses to cover such as royalties, machinery and fuel. Mining is a tough business to turn a profit but Parker is a shrewd operator.
Taking this into account, Parker’s fortune is estimated to be $10 million. This makes him the second richest miner on the show behind Tony Beets. In 13 seasons of Gold Rush, Parker Schnabel has mined a total of approximately 56,338.9 ounces of gold (worth over $112 million as of February 2024).
Parker Schnabel’s gold ore total by season in ouncesPersonal Life
Schnabel dated a veterinary nurse named Ashley Youle, but they split up in 2018. The following year, he got into a relationship with assistant producer Sheena Cowell. Currently, Parker is not married and is believed to be single. There were rumors he was dating Australian Tyler Mahoney but they were false.
There were also reports online that Parker lives in a mansion in Alaska. Young Schnabel responded to the claims saying he doesn’t own a house and is technically homeless. It doesn’t make sense for him to buy a property as he likes to travel.
