Michelle Obama is the most powerful woman in the world

No. 1 on the list is First Lady Michelle Obama. Forbes didn’t calculate her and her husband’s personal wealth or money earned in the last year, choosing instead to list in that category the country’s national budget, which is $3.5 trillion. That’s odd.

Forbes places Oprah Winfrey third. The talk-show queen is worth $2.7 billion and earned $315 million in the past year, but beyond wealth Forbes takes into account executive position, creative influence and entrepreneurship.

Lady Gaga is at No. 7, is the next media person on the list. She earned $62 million in the past year and, according to Forbes, “single-handedly reinvigorated pop music and pop culture.”

Next in media, at No. 9, is Beyonce Knowles, who earned $87 million and whose music is a favorite of Michelle Obama’s, according to Forbes.

Former “American Idol” judge Ellen DeGeneres is 10th on the list and earned $55 million. Forbes noted that she recently gave a $30,000 college scholarship to a gay teenager who challenged a high school policy against same-sex prom dates.

Also on the list of the world’s most powerful women are Nancy Pelosi, White House Speaker, at No. 11, Sarah Palin at No. 16, Angelina Jolie (No. 21), Katie Couric (No. 22), Arianna Huffington (No. 28), Madonna (No. 29) and Sarah Jessica Parker (No. 45).