TV Hosts’ Incredible 2024 Salaries
Shepard Smith – Fox News – $15 Million
Net Worth: $25 Million
Shepard Smith is known for hosting the shows Studio B, The Fox Report, and Shepard Smith Reporting. He was one of Fox‘s oldest and richest collaborators before stepping away from the network in 2019. His yearly salary with Fox News? A whopping $15 million!
Smith’s exit from Fox News surprised everyone, and the reason behind his decision is still not officially known. It is speculated to be related to outside political pressures and an internal feud with fellow journalist Tucker Carlson. Still looking to make it back to the news broadcasting business, Smith is currently busy collaborating with the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Savannah Guthrie – NBC – $8 Million
Today co-host Savannah Guthrie was already working as a journalist when she decided to pursue higher education and get her law degree. While she soon abandoned her legal career, the Australian-born reporter’s background proved useful in her next move to go into TV news.
Net Worth: $30 Million
She found herself working as a legal correspondent at Court TV and NBC. There, Guthrie provided her expert insight covering events like the Michael Jackson trial in 2005 and Supreme Court decisions. Now, eight years into her Today anchor tenure, she still feels motivated to start her workdays at dawn.
Kelly Ripa – ABC – $20 Million
American TV host Kelly Ripa is one of the most influential figures in the U.S.’s daytime television, and her reputation goes way beyond the world of broadcasting news. Ever since appearing as an actress in the soap opera All My Children in 1990, Kelly’s been working in developing her personal brand and building a vast entertainment empire.
Net Worth: $100 Million
Kelly’s annual salary of $20 million with ABC is impressive, but it’s hardly her only source of income. Along with her husband, actor Mark Consuelos, Kelly has developed a New York City-based production company called Milojo and counts with an overwhelming $100 million net worth.
Robin Roberts – ABC – $18 Million
In 2012, ABC‘s Good Morning America replaced Today at the top of the ratings after over a decade of NBC dominance. American television broadcaster Robin Roberts teamed-up with George Stephanopoulos to turn Good Morning America back into the U.S.’s favorite morning show for the first time in 16 years!
Net Worth: $35 Million
How much do you pay the woman responsible for leading Good Morning America back to the top of the ratings for the first time in so many years? Considering Robin Roberts’ significance, the ABC network decided to invest a whopping $18 million per year to reward her for the outstanding job.
Gayle King – CBS – $11 Million
Gayle King is another TV anchor that’s been rocked by 2020. A veteran when it comes to covering current events and election cycles, the CBS This Morning co-host shares her wild experience giving blow by blow updates on the presidential race’s results. The 65-year-old broadcaster even shares how she had to sleep in her clothes and Spanx to keep up with her election coverage duties.
Net Worth: $40 Million
It’s all worth it in the end, though, given her reported $11 million a year in income she receives from the network. With that kind of pay, King’s enduring of long workdays and occasional feud with rappers like Snoop Dogg is definitely well-compensated.
Natalie Morales – MSNBC – $2 Million
Currently working for NBC News, American journalist Natalie Morales is one of the most respected news anchors in the game. She’s been getting all the money she deserves since her MSNBC days in 2002. When she worked as an MSNBC newscaster, she received an impressive yearly salary of $2 million.
Net Worth: $16 Million
In 2006, she left MSNBC to join the American TV program Today and got out with at least $8 million in her bank account. Now probably earning an even more impressive salary at NBC, Natalie is on her way to becoming of U.S.’s most popular and richest female newscasters.
Amy Robach – ABC – $1 Million
Amy Robach has been living her life in the public eye for a long time. The 20/20 co-anchor has been working in broadcast media for almost two decades and enjoyed a successful pageant career way before that. But while being in the limelight has its downsides, it has also saved Robach’s life.
Net Worth: $10 Million
While participating in a TV segment about mammograms, she ended up getting one in 2013. The test found that she had breast cancer. Good thing Robach caught the disease early and addressed it accordingly. These days, she seems to be doing better and has found a new appreciation for life as she juggles working on 20/20 and GMA3.
Lester Holt – NBC – Estimated $5 Million
It took until 2015 for Lester Holt to become the first African-American to solo anchor a major American nightly newscast. Working for NBC in the shows NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC, Lester gets paid at least $5 million every year to read the prompter.
Net Worth: $12 Million
A $5 million salary comes with great responsibility, and Lester is no stranger to the hot seat. In 2016, he was selected to moderate the first Presidential debate, and his fact-checking methods earned him praises not only from the viewers but also from the participants. President Donald Trump, for instance, considered his work on the debate to be very fair.
Ryan Seacrest -E! – $75 Million
Ryan Seacrest is up there with media mogul Oprah Winfrey as TV’s highest-paid personalities. Bringing in a reported $75 million a year, the American Idol host’s decision to leave the University of Georgia before getting his degree certainly paid off big time. What’s more, his success was honored by his alma mater with an honorary degree in 2015.
Net Worth: $450 Million
The E! host and executive producer’s ventures also go beyond onscreen appearances. His the mind behind hit reality programs like Keeping Up With The Kardashians and its spin-offs. Not one to rest on his laurels, Seacrest continues to host duties, including one on the daytime talk show Live with Kelly and Ryan.
Craig Melvin – NBC – $3 Million
The year 2020 has been extra challenging for many, and NBC newscaster Craig Melvin is no exception. Now that he’s performing dual duties as Today’s news anchor and third-hour co-host, the 41-year-old father of two seems to be busier than ever. Luckily, he’s well-equipped to take on the tasks at hand.
Net Worth: $6 Million
Melvin’s found a way to balance his family life and work-life, even finding the time for health and fitness in his hectic schedule. While the lockdown altered his physical regime, he remains active playing sports with his son at home.
Meredith Vieira – NBC – $8 Million
After 7 years of working on radio and local TV, American journalist Meredith Vieira joined CBS News as a West 57th and 60 Minutes correspondent. The year was 1982 and the following decades would see Meredith changing network twice without ever leaving the spotlight.
Net Worth: $40 Million
After over 30 years working as a nation-wide newscaster, Meredith has rightfully earned her impressive $8 million per year salary. Now employed by NBC as NBC Dateline‘s host, Meredith has an outstanding curriculum on television. In the past, she hosted classic shows such as The View, Today, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Michael Strahan – Fox Sports – $20 Million
As a former New York Giants defensive end and Super Bowl champion, Michael Strahan was both the target of widespread admiration and obscene wealth. But nobody could have imagined that the outstanding athlete would end up becoming one of the highest-paid TV hosts in the U.S.
Net Worth: $65 Million
Every year, Michael receives $20 million to share his sports knowledge with the fans of the Fox NFL Sunday TV show. But Michael’s career on the small screen isn’t all about the football: he has co-hosted Live! with Kelly and Michael alongside Kelly Ripa, collaborated with Good Morning America, and was the receiver of 2 Daytime Emmy Awards!
David Muir – ABC News – $5 Million
Born in Syracuse, New York, David Muir probably grew up like every other person, until one day, a college professor changed his life. The professor pushed him to become a news reporter—an ambition that he successfully achieved. The 46-year-old Muir is one of the most famous faces on the ABC network today.
Net Worth: $7 Million
While Muir currently serves as the anchorman of ABC World News Tonight, he also co-hosts 20/20 at the ABC office in New York City. There hasn’t been much buzz about his personal life (if he has time for one) lately. But we’re not surprised as he is consumed by work, making a whopping $5 million per year.
Anderson Cooper – CNN – $12 Million
A descendant of the wealthy Vanderbilt family, newscaster Anderson Cooper is one of CNN‘s best-known faces and the fair deserver of a yearly salary of $12 million. The irony is that Cooper is not even hosting the news because of the money… With a net worth of $110 million and close ties to some of the U.S.’s most powerful individuals, Cooper is a newscaster by vocation!
Net Worth: $110 Million
Working in the shows Anderson Cooper 360º, 60 Minutes, and Anderson Live, Cooper’s white hair, blue eyes, and at-ease posture have earned him nationwide popularity, one Peabody Award, two Emmy awards, and a special place in the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie.
Terry Bradshaw – Fox NFL Sunday – $5 Million
Terry Bradshaw is widely considered among the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and it’s easy to see why. The retired player won four Super Bowls in his majorly successful career in the ‘NFL’ while earning the big bucks in the process. After his retirement, the star immediately took up a job as a sports analyst on ‘Fox NFL Sunday,’ where he takes home an estimated $5 million annual paycheck.
Net Worth: $45 Million
Apart from his work on television, Bradshaw has also tried his hand in numerous ventures, including acting, singing, as well as delving into real estate, among other businesses. All the investments have seen the popular television personality accumulate massive wealth, estimated to be $45 million.
Trevor Noah – Comedy Central – $4 Million
South-African comedian Trevor Noah was chosen by Comedy Central to replace the one-and-only Jon Stewart as The Daily Show‘s main host. Back then, only a few people in the U.S. knew anything about him. But in less than 6 years, Trevor was able to captivate The Daily Show‘s loyal viewers and make a name for himself.
Net Worth: $30 Million
Trevor grabbed his big opportunity with both hands and landed a salary of $4 million per year. Working extensively as an author and stand-up comedian, Trevor was named of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2018.
John Oliver – HBO – $5 Million
A hit amongst YouTube users, Last Week Tonight is produced by HBO and hosted by the British comedian John Oliver. Delivering socially conscious expositions of faulty American institutions and corrupted politicians funnily, Last Week Tonight‘s episodes are seen by an average of 4.1 million viewers.
Net Worth: $10 Million
The driving force behind the show, host John Oliver earns a yearly salary of $5 million to deliver a perfectly-balanced mix of mild jokes and serious socio-economical facts. The show is well-known in the U.S. but is also very popular abroad, gathering millions of viewers from all over the world thanks to its heavy online presence.
Catt Sadler – E! News – $600K
Entertainment reporter Catt Sadler delivered celebrity news in the E! News network since 2010 before deciding to quit in 2017. The motive? Finding out that she earned half of what her co-host Jason Kennedy was making while doing the exact same job!
Net Worth: $3 Million
We are definite supporters of equal pay to men and women. Yet, we could’ve never guessed that Sadler’s paycheck would turn out to be a problem! After all, she earned a whopping $600K per year. As of 2020, Sadler’s working on a new project in TNT. She declared that leaving E! News was both a financially and emotionally rewarding decision.
Charissa Thompson – Fox Sports – $1 Million
Charissa Thompson has been climbing the sportscasting ladder since she started working as an NFL sideline reporter for Fox around 2008. Later, she was associated with Versus, ESPN, the Big Ten Network, and GSN before going back to Fox to sign the deal of a lifetime as a Fox Sports‘s sportscaster.
Net Worth: $2 Million
Now working as the Sportsnation‘s co-host, Thompson can rely on a yearly salary of $1 million! One of the most beautiful faces in the world of sports media, Thompson is expected to continue building her outstanding reputation while adding millions to her bank account.
Lawrence O’Donnell – MSNBC – $5 Million
Lawrence O’Donnell’s reputation is so impressive that he is able to make millions every year simply by providing his well-informed opinion on national television. In The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, he comments and analyzes the latest news and scandals with an often controversial spin.
Net Worth: $16 Million
One of the biggest names in the MSNBC repertoire, Lawrence gets paid $5 million every year to produce quality television and get his opinions off his chest. In defining his political views, O’Donnell is a self-described Practical European socialist, in opposition to reports associating him with a progressive/liberal posture.
Brooke Baldwin – CNN – $153K
One of CNN‘s most popular news anchors is the beautiful Brooke Baldwin. She’s a celebrated American journalist who’s been working with the network since 2008. Known for her highly-regarded documentary To Catch a Serial Killer, Brooke is a former Peabody Award finalist. She also has a very active political presence in the city of New York.
Net Worth: $1.3 Million
To get a hold of Brooke’s talent and popularity, CNN has hooked her up with a $153K yearly salary. When it comes to money, Brooke has certainly no complaints, and she’s been so far able to collect an impressive $1.3 million net worth. Brooke’s currently employed as one of CNN Newsroom‘s main hosts.
Erin Burnett – CNN – $3 Million
In the world of broadcasting, there’s nothing that screams success more than having your own show! As the host of Erin Burnett OutFront, our next celebrity news anchor knows all about triumphing in her line of work. We could only be talking about Erin Burnett, who worked for CNBC and MSNBC before signing a very lucrative deal with CNN.
Net Worth: $16 Million
With a remarkable yearly salary of $3 million, Erin will have no problems taking care of the 3 children she shares with American business tycoon David Rubulotta. Before settling with CNN, Erin worked as a reporter in several foreign countries, including Mali, Syria, and Iraq.
Abby Huntsman – ABC – $3 Million
Abby Huntsman is the granddaughter of notable American businessman Jon Huntsman Sr. and the daughter of former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr., American journalist. She knows all about politics… and money! Unsurprisingly, she’s been making lots of money working for ABC as one of The View‘s co-hosts.
Net Worth: $20 Million
Beautiful, talented, and completely at ease in front of the camera, Abby gets paid $3 million every year for her services. Before joining ABC, she worked for MSNBC and NBC News. Married to the business analyst Jeffrey Livingston since 2010, Abby is a mother of 3.
Chris Wallace – Fox News – $4 Million
Chris Wallace was born for broadcast journalism. His father Mike Wallace was a reporter, and his stepfather Bill Leonard was also a journalist and president of Fox News from 1979 to 1982. Wallace himself studied journalism at Harvard University, where he was also involved in the campus radio station.
Net Worth: $12 Million
He turned down Yale Law School to pursue his journalism. Wallace got his big break in 1975 when he joined NBC and spent 14 years as a reporter for WNBC-TV. He moved on to CBS and ABC hosting an array of shows before moving to Fox News Sunday, where he now earns $4 million a year.
Samantha Steele Ponder – Fox Sports – $5 Million
Pretty and talented women working in the sports broadcasting industry are fortunately becoming increasingly common. But in a male-dominated industry, women like Samantha Steele Ponder are sometimes forced to work extra hard for their chances of success. Before becoming the host of Sunday NFL Countdown, Samantha was a sideline reporter for years.
Net Worth: $12.5 Million
A frequent ESPN collaborator, Samantha’s deal with Fox Sports has helped her to consolidate a $12.5 million fortune. How? Well, it’s easy getting that rich when you’re paid $5 million every year! Additionally, Samantha can always count on the financial support of her husband, the former American football quarterback Christian Ponder.
Tucker Carlson – Fox News – $6 Million
The host of Tucker Carlson Tonight is arguably one of the best-known and most controversial names on our list. Used to being on the center of multiple public disputes, American journalist Tucker Carlson is accustomed to dividing viewers with his conservative views and polemic statements.
Net Worth: $20 Million
Despite being far-from-consensual amongst audiences (or maybe because of it), Carlson gets paid $8 million per year at Fox News. In 2006, he stepped away from the prompter to try out his best dance moves in the third season of Dancing with the Stars and ended up being the first contestant to go home.
Mika Brzezinski – MSNBC – Estimated $8 Million
Popularized as the 9/11 live correspondent for CBS, American journalist Mika Brzezinski was later fired from the network. She then joined the rival broadcasters of MSNBC. Mika is probably very glad she did so because she’s currently earning a whopping $8 million per year at her new network!
Net Worth: $25 Million
In MSNBC, Brzezinski was given a chance to co-host Morning Joe. Known for being a determined defender of women’s rights and a liberal political commentator, Brzezinski has published 3 books focusing on the subjects of food addiction and journalism. She’s married to her Morning Joe co-host, Joe Scarborough, since 2018.
Rachel Maddow – MSNBC – $7 Million
A regular MSNBC panelist since 2005, American news host Rachel Maddow got her big break in 2008, back when she was assigned to lead the daily news/opinion segment The Rachel Maddow Show. Still airing today, the show often reflects Maddow’s liberal political views.
Net Worth: $20 Million
The first openly gay major news anchor in the U.S., Maddow gets paid $7 million every year to provide her passionate services to the MSNBC network. A leftist Eisenhower fan, Maddow has publically criticized President Donald Trump’s close ties with the Russian and Saudi-Arabian governments. Maddow is dating the American artist/photographer Susan Mikula since 1999.
Scott Pelley – CBS – $7 Million
Seniority is important to every industry, even to the current-obsessed world of news broadcasting. A week-old story may be too old to make it to CBS‘s programming, but it sometimes takes an old media professional like Scott Pelley to get things done. A CBS collaborator for over 30 years, Pelley receives a yearly salary of $7 million.
Net Worth: $16 Million
Known for being a 60 Minutes correspondent and for anchoring the CBS Evening News during the network’s heyday, Pelley is one of America’s most respected journalists. Throughout his career, he had the chance to interview the former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, former FBI director James Comey, and even Pope Francis.
Bret Baier – Fox News – $7 Million
There are not many people working for Fox News who know as much about politics as Bret Baier. The former Chief White House Correspondent worked heavily on the field before finally being able to sit down in front of the prompter to host the Special Report with Bret Baier.
Net Worth: $16 Million
Working both as a newscaster for Fox News and as Fox‘s chief political anchor, Baier is awarded an annual salary of $7 million. A dedicated father of 2, he has traveled 11 times to Afghanistan and 13 times to Iraq during his days as Fox‘s Pentagon correspondent.
Joe Scarborough – MSNBC – $8 Million
American news host Joe Scarborough is far from being a one-trick pony. He acquired a reputation on TV working as MSNBC‘s Morning Joe co-host. After that, Scarborough became the congressman of the state of Florida, an author, and a radio host. In 2017, he discovered yet a new passion in music and released the new-wave EP Mystified.
Net Worth: $25 Million
He was lucky enough to share the Morning Joe responsibilities with his wife of 1 year, the aforementioned Mika Brzezinski. Now, Scarborough gets paid $8 million every year to provide MSNBC with his charisma and political insight. He was affiliated with the Republican Party before becoming an Independent in 2017.
Brian Williams – NBC – $10 Million
Brian Williams is the news master of NBC and the first news anchor on our list to reach the admirable $10 million salary mark. A major figure in the network since 1993, Williams was dismissed from his job as NBC Nightly News‘s main anchor in 2015, following a case of journalistic misrepresentation.
Net Worth: $40 Million
While Williams’s career is now in a downward phase, he’s still a major figure in the world of broadcasting news and he’s currently anchoring for MSNBC and hosting the TV show 11th Hour. With 60 years of age completed in 2019, Williams is not considering retirement anytime soon.
Maria Bartiromo – Fox Business – $10 Million
Maria Bartiromo is one of the big “players” in the Fox News/Fox Business media family. After 2 decades of working for CNBC, the beautiful American journalist joined the rival network to become one of the highest-paid news anchors in America. Every year, Bartiromo cashes in $10 million thanks to her job hosting the shows Mornings with Maria and Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street.
Net Worth: $50 Million
Coming from an Italian-American background, Bartiromo was born an raised in New York City and counts with several male admirers. The most famous of them is Joey Ramone, the infamous The Ramones lead singer who even wrote a song called Maria Bartiromo in the mid-’90s!
Shepard Smith – Fox News – $15 Million
Shepard Smith is known for hosting the shows Studio B, The Fox Report, and Shepard Smith Reporting. He was one of Fox‘s oldest and richest collaborators before stepping away from the network in 2019. His yearly salary with Fox News? A whopping $15 million!
Net Worth: $25 Million
Smith’s exit from Fox News surprised everyone, and the reason behind his decision is still not officially known. It is speculated to be related to outside political pressures and an internal feud with fellow journalist Tucker Carlson. Still looking to make it back to the news broadcasting business, Smith is currently busy collaborating with the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Katie Couric – CBS – $15 Million
Television Hall of Fame-inductee Katie Couric has done it all, including hosting the news for all 3 major American networks: CBS, NBC, and ABC. While working for CBS, Couric was paid $15 million every year to host the CBS Evening News! Later, she joined Yahoo! News as Global News anchor, a position she abandoned in 2017.
Net Worth: $75 Million
Once one of the highest-paid newscasters in the U.S., Couric got her start as a CNN assignment editor and climbed the ladder to the industry’s top jobs. Couric is a mother of 2 and she is married to the BHH Capital Partners‘ senior advisor John Molner since 2014.
George Stephanopoulos – ABC News – $18 Million
American television host George Stephanopoulos has been making a name for himself ever since gaining notoriety as Bill Clinton’s communication director for his 1992 Presidential campaign. Later, he joined the ABC News roster to host This Week and co-host Good Morning America.
Net Worth: $40 Million
With an annual salary of $18 million, Stephanopoulos has everything he needs to take good care of his 2 children. He shares them with his wife, the American actress, comedian, and author Alexandra Wentworth. His days of advising President Clinton may be long gone. Yet, Stephanopoulos is still a highly influential figure in American politics. That’s all thanks to his role as a public speaker and political commentator.
Diane Sawyer – ABC – $22 Million
Active since the long-gone year of 1962, American television journalist Diane Sawyer is one of the most respected news anchors in the U.S. and the rightful earner of a whopping salary of $22 million per year! Since joining ABC, she hosted the shows 20/20, Good Morning America, Primetime, and ABC World News.
Net Worth: $80 Million
Considered by Forbes magazine to be one of the world’s 100 most influential women in more than once occasion, Sawyer is now working as an ABC News special correspondent. The receiver of several accolades, she was granted a Peabody Award in 2009 and a Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2010.
Megyn Kelly – NBC – $23 Million
After years working on Fox News as the host of the shows America Live and America’s Newsroom, journalist Megyn Kelly was granted a $23 million-a-year contract with NBC. The network had high hopes for Kelly, who was given a special place in Today with the Megyn Kelly Today segment.
Net Worth: $45 Million
Unfortunately, Megyn Kelly Today was canceled in 2018 and Kelly ended up leaving NBC in 2019. The former corporate defense attorney wasn’t able to reconnect with the American audiences after a series of racially insensitive comments on-air, particularly regarding blackface Halloween costumes.
Sean Hannity – Fox News – $36 Million
There’s no doubt that the American television host Sean Hannity is the wealthiest and best-paid news anchor in the United States. He has a mind-boggling $36 million-a-year salary, and he has an out-of-this-world $250 million net worth. Hannity is mainly known for hosting the radio show The Sean Hannity Show and the political commentary program Hannity.
Net Worth: $250 Million
He has been involved in a long list of controversies that include challenging Barack Obama’s American citizenship and the scientific accuracy of climate change. Still, Hannity’s outspoken personality is praised all across America, especially by conservative politicians and Republican supporters.
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