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Richest TV Personalities Ranked By Order!

Jon Stewart – $120 Million

The “Legendary” Jon Stewart was a household name in America in the mid-2000s. His show, The Daily Show aired on comedy central from 1999 to 2015 and was regarded as the best satirical news program. Jon has been an influential personality in the Daily Show-industry as he was the flag bearer of the comedy-talk show genre that is so popular nowadays.

At the peak of his career, Stewart was unmatched in his craft of hosting and anchoring. And he earned around $30 million per year, which is the major contributor in his extravagant $120 million net worth.

Kelly Ripa-$120 Million

Kelly Ripa began her television career when she was cast as a regular dancer on Dancin’ On Air. She played Hayley Vaughn Santos in All My Children from 1990-2002, and that is where she met her husband, Mark Consuelos, her co-star. After that, she worked in Hope and Faith. 

In 2001, Ripa began co-hosting Live! with Regis and Kelly. However, she continued acting in other television shows and movies. Ripa’s net worth of $120 million is the result of excellent chemistry between her and Regis that attracted many fans. The show had around 6 million viewers per day. She now hosts the show with Ryan Seacrest.

 Simon Cowell-$600 Million

Cowell is a British executive producer who has judged shows like The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, American Idol, and America’s Got Talent. These shows account for his millions of fortune being the second top-earning host. He is known for his harsh comments while judging the talk shows fueling many controversies.

The successful producer owns the British Entertainment company Syco, which makes his annual salary of $95 million. Apart from this, he works with teen brands, namely, Westlife, One Direction, and CNCO. His thirty-year career in the TV industry has made him the highest-paid judge, adding up to his $600 million worth.

Ryan Seacrest-$430 Million

Ryan Seacrest holds the title of the richest man in Hollywood, just with his hosting career, which is not that common. His main earning sources are the shows Live With Kelly and Ryan and American Idol. Hosting multiple shows at the same time helps him make about hundreds of millions a year.

His paycheck has more than doubled over the years from American Idol to a whopping $45 million. This just proves how successful he is in his hosting career with a viewership of at least 2 million per season. He also hosts major annual red carpet events along with radio shows for iHeartRadio.

Judy Sheindlin-$440 Million

Judy Sheindlin is most famous for her long-running show of 25 years, Judge Judy. This made her the highest-paid media celeb commencing in the late 90s. She receives around $47 million annually for the show filming for her 52 days a year. Recently, she announced the show would come to an end in 2021 post her contract ending, and she will get to enjoy the estimated $440 million worth.

Apart from this, Sheindlin sold the TV episode library rights to CBS for $100 million. After her Judge Judy retirement, she has plans to star in a new show named Judy Justice in the future.

Dr. Phil-$400 Million

We all know the gullible and smart reality show host Dr. Phil who is also an author and former psychologist. Earning $80 Million annually, Dr. Phil has accumulated a net worth of $400 million from various ventures. He initially gained popularity in the 90s from his appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. After this, he got his own show called The Dr. Phil Show in 2002, produced by Harpo Studios.

McGraw is also the executive producer for The Bull and The Doctors, along with a telemedicine app Doctors on Demand. Besides, he has a short stint in the weight-loss industry with supplements, energy bars, and shakes in 2003.

David Letterman – $400 Million

Regarded as the “King of the Talk Shows”, David Letterman is a legendary figure in the television industry. His super-hit talk show The Late Night Show with David Letterman ran for a record 33 years, entertaining and inspiring thousands of Americans daily.

David is an embodiment of how humble and hardworking you should be to remain at the top, as he hosted more than six thousand episodes between the years 1982 to 2015. During the prime phase of his career, David bagged more than $40 million dollars annually, justifying his goliath $400 million net worth tag.

Jay Leno – $350 Million

For more than 22 years, Jay Leno was a primary anchor for NBC. Given that NBC is the leading television network in the US, staying at the peak for this long is not an easy task. Jay Leno was inducted in the Television Hall of fame in 2014 for his remarkable contribution to the industry and art.

Leno was also a very successful comedian and actor as well. Even after reaching heights, Jay was never known for his extravagant spendings, though he does have a remarkable automobile collection. His net worth was recorded at a career-high $350 million dollars.

Ellen DeGeneres -$330 Million

Ellen DeGeneres is a household name with her popular daytime talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show that started airing in 2003. The show has aired more than 3000 episodes making Ellen the 12th highest-paid celebrity this year. She gets an eight-figure salary for the show that includes philanthropic work, celebrity interviews, and stand-up comedy.

This accounts for her hundreds of millions of annual salary. Ellen started her career with stand-up comedy in 1994. Her success in hosting and comedy has made her the first woman to grab a $20 million deal for 2018 Netflix stand-up special. Apart from this, she owns a brand named Ed by Ellen.

Sharon Osbourne-$220 Million

Sharon Osbourne is a reality TV personality along with her music managing and promoting jobs. She helped Ozzy Osbourne launch his music career that turned out to be a massive success and sold around 6 million copies.

Osbourne owes her net worth of $220 million to the Ozzfest that started in 1996. The show’s ticket prices were as high as $150 grossed over $20 million annually. Her paycheck was $12 million huge for her role in the show Osbournes, making her a mega-reality star. The show was a hit in the US and Britain, showing her cancer battles along with her success in the television world.

Anderson Cooper-$200 Million

Cooper makes about $12 million annually with his CNN news anchoring segments. He is a successful journalist and author famous for his shows Anderson Cooper 360 and American Morning. Besides, he received an inheritance worth millions when his mother passed away. However, Cooper once stated that he may choose to donate the inheritance in the future.

He started his career with modeling for Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein at the age of 10. In 2007, Cooper signed for 60 Minutes at a whopping $4 million annual salary. He has also penned many freelance articles and books, including his memoir Dispatches from the Edge and The Andy Cohen Diaries.

Steve Harvey-$160 Million

Harvey’s wits and dedication towards his career is one major reason for his success. He is a game show and talk show host along with a presence in comedy and radio. Harvey started his career with stand-up comedy in the 80s after a few stints at comedy clubs. He gained tremendous popularity with The Steve Harvey Show that aired from 1996 to 2001.

After his success in talk shows, he started his radio show, The Steve Harvey Morning Show, that won Radio & Record’s Syndicated Show of the Year award in 2007. He has also starred in various movies, including Fighting Temptations, You Got Served, and Racing Stripes.

Barbara Walters -$150 Million

Barbara Walter has a remarkable career as an anchor at NBC, making up for her millions of fortune. She was the first female anchor to establish herself in journalism in the 70s. With her six-decades long career, her net worth adds up to $150 million even while being a philanthropist. Walters gave her school $15 million to build infrastructure equipped with a media lab and a radio station.

Walter’s mega-success is also credited to her hosting shows, including The View, 20/20, ABC Evening News, and Today. She owned stakes in The View before she sold them for a considerable amount.

Katie Couric – $100 Million

Katie Couric is a leading American journalist. She was Yahoo’s Global News Anchor from 2013 to 2017. In that period, she earned herself global recognition. Couric has worked with all the three big television networks ABC, NBC, and CBS, which is a massive achievement in the American television industry.

When Katie was anchoring at CBS, she earned around $15 million dollars per year, which made her the highest-paid anchor in the world at that moment. Also, she is the only women anchor to top the podium until 2018. Her net worth is calculated at over 100 million dollars in 2019, making her the wealthiest female anchor.

Tyra Banks – $90 Million  

Named “BanX” by her fans, Tyra Banks is a famous T.V personality, model, and actress. She has been the prime host of a famed show called America’s Next Top Model for more than ten years now. Tyra also had her talk show named The Tyra Banks Show, which was quite a sensation back in the days.

According to today’s report, Banks earn a hefty paycheck from her hosting and acting stints, though the amount is undisclosed, her total net worth stands at $90 Million as of 2020, which makes her one of the top female hosts in the country.

Bill O’Reilly – $85 Million

Bill O’Reilly is a renowned journalist and author. His novel Killing Jesus that came out in 2013, was a massive breakthrough and was raved by critics worldwide for its unique writing style. O’Reilly’s other notable books are Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, and Killing Crazy House. All of these narratives have somewhat similar dark-humor essence to them, which signature Bill O’Reilly writing style.

Even at 70, he is still actively working and hosting stints in talk shows. Moving towards his net worth, Bill has been one of the main hosts for CBS and NBC, which has made his net worth at colossal $85 Million as of 2020.

Conan O’Brien – $85 Million

Who doesn’t love watching Conan have these wonderful conversations with our favorite stars? Late Night with Conan is one of the top-talk shows in the industry right now, and most of the credit behind it goes to Conan himself. His witty nature and fun-loving persona light up the frame whenever he steps in.

According to reports, he bags a huge paycheck of 12 million dollars annually for his show Conan on TBS. which is also one of the most watched shows on the channel. His other revenue streams are advertisements, show cameos, and podcasts, contributing to his massive $85 million net worth.

Diane Sawyer-$80 Million

Diane Sawyer started her anchoring and news presenting career with ABC world news in the late 70s. She is a renowned news anchor with her decade-long career in American Journalism while working for several news networks. She has starred in 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, and Primetime Live over the years. Her annual salary was estimated to be $22 million with her contribution to major network stories.

Sawyer has interviewed prominent personalities, including U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Richard Nixon. She has received many awards like Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism and Honorary doctorate of Letters from Brown University.

Stephen Colbert-$70 Million

Colbert is a TV host, producer, comedian, and actor best known for his satirical program The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. After his initial success, he has hosted several shows like Strangers with Candy and The Daily Show, grabbing three Emmy Awards.

He is named the fifteenth richest TV host with an annual paycheck of $15 million, making up for his $70 million fortune. Colbert started hosting The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2015 under the binding contract until 2023. Apart from hosting, he has written Wigfield: The Can Do Town That Just May Not, alongside Sedaris and Dinello.

Michael Strahan-$65 Million

A retired American football player, talk show host, and sports analyst, Michael Strahan has a net worth of $65 million. Strahan played defensive end for the New York Giants for fourteen seasons. He is now the co-host of ABC’s Good Morning America and a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday.

Born in Houston, Texas, Strahan is the youngest child of his parents. Since his retirement from NFL, Strahan hosted the Backyard Stadiums on DIY Network. He became the co-host of the newly named Live! with Kelly and Michael in 2012 but left the show in 2016. Strahan became a full-time host of Good Morning America in 2016.

Kathie Lee Gifford-$60 Million

One of the biggest personalities on the television, Kathie Lee Gifford, has been in the business since the 1980s. With a staggering net worth of $60 million, Gifford is also an actress, singer, and writer.

Her television career began in 1985 when she replaced Anne Abernathy in The Morning Show. In 1988, the name of the show was changed to Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee. Gifford left Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee in 2000 and joined NBC’s Today show in 2008. Within a year, Gifford helped raise the show’s rating by 13%. She won an Emmy Award in 2019, the same year she left the show.

Jimmy Fallon-$60 Million

Fallon is a celebrated actor, singer, comedian, writer, and TV host with a net worth of $60 million. He has also tried his hands at producing and worked on shows like SNL until 2004. Fallon is known for his character and comedic timing on his hosting shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. 

He is also seen hosting red carpet shows and known for his spoofy monologues. Fallon’s annual salary is estimated to be $16 Million. Besides, he has acted in Ted 2, Fever Pitch, Factory Girl, Taxi, and Whip It. 

Jimmy Kimmel-$50 Million

Jimmy Kimmel is a TV host and a comedian famous for hosting SNL and late-night comedy show, Jimmy Kimmel Live since 2003. His annual income for the show is $15 million, that adds up to his $50 million net worth. Kimmel started his career with radio and co-hosting The Man Show and Win Ben Stein’s Money. 

He also worked as Jimmy the Sports Guy on the Kevin and Bean morning show in his early career days. After writing promotional material for Fox, he was spotted to work on Comedy Central in 1997. Besides, he has guest-hosted several talk shows, including Larry King Live and Live with Regis and Kelly. 

Maria Bartiromo-$50 Million

An author, magazine columnist, and conservative opinion host, Maria Bartiromo, has worked in the industry for over two decades. She has hosted shows like Mornings with Maria and Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street, working along with CNBC, CNN, and Fox News. Bartiromo started her hosting career with Closing Bell on CNBC and Market Watch.

Her estimated yearly addition to $50 million is $10 million from her TV work. Over the years, she appeared in The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Colbert Report, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Besides, she has also tried in acting with Inside Job, Risk/Reward, and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

Sean Hannity – $45 Million

Sean Hannity is a famous television host turned conservative political commentator. He burst into the scene with his syndicated talk radio show The Sean Hannity Show. Sean has always been known for his fierce approach and fearless attitude, and it was the main reason he is regarded as one of the best in this business.

His show Hannity which aired on Fox was unique and pathbreaking in its own way. It also paved his way into the political side of things. Sean signed a 100 million dollar-five-year contract in 2007 with ABC News, which was a record signing at that time.

Megyn Kelly-$45 Million

Megyn Kelly is a well-known political reporter and TV host who has worked for NBC News and Fox News. Her successful TV career has added to the $45 million net worth over the years. During her hosting days, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people. With an annual salary of $8 million, Kelly has worked hard to win her legal battles and continued working.

She has hosted the 2004 presidential elections, The Kelly File, and Kelly’s Court. Currently, she operates via Instagram and YouTube after being forced to resign from NBC. The movie,  Bombshell, starring Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman was based on her career at Fox.

Wendy Williams – $40 Million 

Wendy Williams is a famous media personality and television host. Her talk-show The Wendy Williams Show has been acclaimed and loved by her fans since 2008. Before hitting the television, Wendy was known as “shock jockette” due to her stints as a radio Dj and host in New York City.

Now, mother of two, Wendy is still prominently working on her talk shows and various other projects. As of 2019, her net worth stands at 40 Million dollars due to the massive $10 million annual checks from her talks shows and advertisements.

Chelsea Handler – $40 Million

Known for her eccentric talk show named Chelsea Lately,  Chelsea Handler is one of the country’s top-female hosts. She has been working for the last fifteen years and she was also one of the initial female hosts that made a breakthrough in this men-dominated industry.

Her Netflix documentary series Chelsea Does was also a mega-success and is still running after 5 years, owing to the unique story-telling and excellent performance by Chelsea herself. She collects an annual salary of $10 million dollars, which comes from her comedy, hosting and acting stints on television and digital platforms.

Carson Daly- $40 Million

Daly started his career in radio shows and VJ for MTV interviewing celebrities. In 2002, he started hosting the Last Call With Carlson Daly for NBC. Later on, he hosted NBC’s New Year’s Eve Special. Besides, he worked as an executive producer for The Voice while hosting the show. Carlson has also done guest appearances in My Name is Earl and Chappelle’s Show.

From his various hosting stints, the California-born TV host takes home an annual check of $10 million. His real estate properties include a home in Long Island and another in Santa Monica, which are worth $20 million.

Meredith Vieira-$40 Million

Meredith Vieira is the most loved host and journalist on television with her work on 60 Minutes. This marked the beginning of her hosting career for CBS in Chicago. She is known for hosting the Royal Wedding Watch on PBS and the live broadcast of the royal nuptials. Her estimated worth is around $40 million with her shows The Meredith Vieira Show and Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?

Vieira also co-anchored the Today Show alongside Matt Lauer on NBC. Her annual salary adds up to $11 million for her hosting and anchoring work.

Robin Roberts – $35 Million

Robin Robert is one of the most influential personalities in the television industry currently working. Her journey from a sportscaster to a sports anchor and then hosting her own show on ABC network is inspirational for all the young and budding anchors all around the world.

According to Forbes, Robin was one of the highest-paid anchors in 2019 as she collected a hefty paycheck of $18 million dollars. Robin is still relatively new to the anchoring field and we are pretty sure her $35 million net worth will just sky-rocket in the coming years.

Steve Kroft-$30 Million

Steve Kroft is a successful American news journalist with an annual paycheck of $7 million, hosting CBS news show. His journalism career started with broadcasting the Vietnam War after joining the armed forces. This got him a Bronze Medal from the army for his wartime stories and real photography. 

Kroft’s new reporting and interviewing on 60 Minutes earned him three Peabody Awards along with nine Emmys. After the three-decade success in the show, he stepped down from the role in 2019. This won him a lifetime achievement award crediting his journalism career. 

Hoda Kotb-$30 Million

Hoda Kotb has interviewed famous celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian West, making her the most popular TV presenter in the country. She co-hosts the NBC news show Today alongside Savannah Guthrie. Besides, she also presents NBC’s fourth hour and owns her show The Hoda Show on SiriusXM.

Her annual salary ranges from $8-10 million from her hosting gigs on celebrities and current affairs. Apart from this, she has written several books, including I Really Needed This and Words to Live by. From cancer battle to inspiring adoptions, her personal journey is nothing short of appreciation.

James Corden-$30 Million

James Cordon has interviewed major celebrities on The Late Late Show with fun games and digs at them. He is also a writer and producer along with his comedic presenting on television. After gaining fame in the UK, he garnered international fame to have his own segment shows like Gavin & Stacey and Carpool Karaoke with over 200 million views on YouTube.

He started his career with TV series Boyz Unlimited and Little Britain. Besides, he has acted in All or Nothing, Heartlands, and Cruise of the Gods. Corden has a net worth of $30 million, with an estimated income of $9 million annually.

Tucker Carlson-$30 Million

Carlson owes his $30 million net worth to his political commentator and TV career. Moreover, his published content, including columns and books, bring in some good money. After his gigs in Policy Review and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, he published columns in famous magazines, namely, Reader’s Digest and New York Magazine.

His notable works include hosting on CNN Crossfire, holding the right-wing position. Carlson takes home a whopping salary of $6 million from Fox annually with the viewership of 3.5 million on an average. Besides, he signed a $10 million book deal and co-owns DailyCaller.com with Neil Patel. He recently bought a home worth $2.9 million on Gasparilla Island.

Craig Ferguson – $30 Million

Known for the famous ”The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” on CBS, Craig Ferguson is a comedian, author, and actor. He has worked on many mega-successful shows and movies as well. Born Romantic, Doc Martin, and Saving Grace being the most notable ones.

Craig has been active in the advertising scene as well. He has featured in more than 50+ T.V advertisements since 2012. For his excellent hosting skills, Craig Andrews earns somewhere between $50,000-$75,000 per episode, which is a significant contributor in his massive $30 million net worth.

Rachel Maddow – $25 Million

A liberal politician commentator and a television host, Rachel Maddow is a well-known name around the television circuit. She hosts her own show named The Rachel Maddow Show on the channel MSNBC, on which she also serves as cable network’s special event co-anchor.

Maddow has been a voice to recognize ever since she stepped into the industry. Her upfront persona mixed with witty and unfearing nature has played a significant role in her current position. Coming to her net worth, which sits shy on the $25 million dollar mark. Her massive annual salary of $7 million dollars as an anchor has played a considerable part in it.

Erin Burnett-$13 Million

Erin Burnett is most popular for her anchoring job on CNN’s show, Erin Burnett OutFront. She started her career being a financial analyst before shifting to an anchoring career. Soon, she signed a writing and booking deal with CNN. Besides, she joined the prime-time news program and also co-hosted CNBC’s Squawk on the Street till 2011. 

With her intriguing documentaries on Congo, UAE, Nigeria, India, and Jordan, she has earned the title of The International Superstar. Burnett takes home an annual salary of $3 million from her TV work, accounting for her $13 million worth. 

Chris Cuomo – $12 Million

Chris Cuomo, the host of a news analysis show on CNN, is not just a journalist but also a licensed attorney. He earns a grand sum of $6 million in a year for his work at CNN. Besides, he is the son of the former governor of New York, late Mario Cuomo. Not to forget, the Cuomos are one of the most powerful political families in New York.

This 50-year-old journalist has a massive fan following and is on the verge of becoming the wealthiest journalist in the USA with a net worth of $12 million. Chris lives with his wife and three kids in Hamptons, New York.

Seth Meyers – $12 Million

Seth Meyers is the host of one of the most prominent talk shows in the United States of America, Late Night with Seth Meyers. It has been ground-breaking in its genre and has topped the chartbuster’s list in 2016-2018. Starting his career as a writer, Seth quickly became a known face in the industry due to his incredibly charming charisma and personality.

In the year 2019 alone, the Illinois-born host drafted around 3 million dollars from salaries and profits. Seth has been active in the Sitcom industry and appears in Documentary Now! and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

 Don Lemon – $10 million

The host of the prime time weekend edition of CNN Tonight, Don Lemon, is a well-known journalist. The 52-year old anchor has a net worth of $10 million, more than many anchors combined! Besides, he owns a luxury villa in Sag Harbor, New York, worth $3.1 million.

Recently, Don announced his relationship with real estate agent Tim Malone. Well, his social media is filled with the pictures of the couple having a great time together! Before meeting Malone, Don’s topmost priority was his career.  However, the moment she stepped into his life, the pieces of the puzzle started falling together.

 

Jon Stewart – $120 Million

The “Legendary” Jon Stewart was a household name in America in the mid-2000s. His show, The Daily Show aired on comedy central from 1999 to 2015 and was regarded as the best satirical news program. Jon has been an influential personality in the Daily Show-industry as he was the flag bearer of the comedy-talk show genre that is so popular nowadays.

At the peak of his career, Stewart was unmatched in his craft of hosting and anchoring. And he earned around $30 million per year, which is the major contributor in his extravagant $120 million net worth.

Wolf Blitzer – $16 Million

American anchor, Wolf Blitzer, has been in this profession for over 40 years now. However, he garnered fame after he reported the Persian Gulf War in 1990. He received the award Golden CableACE for his excellent reporting of all the events occurring during the war and later covering the Oklahoma City bombing tragedy.

Additionally, he is also regarded as a marvelous political consultant because of his expertise in international affairs. This iconic news anchor is among the top 15 most renowned journalists of the United States, with a net worth of $16 million. He also made a guest appearance in some movies like Mission Impossible: Fallout. 

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