Tom Arnold (Born In 1959) – $5.15M
Tom Arnold had a bit of a purple patch in the mid-90s. As an actor, he had top billing roles in several films such as “True Lies,” “McHale’s Navy” and “Nine Months.” But he also made waves in TV shows, notably starring in the series “Roseanne” and “The Tom Show.”
He continued his popularity into the early ’00s. This was when he had roles in “Cradle 2 the Grave,” “Mr. 3000,” and “The Great Buck Howard.” He has also gone into hosting shows, including “The Best D^mn Sports Show Period,” and he also had a role in “Sons of Anarchy.” In 2021 he appeared in a movie called “Queen of Meth.”
Bill O’Reilly (Born In 1949) – $25 Million
Bill O’Reilly is likely best known for hosting the talk show called “The O’Reilly Factor,” which aired on the Fox News Channel. But he is a veteran of the industry who started his career in the ’70s and has worked at numerous networks’ news centers, including “CBS News” and “ABC News.”
His $25 million estimated annual salary is earned from his work as a TV host and backed up by a host of other things. These include several books, including “Those Who Trespass,” “Killing Jesus: A History,” and “Killing England.” He published another book in 2021 called “Killing the Mob: The Fight Against Organized Crime in America.”
Wendy Williams (Born In 1964) – $10 Million
Wendy Williams kickstarted her career the way, so many others have… with controversy. She gained her initial fame on New York radio as a shock jockette who became renowned for arguing with celebrities. She has matured over the years, though, and has also changed her form of media.
She has become a TV show host, sitting at the helm of a show called “The Wendy Williams Show.” Hence she is well paid and respected, having been inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and having a New Jersey street named after her. In 2021 she appeared in a documentary called “Wendy Williams: What a Mess!.”
Will Arnett (Born In 1970) – $150K
Will Arnett is a pretty recognizable face in the movie scene. The Canadian comedian, actor, and producer has been on some major production, including shows like “Arrested Development” and “30 Rock.” He has also had some notable films roles in “Blades of Glory,” “Jonah Hex,” and “Show Dogs.”
He has also been earning many voice roles thanks to his baritone voice. The most notable of these roles is as Batman in the “Lego Movie franchise,” plus he has also had voice roles in “Monsters vs. Aliens” and “The Nut Job.” He has also been hosting a podcast called “SmartLess,” since 2020 and in 2021 appeared in the series “The Morning Show.”
Christina Milian (Born In 1981) – $450K
In the early ’00s, your day wasn’t complete if you didn’t hear Christina Milian’s “AM to PM” on the radio. The singer and actress released her debut, self-titled album in 2001, which included the abovementioned hit as well as a second single titled “When You Look at Me.”
She made her breakthrough as a singer but branched out into other avenues. These include acting, where she had a role in the sitcom “Grandfathered.” She has also started her own wine company called Viva Diva Wines with her mother, Carmen. In 2021 she had a role in the Netflix film “Resort to Love.”
Jeff Daniels (Born In 1955) – $8 Million
Jeff Daniels is a veteran actor renowned for his comedic timing and his powerful emotive performances. Known for comedy films like “Dumb and Dumber,” “Pleasantville,” and “101 Dalmations,” he has also branched out into the action and drama genres. These include movies like “Speed” opposite Keanu Reeves.
He also starred in “Looper” with Bruce Willis and “Steve Jobs” alongside Michael Fassbender. He also has stage credits to his name starring in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” as Atticus Finch and in “Blackbird.” In 2021 he reprised his role as “To Kill a Mockingbird” and had a role in the series “American Rust.” Still ensuring he brings home $8 million a year.
Oprah Winfrey (Born In 1954) – $300M
As the queen of all media, it’s only fitting that Oprah Winfrey earns a queen’s ransom in salary. She already has a net worth of $2.5 billion and is America’s first African-American multi-millionaire. She is also renowned for being a great African American philanthropist.
If you know her, then you know that she rose to fame thanks to her award-winning talk show that ran from 1986 to 2011. She has since become a media mogul and founded a production company as well. She has won 18 Daytime Emmy awards and continues to push boundaries. In 2021 she was selected for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Jon Stewart (Born In 1962) – $25 Million
Jon Stewart was well on his way to becoming a movie star. He had a role in the Adam Sandler movie “Big Daddy” and was likely going to pursue the industry until he got the chance to host “The Daily Show.” But it wasn’t for his acting skills that they sought him out.
He was already hosting shows, including the Comedy Central show Short Attention Span Theatre and an MTV show called The Jon Stewart Show. Since then, he has won 23 Primetime Emmy Awards as well as two Grammy awards. In 2021 he starred in another series called “The Problem with Jon Stewart.”
Savannah Guthrie (Born In 1971) – $8 Million
These days, she is a qualified lawyer, but she had a career in media in her initial incarnation. She cut her teeth at the various small and regional broadcasters in places like Washington, Missouri, and Arizona. She even developed a bit of a reputation and is notable for covering 9/11.
But she decided to complete her higher education and eventually qualified as a lawyer. She still couldn’t leave the media behind, and after a few years working in the legal industry, she was back on screens as a legal analyst for NBC. She has since become the co-host for the daily morning show “Today” alongside Hoda Kotb.
David Letterman (Born In 1947) – $50 Million
Sometimes people bandy the term legend around way too easily. But in David Letterman’s case, the term is justified. He is one of the foremost nighttime TV show hosts in America and has hosted various shows over a 33-year career. He was even touted to take over “The Tonight Show” from the other late-night TV legend Johnny Carson.
But instead, Letterman went on to host NBC’s “The Late Night Show” and later “The Late Show with David Letterman.” This show became informally known as “Letterman.” He eventually surpassed his mentor, Carson, by becoming the longest-serving late-night talks show host in America, all while earning an incredible $50 million per annum.
Ellen DeGeneres (Born In 1958) – $50 Million
Over the years, Ellen DeGeneres has become a household name thanks to her talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” But that wasn’t always the case. In fact, this show isn’t even the first one to have Ellen’s name on it, as she has had quite a few of them in different incarnations.
Two of these were sitcoms: one called “Ellen” and the other called “The Ellen Show.” These proved popular without necessarily setting the world on fire until “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which became the most-watched show on TV and won her 25 Emmy Awards. In 2021 she was featured in an episode of “Pixar Popcorn.”
Jimmy Kimmel (Born In 1967) – $15 Million
If there is one thing Jimmy Kimmel has proven, it’s that there is nothing wrong with being a specialist at hosting shows. He has been doing this since 1989 as a radio host and ultimately found fame hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! show as of 2003. This has led to him hosting a ton of other shows.
This includes hosting the Primetime Emmy Awards three times and the Oscars twice. In 2018 he was on Time’s 100 most influential list, and besides hosting, has also served as producer on shows like “Crank Yankers and Sports Show” with Norm McDonald. In 2021 he did voice work on the movie “The Boss Baby: Family Business.”
Ryan Seacrest (Born In 1974) – $75 Million
To earn the $75 million annual salary Ryan Seacrest does, you need to be pretty talented. But he does tick all the boxes and hence does make all the money. We know him as a TV host on “American Idol” and for his live red-carpet coverage, but he is also a radio host and a producer.
Seacrest has a deal with NBC and E! News network to cover red-carpet events, then he also signed a deal to host Live! With Kelly and Ryan in 2017. Shortly after replacing Michael Strahan on Live!, he also announced that he had been involved in a reboot of American Idol and returned for the 2021 season.
Jay Leno (Born In 1950) – $15 Million
Jay Leno had been carving a career in the comedy scene when in 1992, he was asked to take over from the legendary Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” But he didn’t just take over and idly carry on Carson’s legacy. He stamped his signature on it and oversaw some of the best ratings the show has had.
Despite leaving in 2009 to start the “Jay Leno Show,” he eventually returned to the “The Tonight Show” until he eventually retired, leaving the show to Jimmy Fallon. In 2021 Leno made a host of appearances on various shows, including one called “Let’s Make a Deal.”
Pat Sajak (Born In 1946) – $15 Million
Pat Sajak may be earning millions annually now, but early on in his career, he gained infamy for cutting off the President of the United States. This was while he was a broadcast DJ on the Armed Forces Radio. But he lived that down.
His media career eventually took off, and he went from being a weatherman to hosting one of the most successful game shows on American TV. This show is “Wheel of Fortune.” He has been hosting the show since 1981. In 2021 he and Vanna White signed new appearance contracts as hosts of the show.
Samantha Harris (Born In 1973) – 950K
Samantha Harris has been using her multiple talents to gain fame, as well as a decent fortune. She is a model, TV personality, and actress who cut her teeth in the industry as an entertainment reporter with the likes of “E! Entertainment Television” and “The Insider.”
But she is probably best known for being the host of the dancing competition “Dancing with the Stars.” She has been doing it since 2006, when she took over from Lisa Canning. She has also hosted “The Next Joe Millionaire” and co-hosted “The View.” In 2021 she appeared in a show called “Broadway Profiles with Tamsen Fadal” as well as “Daily Blast Live.”
Lili Estefan (Born In 1967) – $63K
Just to get this out of the way, yes, Lili Estefan is related to singer Gloria Estefan as her niece. She has, however, carved herself a unique career, focusing on modeling and TV presenting to build her profile. On TV, she is best known for her work on the entertainment show “El Gordo y la Flaca.”
She has also done her version of “Red Table Talk,” a platform made famous by Jada Pinkett Smith and her daughter Willow. Lili, together with her aunt Gloria and cousin Emily host a show called Red Table Talk: The Estefans in 2020, and in 2021 she appeared in “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
Raúl De Molina (Born In 1959) – $15 Million
Raúl De Molina is a TV host best known for his work on the entertainment show “El Gordo y la Flaca.” This show has led to him winning multiple Emmy Awards and has also given him the popularity to host other events like the “Latin Grammy Awards.”
He also hosted the coverage for the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa. He started his career as a photojournalist, and later on in his career also judged the 2012 “Miss America Pageant.” In 2020, he was featured in the documentary “Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado.”
Craig Ferguson (Born In 1962) – $9 Million
Craig Ferguson has become a prominent figure in the American TV industry thanks to his talk show “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” He served as the host for over a decade and also hosted “Celebrity Name Game,” for which he won two Daytime Emmy Awards.
He also won a Peabody Award for interviewing South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu. But this isn’t the only contribution to his $9 million annual salary. He is also noted for the many memoirs and books like “Between the Bridge and the River.” In 2021 he made regular appearances in a show called “The Hustler.”
Rachael Ray (Born In 1968) – $25 Million
Rachael Ray is renowned for her cooking shows and cookbooks. She has hosted several shows, including “30 Minutes Meals” and “Rachael Ray’s Kids Cook-Off.” She has also made a name for herself as a talk show host with her popular eponymous show. But she doesn’t bring in $25 million a year on TV shows alone.
She has also released several cookbooks, including 2019s “Rachael Ray 50: Memories and Meals from a Sweet and Savory Life: A Cookbook.” She also has a magazine called “Every Day with Rachael Ray” and has had several endorsements with Dunkin’ Donuts and WestPoint Home. In 2021 she appeared in “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
Chelsea Handler (Born In 1975) – $10 Million
Chelsea Handler had a mercurial rise to fame, primarily thanks to her E! Network late-night show “Chelsea Lately.” The show ran from 2007 to 2015 and showcased her supreme hosting skills blending her quirky comedic skills into the show as well. It was thanks to her stand-up comedy skills that she landed the show.
This got her opportunities on shows like “The Bernie Mac Show” and “My Wife and Kids.” Since leaving “Chelsea Lately,” she has done work on Netflix, with productions like the docu-comedy series “Chelsea Does.” She also hosted a streaming talk show called “Chelsea” and in 2021 made an appearance in “The Daily Show.”
Vanessa Lachey (Born In 1980) $1 Million
The Lachey name rose to fame when Nick Lachey was married to Jessica Simpson and starred in “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” a show where someone once made a chicken tuna fish sandwich. But Vanessa Lachey, Nick’s second wife, isn’t riding that wave of fame.
She had already made her name as Vanessa Minnillo in 1998 when she won the “Miss Teen USA” pageant. She later gained fame as a correspondent for “Entertainment Tonight” and also hosted MTV’s “Total Request Live.” While her net worth sits at $1 million, this could change with her lead role in the 2021 series “NCIS: Hawaiʻi,” a spinoff of “NCIS.”
Elisabeth Hasselbeck (Born In 1977) – $3 Million
Elisabeth Hasselbeck gained fame when she appeared in the second season of Survivor. She used the platform well and has since landed several hosting roles on popular shows. She notably had a hosting stint on “The View” and even won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding performance.
At the height of her presenting fame, she earned an estimated $3 million per year. She worked at Fox News on the show “Fox & Friends” before retiring in 2015 to spend more time with her husband, Tim Hasselbeck, and their three children.
Stephen Colbert (Born In 1964) – $15 Million
Carson, Leno, and Letterman may be legends of late-night shows, but Stephen Colbert is the one guy who has hosted not one but two award-winning shows. These include the Comedy Central show “The Colbert Report” and after that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” where he replaced Letterman for the top spot.
Thanks to shows like this, he has won nine Primetime Emmy Awards and two Grammys. He also won a Peabody award and also released a New York Times bestseller with his 2007 book, called “I Am America (And So Can You!).” In 2021 he appeared in “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
Abby Huntsman (Born In 1986) – $78K
Abby Huntsman was building one hell of a reputation as a journalist and TV personality. She had gained fame and a bit of notoriety for working on “MSNBC and NBS News” before moving on to the ABC talk show “The View.” But being born into a political family, she eventually moved into the family business.
She did this in 2021 when she joined her father, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr, on the campaign trail as his senior advisor. But after he failed in his gubernatorial election campaign, she returned to TV, and in 2021 returned to “The View” for an episode titled “Flashback Friday.”
Neil Patrick Harris (Born In 1973) – $400K
The fantastic thing about Neil Patrick Harris is that he has managed to remain relevant long after he made his initial star turn. This, of course, came when he starred as the lead character in the series “Doogie Howser, M.D.” as a 16-year-old. He did fade into obscurity for a while, though.
Then he found fame again playing Barney Stinson in the widely acclaimed sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.” This role made him a star again, and since then, he has had recurring roles in films and series such as “The Smurfs” and as Count Olaf in “A Series of Unfortunate Events.” In 2021 he starred in “The Matrix Resurrections.”
Samantha Bee (Born in 1969) – $12 Million
Samantha Bee made her name working as a correspondent for “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” But the writer, comedienne, and political commentator also carved her own career. This came in the form of a show called “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” which allowed her career to skyrocket.
In fact, she became so influential that she even made Time magazine’s 100 most influential people worldwide in 2017. In 2018 she started a production company called Swimsuit Competition, a company focusing on creating documentary content for the company. In 2021 she appeared on the morning show “Today.”
Ricki Lake (Born In 1968) – $2.7 Million
Ricki Lake is no stranger to the spotlight and has successfully made the transition into a talk show host. As an actress, she made waves when she appeared in the movie Hairspray. But she gained major success as a talk show host.
Her first talks show was simply named “Ricki Lake,” and she was the youngest person to host a syndicated talk show at the age of 24. The show ran from 1993 to 2004, and in 2012, she returned with “The Ricki Lake Show.” Despite being canceled after one season, she still won an Emmy for it. In 2021 she appeared in a film called “Moon Manor.”
Meghan McCain (Born In 1984) – $3 Million
Meghan McCain gained her initial foothold in the media industry with a blog detailing her travels with her father, John McCain. This was during his presidential campaign, but it became so popular that she started getting noticed by more mainstream sites like “The Daily Beast,” who asked her to write for them.
She moved from writing to television and made waves on talk shows like “Outnumbered” and especially “The View.” She has also released several books, such as her 2010 memoir “Dirty, S*xy Politics.” She is renowned for not being afraid to challenge her party, and in 2021 started writing a column for the British tabloid, “Daily Mail.”
Vanna White (Born In 1957) – $10 Million
Vanna White must be one of the most famous hostesses on American TV. She is best known for her work alongside Pat Sajak on the long-running game show “Wheel of Fortune.” She has been on the show since 1982 and continues to work on the show, and in 2021 both she and Sajak have signed new contracts to host the show.
She is not just famous for co-hosting the “Wheel of Fortune”; she also has a Guinness World Record for clapping. She clapped over 3,480,864 times over a three-decade period on the show. Besides her work on TV, she also dabbles in Real Estate and loves flipping houses.
Kelly Ripa (Born In 1970) – $20 Million
Initially, Kelly Ripa made her name as a star of the soap opera “All My Children.” This was in the ’90s when she played Haley Vaughan and also met her husband, Mark Consuelos. She also had a notable role in “Marvin’s Room” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep but eventually moved into presenting.
She auditioned and landed the job as co-host of the morning show “Live!” She beat out competition from the likes of Dolly Parton and didn’t disappoint when she got the job, raising its popularity in the younger market. In 2021 she is hosting the show with Ryan Seacrest, and it goes by the title “Live! With Kelly and Ryan.”
Vivianne Collins (Born In 1973) – Not Found
Vivianne Collins has been quietly building a career in the acting industry. The actress and TV personality has been gaining a reputation with roles in films like “Filth City” and “You’re On.” She also had a major role hosting the cult classic show titled “Nickelodeon Robot Wars.”
While she hasn’t landed a major defining role, the veteran actress does have an estimated net worth of $1.6 million. Her annual salary is unclear; what we do know is that she is on social media and posts regularly, although she has under a thousand followers on Instagram.
Kim Manning (Born In 1960) – $1.1 Million
Kim Manning is a Spanish-born American actress and dancer who gained initial fame in her native country. This is for hosting a show called “Un, dos, tres… responda otra vez.” This prompted her to move to America, where she landed minor roles in Disney shows “like The Cheetah Girls 2.”
She continued to land minor roles in films, but she eventually became less prominent and walked away from the industry. She has since moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and works as an acting teacher for children at the Childsplay Theatre Company.
Emily Calandrelli (Born In 1987) – $500K
When it comes to media about space exploration and aeronautics, it’s not a guy you’ll see running the show but a woman. That woman is Emily Calandrelli, and she is a former MIT engineer and currently a Science Communicator, i.e., someone who specializes in bringing across scientific facts in layman’s terms.
She hosts shows like “Xploration Outer Space” and the 2020 series “Emily’s Wonder Lab.” The latter show revolved around doing various fun experiments in a space environment, and although it didn’t get a second season, it was still popular with an 8.7 rating on IMDb. It also contributed tremendously to her $500k annual earnings.
Rosie Mercado (Born IN 1980) – $650K
Rosie Mercado has many talents, from model to actress, lifestyle coach, and even designer. You can even throw in makeup artist to the star and radio personality. But for her, it started in photography, which is how she broke into the style industry.
She gained prominence as a plus-size personality and also worked in radio, where she cut her teeth as a morning host. She also appeared on the reality show “Curvy Girls” and the National Geographic show called “Taboo.” She has since taken up lifestyle coaching roles on shows like “The Doctors” and “Dr. Phil.” All these income channels contribute to her $650k annual salary.
Caprice Bourret (Born In 1971) – $400K
Having appeared on 250+ magazine covers throughout her career, Caprice Bourret has built up a pedigree and reputation as a top model. She has turned this into a short but notable acting career with roles in films like “Jinxed In Love” and “The Surreal Life.”
But it’s as a businesswoman that she is excelling. She owns a company called By Caprice, which she runs from her base in London. She has also starred in theatre productions and even dabbled in music. She pulls in a decent $400k from all of these endeavors and is bound to grow as her business and other endeavors take off.
Carl Bernstein (Born In 1944) – $400K
When you talk about iconic investigative journalists, then the conversation is complete without mentioning Carl Bernstein. He teamed with Bob Woodward on the investigations that led to the unearthing of the “Watergate scandal” in 1972. This was dubbed the single greatest reporting effort of all time by Journalism professor Gene Roberts.
Pulling in roughly $400k annually, Bernstein has continued to work on the field, mainly focusing on the abuse of power. He has also released several books such as “All the President’s Men,” “The Final Days,” and the biography called “A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton.” In 2021 he also made regular appearances on CNN.
Jane Mayer (Born In 1955) – $157K
Jane Mayer is a name synonymous with New York City and one of its most prominent weekly magazines, the New Yorker. There she has worked as an investigative journalist who has covered everything from money in politics to the U.S. government’s drone project and Donald Trump’s ghostwriter Tony Schwartz.
While her annual salary is set at a modest $157k, her net worth is estimated between $4 million and $10 million. A massive contributor to this amount is the books she has published over the years. These include 2016’s “Dark Money.” In 2020 she was rewarded for her work with a Mirror Award for Best Single Article/Story.
David Remnick (Born In 1958) – $77K
David Remnick has been making waves since the mid-90s. In 1994 he won a Pulitzer Prize for the book he wrote called “Lenin’s Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire.” His reputation has seen him become the editor of the New Yorker, for which he has won the Editor of the Year award in 2000.
Despite his standing, he earns less than Jane Mayer, with $77,365 per year. His net worth is estimated at over $2 million, and this is thanks to several books he has published, including “The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama.” In 2020 he released an essay called “Redeeming America.”
Andy Borowitz (Born In 1958) – $400K
Andy Borowitz is a pretty big deal in the media industry. He is a New York Times Bestselling author for multiple publications and was also was the first person to win the National Press Club for humor. But as a comedian and satirist, he also made his name in the TV industry.
He is also well known for being the creator of the ever-popular show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” which also brought Will Smith back into the big time. He has also created “The Borowitz Report.” In 2019, he appeared in a documentary called “Retro Report on PBS.”
Ken Burns (Born In 1953) – $125K
Ken Burns is a prolific documentary maker renowned for pioneering the use of images and archival footage to tell his stories. He has been making documentaries since the ’90s, and some of his most prominent ones include “The Civil War,” “Baseball,” and “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”
He has won several Emmy awards for his work and has also been nominated for two Oscars. These came for his 1981 production “Brooklyn Bridge” and 1995’s “The Statue of Liberty.” While his annual earnings are modest at $125k, he has a healthy net worth of $1.5 million. In 2021 he worked on a project called “Muhammad Ali.”
Tina Brown (Born In 1953) – $125K
Tina Brown is an iconic British media personality, also known as Lady Evans. She has been one of the most dominant presences in the British media industry and is noted as a journalist and magazine editor. She is also renowned for authoring the biography of Diana Princess of Wales titled “The Diana Chronicles.”
She also crossed the Atlantic and moved to America to become the editor of Vanity Fair. She even became an American citizen. She has an impressive net worth of $17 million, while her annual salary is $125k. In 2021 she appeared in a documentary called “The Windsors: A Royal Dynasty.”
Ronan Farrow (Born In 1987) – $3 Million
When your mother is Mia Farrow, and your father is the highly-rated Woody Allen, then you’d be expected to be tearing it up in the film industry. But that wasn’t for Ronan Farrow. Instead, he pursued a career in journalism, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t become a star like his parents.
It was his investigative work that led to the exposure of Harvey Weinstein and his indecent assault allegations. These allegations ultimately led to the arrest and conviction of Weinstein. For his work, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. In 2021 he published an investigative article about Britney Spears’ conservatorship.
Jim Carrey (Born In 1962) – $10 Million
Where does one start with Jim Carrey? The “Saturday Night Live” alum has been lighting up our screens since the early ’90s and was one of the biggest names in Hollywood during this period. His prominent roles include “The Mask,” “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” and its sequel, as well as “Dumb and Dumber.”
He also moved into more serious roles in films like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Man on the Moon.” While it’s difficult to pin an exact annual salary on Carrey since his work fluctuates, it has been reported at $10 million. In 2020 he returned to “SNL” spoofing President of the United States of America Joe Biden.
