Richest News Anchors and Media Personalities, Ranked
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News anchors and media personalities are not just talking heads — they are some of the most influential and richest figures in entertainment and journalism.
These media personalities often go from reporting the news to making headlines themselves, highlighting how media has changed since the days of Walter Cronkite.
15. Joe Scarborough
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Date of birth: April 9, 1963
Net worth: $25 million
Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough is best known today for co-hosting "Morning Joe" on MSNBC, alongside wife Mika Brzezinski.
He earned a BA in History from the University of Alabama in 1985. Afterward, he attended the University of Florida College of Law and obtained his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 1990. His law education and political career have contributed to his expertise in political commentary and analysis.
He's written four books on politics thus far and has even released his own music (non-political and surprisingly alternative!)
13. Tucker Carlson (Tie)
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Date of birth: May 16, 1969
Net worth: $30 million
While having a vast fortune today, Tucker Carlson comes from a prominent family. His father, Richard Warner Carlson, was the U.S. ambassador to the Seychelles and president of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Carlson grew up in La Jolla, California, but went to a private boarding school in France, where he was kicked out. He then attended a boarding school in Rhode Island before going to Hartford's Trinity College where he majored in history.
He did not graduate but starting working as a print journalist for publications such as "The Weekly Standard" and "The New York Times Magazine." He also worked as a co-host on CNN's "Crossfire" and as a commentator on MSNBC before joining Fox News, where he became the host of "Tucker Carlson Tonight." He was fired from Fox in April 2023 following Fox's $787.5 million settlement of a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems over the results of the 2020 presidential election and now solely hosts interviews on X (formerly known as Twitter).
There have been rumors that Carlson is an heir to the Swanson food fortune. While Carlson's father married Patricia Swanson of the Swanson family, the brand was sold to Campbell's in 1955.
13. Bret Baier (Tie)
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Date of birth: August 4, 1970
Net worth: $30 million
Bret Baier earned his B.A. in Political Science and English from Indiana's DePauw University.
He has been the chief political anchor and host of "Special Report" on Fox News since 2009, when he took over for Brit Hume. He's renewed his contract to stay with Fox beyond the 2024 election season.
Baier co-moderated the first Republican primary debate in September 2023.
12. Rachel Maddow
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Date of birth: April 1, 1973
Net worth: $35 million
Rachel Maddow is a ratings juggernaut for MSNBC even though she's scaled back her time on the cable news station from weeknights to once a week. She now hosts the "The Rachel Maddow Show" on Monday nights. In 2021, she signed a contract with NBCUniversal and MSNBC that allowed her to develop other projects.
Once such project is a film based on her podcast, "Bag Man," which will be directed by Ben Stiller.
Maddow has a public policy B.A. from Stanford and attended Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. She received a D.Phil. from Oxford in in political science in 2001.
10. George Stephanopoulos (Tie)
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Date of birth: February 10, 1961
Net worth: $40 million
George Stephanopoulos first came into the public eye as the communications director for Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and later served as a senior advisor in the Clinton administration.
He has since transitioned to journalism and is one of the most successful news anchors out there. He became a prominent anchor on "This Week" in 2002 and moved to co-host of ABC News' "Good Morning America" in 2005. He returned to "This Week" in 2011 and retains both jobs today.
10. Laura Ingraham (Tie)
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Date of birth: June 19, 1963
Net worth: $40 million
As a Fox News host Laura Ingraham has had a significant influence on conservative media. She's hosted the popular program "The Ingraham Angle" since 2017, where she offers commentary on a variety of political and cultural issues.
A Dartmouth alum, she graduated in 1985 with a B.A. in English. She became a speechwriter in the Reagan administration, then went on to attend the University of Virginia School of Law, where she earned her J.D. in 1991. Afterward, she was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
9. Megyn Kelly
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Date of birth: November 18, 1970
Net worth: $45 million
The subject of the film "Bombshell," Megyn Kelly (played by Charlize Theron) gained prominence on Fox News, where she hosted "The Kelly File" for about 13 years.
She left after a sexual harassment lawsuit rocked the cable news giant, moving to NBC for a triple role, which would have included a daytime talk show, a once-a-week news magazine and anchor for major news events. But it was not to be — she left NBC in 2019 after receiving criticizism for on-air remarks she made about blackface.
Since then, she's launched a production company, Devil May Care Media, and now hosts a show on Sirius XM and YouTube.
6. Brian Williams (Tie)
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Date of birth: May 5, 1959
Net worth: $50 million
Brian Williams has been well known since the early 1990s as a correspondent for the "NBC Nightly News," where he was promoted to anchor and managing editor in 2004.
A year after his promotion he was suspended for six months by the network for misrepresenting events he covered during the Iraq War. Four months into his suspension, he was removed from the show entirely and demoted to breaking news anchor.
In 2016, he moved to MSNBC where he hosted "The 11th Hour" until 2021. In 2023, he announced he was returning to the cable channel to host "The 11th Hour With Brian Williams."
6. Anderson Cooper (Tie)
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Date of birth: June 3, 1967
Net worth: $50 million
Anderson Cooper is the top rated anchor on CNN and is widely recognized for his work on "Anderson Cooper 360°," known for its in-depth reporting and analysis of current events. Cooper has covered a variety major global events, including natural disasters, conflicts, and presidential elections. As an openly gay journalist, he has also played a significant role in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.
Cooper also hosts "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper" for the channel and "CNN's New Year's Eve Live" with Andy Cohen.
6. Maria Bartiromo (Tie)
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Date of birth: September 11, 1967
Net worth: $50 million
Maria Bartiromo worked as a producer at CNN before moving to CNBC, where she became the first woman to host the financial news programs, "Closing Bell" and "On the Money with Maria Bartiromo," for which she earned two Emmys.
In 2013, she left CNBC for Fox, where she now hosts "Mornings With Maria Bartiromo" and "Sunday Morning Futures." While she is still employed by the channel, her views on the 2020 presidential election have resulted in lawsuits against her and the cable giant.
5. Diane Sawyer
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Date of birth: December 22, 1945
Net worth: $80 million
One of the most influential figures in media, Diane Sawyer has been in the public eye for decades. She began her career in local news and weather at WLKY-TV in Louisville, Kentucky, before moving to Washington and holding a job drafting Richard Nixon's public statements. She remained with the Nixon administration as it transferred to Gerald Ford's administration after Nixon's resignation in 1974.
In 1978, Saywer became a correspondent for CBS News and later joined ABC News. She co-anchored "Good Morning America" and became the first female correspondent on "60 Minutes." She also anchored "ABC World News," where she conducted numerous high-profile interviews with world leaders and celebrities until 2014. Today, she's an ABC News special contributor.
4. Bill O' Reilly
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Date of birth: September 10, 1949
Net worth: $85 million
Bill O' Reilly hosted the highly rated "O'Reilly Factor" for over two decades at Fox. Known for his conservative viewpoints and outspoken style, he would often engage heated debates on various political and social issues.
However, his career at Fox came to an end in 2017 amid allegations of sexual harassment. That year, he launched the podcast "No Spin News" and co-headlined a public speaking tour with Dennis Miller, "The Spin Stops Here." In 2020, "No Spin News" started airing on Newsmax.
Today, he also hosts "Common Sense with Bill O’Reilly" on WABC radio.
3. Bill Maher
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Date of birth: January 20, 1956
Net worth: $140 million
Bill Maher is a comedian is best known for hosting "Politically Incorrect" and HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," a talk show that combines humor and political commentary. On both shows, Maher engages in lively discussions on current events, politics, and social issues with guests. His irreverence and outspokenness have stirred controversy from both sides of the aisle over the years.
Maher still does stand up at venues around the country and has also started "Club Random," a YouTube show where he interviews celebrities one-on-one.
2. Joe Rogan
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Date of birth: August 11, 1967
Net worth: $200 million
Joe Rogan also got his start in stand-up, which led to roles on TV and in film. However, he became a cultural icon through "The Joe Rogan Experience," his popular and influential podcast, which features long-form conversations with a wide array of guests, including celebrities, scientists, authors, and political figures. Started in 2009, it has become one of the most listened to podcasts in the world.
In 2022, Spotify got exclusive distribution rights to "The Joe Rogan Experience" for $200 million. Rogan also hosts and offers commentary on UFC bouts.
1. Sean Hannity
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Date of birth: December 30, 1961
Net worth: $300 million
Sean Hannity is top dog when it comes to net worth among news and media figures. He worked as general contractor in Santa Barbara, California, in the late 1980s while hosting his first conservative talk radio show at UCSB's KCSB-FM.
He was then hired as afternoon talk show host by WVNN in Athens, Alabama, before moving to WGST in Atlanta. In 1996, Fox News co-founder Roger Ailes hired him to co-host "Hannity & Colmes," with liberal commentator Alan Colmes. He also hosted "Hannity's America," which became "Hannity" in 2009. Today, he's the channel's biggest moneymaker.
Hannity is also still in radio — he appears on more than 80 stations across the U.S. via Clear Channel.