Staggering Net Worths of Your Favorite American Talk Show Hosts
Popular talk show hosts in America like James Corden, Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Kimmel make a great living with their fun celebrity interviews and comedic stylings. Some of the best ones have had years of experience in front of the camera, and their talent has turned them into household names in the U.S. and beyond.
The overall net worth of some of these TV personalities will definitely blow your mind. Think you can guess who is worth the most? The answer might surprise you! Take a look!
38. Maria Menounos, $9 million
In 2002, Maria Menounos kicked off her career with Entertainment Weekly and jumped to Access Hollywood in 2006. A few years later, she co-hosted Extra with Mario Lopez from 2011 to 2014. Her work earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Entertainment News Program.
Menounos is known for her work as an on air-correspondent on The Today Show too. It sounds like she has a busy schedule, right? But wait, there’s more! Menounos has also appeared on TV shows, including One Tree Hill, Scrubs and The Real World. Currently, she hosts her own podcast called Conversations with Maria Menounos.
37. John Oliver, $10 Million
With a current net worth of $10 million, John Oliver started off as a stand-up comedian, but he gained more notoriety as a senior correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. During that time, he also co-hosted a podcast called The Bugle as well as John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show on Comedy Central.
In addition to his hosting work, Oliver has acted in several TV shows and films, including the remake of The Lion King. He currently hosts the popular HBO series Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which highlights U.S. culture and politics with a comedic twist.
36. Seth Meyers, $10 Million
Seth Meyers is also a comedian who previously worked as a cast member and head writer for Saturday Night Live. During his time there, he did impersonations of figures like Anderson Cooper and Prince Charles and hosted a news parody segment called Weekend Update.
That experience opened the door for a new opportunity for Meyers after Jimmy Fallon left Late Night to become the host of The Tonight Show. Meyers currently serves as the host of Late Night with Seth Meyers, which airs on NBC. These ventures have earned the host an impressive net worth of $10 million.
35. Joy Behar, $12 Million
Known as one of the co-hosts of daytime talk show The View, Joy Behar first worked as a stand-up comedian and producer on ABC’s Good Morning America. At various points, she also had her own shows: The Joy Behar Show, Joy Behar: Say Anything! and Late Night Joy.
Behar has worked on The View since 1997 and has a net worth of $12 million. She took a break from the show from 2013 to 2015, although she occasionally appeared as a guest co-host during that time. She has also performed in several plays and films over the years, adding to her income.
34. James Corden, $12 Million
James Corden first made waves across the pond with stage television work in the U.K., including on the British TV series Fat Friends. He eventually began to guest host different shows and specials, including the Brit Awards.
Now worth $12 million, Corden has made a great impact with his CBS show, The Late Late Show with James Corden, particularly with his celebrity interviews and the popular segment known as Carpool Karaoke. He has also shown off his acting chops in films like Into the Woods, Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot, Trolls and the live film adaptation of Cats.
33. Giuliana Rancic, $13 million
If you’re a longtime E! News fan, you know reporter and host Giuliana Rancic. She joined E! News in 2002, sharing all the important news of the entertainment world. She has also worked with several hosts, including Ryan Seacrest, Jason Kennedy and Terrence J.
Rancic has been an entertainment reporter for a long time, but she continues to find different gigs. In 2007, she teamed up with her husband, Bill Rancic, to star in the reality-television show Giuliana and Bill. Her other ventures include a clothing line (G by Giuliana) and charity (Fab-U-Wish).
32. Lilly Singh – $16 Million
Lilly Singh first entered the spotlight via her own social media under the pseudonym IISuperwomanII. As a comedian, writer and actress, Singh was one of the earliest YouTubers to run a successful page in 2010.
In September 2019, Singh made American major broadcast network history by landing her own late-night talk show A Little Late with Lilly Singh. Serving as both executive producer and host, Singh is the first openly LGBTQ+ person as well as the first person of Indian descent to host their own show. Talk about a superwoman!
31. Rachel Maddow, $20 Million
Before moving to television, Rachel Maddow started on the radio, working her way up the ranks at various stations. She finished her radio career hosting her own two-hour radio program called The Rachel Maddow Show from 2005 to 2010.
Maddow also began working as a panelist on MSNBC’s Tucker and started her own primetime news show called The Rachel Maddow Show in 2008. The show focuses on top national and international news stories, including U.S. politics and culture. The host’s work has earned her several awards over the years as well as a personal net worth of $20 million.
30. Gayle King, $30 million
In 2019, anchor Gayle King was applauded for remaining composed during an intense interview with R. Kelly. Many fans can’t stop talking about that event, but King has a long history of amazing work. She’s also one of Oprah Winfrey’s best friends.
King and Winfrey even worked together. On The Oprah Winfrey Show, King served as a special correspondent. She went on to work on her own talk show in 1997, The Gayle King Show. The show was canceled, but King brought it back in 2011 on OWN. In the end, she jumped over to CBS This Morning.
29. Robin Roberts, $35 Million
Throughout her career, Robin Roberts has served as a sports anchor for various TV and radio stations before landing a position at ESPN from 1990 to 2005. During her tenure at that network, she also did some work as a featured reporter for Good Morning America on ABC.
Roberts was promoted to co-anchor of GMA in 2005, taking on top news stories like Hurricane Katrina and the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Over the years, she has also interviewed many top celebrities, including controversial figures Chris Brown and Nate Parker. Her net worth currently stands at $35 million.
28. Jimmy Kimmel, $35 Million
Jimmy Kimmel is best known as the host and executive producer for his popular late-night talk show on ABC, Jimmy Kimmel Live! However, he got his start in radio working for various local stations. He later began a television career on Comedy Central on Win Ben Stein’s Money and The Man Show.
In addition to his talk show, Kimmel has hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards as well as the Academy Awards. He has also done voice acting for several animated films and series, including Garfield: The Movie and Family Guy. All of this has contributed to his net worth of $35 million.
27. Meredith Vieira, $40 million
Meredith Vieira is one of TV’s most favorite journalists and hosts. After working as a CBS reporter, she went on to co-host ABC’s The View between 1997 and 2006. Simultaneously, she became the first host of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Vieira’s game show gig ended in 2013, but she was already co-hosting another show called Today. The busy host also made history when she became the first woman to solo anchor NBC’s Olympics prime-time coverage on February 14, 2014.
26. Carson Daly, $40 Million
Carson Daly earned recognition for his stint as a host on MTV’s video countdown show Total Request Live. After his time there, he joined NBC, where he began hosting his own talk show called Last Call with Carson Daly.
With a net worth of $40 million, Daly has built a strong career at the network, hosting special events like the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show as well as New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly (now NBC’s New Year’s Eve) to ring in the new year. He also hosts The Voice and currently works as a co-host on Today on NBC.
25. Chelsea Handler, $40 Million
Chelsea Handler began appearing on television shows in the 2000s, usually providing comedic relief. She served as a correspondent on The Tonight Show before hosting her own late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately on E! from 2007 to 2014.
During her career, Handler has had her own sitcom and documentary series, and she has written six books that made The New York Times Best Seller List. She also hosted another talk show simply called Chelsea on Netflix between 2016 and 2017. Although she is currently on hiatus as a talk show host, Handler has already established a whopping net worth of $40 million.
24. Whoopi Goldberg, $45 Million
Whoopi Goldberg began her career on screen and on the stage in the 1980s. Her role in the critically successful film The Color Purple gained her attention for her talent worldwide. Throughout her career, she has starred in several films and TV shows as well as hosted multiple specials.
Of course, Goldberg is also known for her current stint as a moderator and co-host on the popular daytime talk show The View. She began her time there in 2007. Thanks to all of her work over the years in the entertainment industry, she is currently worth $45 million.
23. Jimmy Fallon, $45 Million
With a net worth of $45 million, Jimmy Fallon was first known for his work on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, where he showed off his hilariously comedic stylings for six years. He began starring in different films in the 2000s, which helped expand his popularity as a comedic actor.
Fallon made his way back to NBC to become the host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. After his time there, he became the host of The Tonight Show in 2014. Adding to his gross income are the profits from his comedy albums and five books.
22. Andy Cohen, $50 Million
Andy Cohen started his career in television at CBS News, starting as an intern and working his way up to producing on several shows at the network. He later became vice president of original programming at Bravo in 2004, a role he remained in until 2013.
Cohen hosts the popular late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen and serves as an executive producer of the Real Housewives franchise on the network. He also hosts Andy Cohen Live on SiriusXM. With all of his television work over the years, the host is currently worth $50 million.
21. Stephen Colbert, $60 Million
Thanks to his long-standing stint in television, Stephen Colbert is currently worth around $60 million. After his work in comedy and acting in the 1980s and 1990s, Colbert began work as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, which garnered wide recognition for the host.
After his time there, Colbert took the reins on his own show on Comedy Central, hosting The Colbert Report between 2005 and 2014. After many years on the network, he left to take over David Letterman’s former late-night show under the new name The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS.
20. Trevor Noah, $60 Million
Trevor Noah began his career as a comedian and actor in his native country of South Africa in 2002. He had various hosting roles with the South African Broadcasting Corporation and even created and hosted his first late-night talk show, Tonight with Trevor Noah, in the country.
After gaining international attention as a stand-up comic, Noah began working as a senior international correspondent for The Daily Show on Comedy Central when Jon Stewart hosted. Now worth $60 million, Noah currently hosts The Daily Show himself. He also wrote an autobiographical comedy book called Born a Crime in 2016.
19. Wendy Williams, $60 Million
Wendy Williams got her start in entertainment as a radio DJ and host who reported on and interviewed celebrities in New York. She started her nationally syndicated talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, in 2008, leaving radio behind for good in 2009. Her biting commentary on celebrities and pop culture resonates with viewers, which is why she’s currently worth $60 million.
In addition to her show, Williams has earned money from seven books, a fashion line, a jewelry line and a wig line. She has also made various appearances on television shows and runs her own production company, Wendy Williams Productions.
18. Michael Strahan, $65 Million
Currently worth $65 million, Michael Strahan first spent time in the limelight as a football defensive end for the New York Giants for 15 years. After his retirement from the NFL in 2007, he began working in television, serving as a football analyst for Fox NFL Sunday. He eventually became the co-host of Live! with Kelly and Michael at ABC before leaving in 2016.
Strahan began working full-time at Good Morning America and eventually began co-hosting a spin-off of the show, GMA Day, with Sara Haines. The program has since been retitled Strahan, Sara and Keke after Keke Palmer came on board as another co-host.
17. Jon Stewart, $80 Million
Jon Stewart began working as a stand-up comedian in the late 1980s and went on to have several hosting gigs for Comedy Central and MTV. He served as host, writer and co-executive producer of The Daily Show on Comedy Central from 1999 to 2015.
During his time on the show, he won 22 Primetime Emmy Awards as was nominated for various other news awards. Now worth $80 million, Stewart occasionally appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and is reportedly working on a stand-up comedy special for HBO.
16. Bill O’Reilly, $85 Million
Political commentator and controversial figure Bill O’Reilly has been reporting for local television stations since the late 1970s. After serving as anchor on Inside Edition, O’Reilly joined Fox News and hosted his own news show, The O’Reilly Factor, from 1996 to 2017. He also wrote several books and hosted his own talk radio show during that time.
In 2017, The O’Reilly Factor was dropped by Fox News after reports surfaced of alleged financial settlements he paid to put a stop to sexual harassment claims from six women. However, he has continued to work in podcasting and is currently worth $85 million.
15. Conan O’Brien, $85 Million
Conan O’Brien, who boasts a net worth of $85 million, began writing for various comedy shows before becoming a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. He was later hired by CBS to host Late Night in 1993, taking over for David Letterman for a time.
O’Brien left Late Night in 2009 and hosted The Tonight Show for a brief time that same year. He quickly found a permanent home at TBS, hosting his late-night talk show, Conan, during the week. He is the longest-running host of all the current late-night talk show hosts in America, with 25 years under his belt.
14. Anderson Cooper, $100 Million
Anderson Cooper is a top journalist and television personality who has about $100 million in the bank. Over the years, he has covered stories, both nationally and internationally, for Channel One, ABC News and CNN. Some of his most notable coverage included the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the election of President Barack Obama.
Cooper currently works as the head anchor at CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360°. He wrote a best-selling memoir, Dispatches from the Edge, in 2006 and also had a syndicated talk show, Anderson Live, between September 2011 to May 2013.
13. Bill Maher, $100 Million
Bill Maher was a stand-up comedian and actor for years before landing his network talk show Politically Incorrect on ABC in 1993. The talk show brought in public figures from different backgrounds to discuss current events in politics.
After eight seasons and a controversial cancellation, Maher landed Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO in 2003. Maher has found a niche in late night by blending political talk with punchlines and is frequently in the news for bringing in big name politicians and entertainers.
12. Kelly Ripa, $120 million
Before Kelly Ripa became a talk show host, she was a soap opera star. From 1990 to 2002, she played Hayley Vaughan on ABC’s All My Children. Her career as a host began with the morning talk show LIVE with Regis and Kelly in 2001.
Ripa’s co-host, Regis Philbin, retired in 2011, handing her the entire show. However, in 2017, Ryan Seacrest joined her on the program. As a well-respected talk show host, Ripa has earned many Daytime Emmy nominations throughout her career.
11. Steve Harvey, $120 Million
Steve Harvey is the man of many jobs in Hollywood. After starting out in comedy, he served as the host of Showtime at the Apollo and appeared in several movies and sitcoms. He currently hosts The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Family Feud and the Miss Universe pageant and is the former host of Little Big Shots.
After his daytime talk show, Steve, was canceled in 2019 by NBC after two seasons, he began hosting Steve on Watch via Facebook. Thanks to his various shows, books and production company, Harvey has a net worth of $120 million.
10. Larry King, $150 Million
With humble beginnings as a local journalist and radio interviewer in Florida in the 1950s, Larry King propelled himself to the top as host of the radio program The Larry King Show. Between 1985 and 2010, he hosted Larry King Live on CNN, which featured interviews with top celebrities, politicians and entrepreneurs.
King’s work has earned him several radio and broadcasting honors, including induction into both the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame. He currently hosts Larry King Now and Politicking with Larry King on both Hulu and RT America. The popular host is worth around $150 million.
9. Sharon Osbourne, $220 Million
Sharon Osbourne may be the wife of legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne, but she has certainly made a name for herself well beyond the band. After starring with her family on the popular reality TV show The Osbournes, she went on to be a judge on shows like The X Factor and America’s Got Talent.
Osbourne also briefly hosted her own talk show, The Sharon Osbourne Show, in the U.K. Now worth $220 million, she is currently a co-host on the daytime talk show The Talk, and she also serves as an occasional panelist on British TV talk show Loose Women.
8. Ryan Seacrest, $380 Million
Ryan Seacrest is certainly a household name in the television world. He first achieved worldwide fame for hosting the singing competition American Idol on FOX. He also served as a host and producer for E! News for several years. He still produces various programs and shows for the network, including Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
In addition to other hosting gigs and production work, Seacrest is now the co-host of Live with Kelly and Ryan alongside Kelly Ripa and the revived version of American Idol on ABC. With his many jobs, he has a reported net worth of $380 million.
7. Jay Leno, $400 Million
Now worth $400 million, Jay Leno first came on the scene in the 1970s with small appearances in several television shows and films. He also performed comedy routines on The Tonight Show, serving as a regular substitute host for Johnny Carson in the ’80s.
In 1992, Leno became the host of The Tonight Show, a gig he kept for almost two decades before leaving in 2009. He eventually came back to the show in 2010 but then left again in 2014. Since then, he has been touring as a comedian and making guest appearances on various late-night shows. He is also a recurring cast member on Last Man Standing.
6. David Letterman, $400 Million
After getting his start in radio and comedy in the 1970s, David Letterman worked as a writer and cast member on several television shows. He was even a regular guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Letterman eventually got his own late-night talk show, Late Night with David Letterman, in 1982, which was on the air a combined 33 years at NBC and then CBS.
Letterman moved to CBS with the Late Show with David Letterman in 1993 and stayed on that network until 2015. Currently worth $400 million, he is the current host of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman on Netflix.
5. Dr. Phil McGraw, $400 Million
Dr. Phil McGraw, worth $400 million, rose to fame when he began making guest appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Winfrey saw his potential and helped him launch his own daytime talk show, Dr. Phil, which has been on the air since 2002.
McGraw has a doctorate in clinical psychology (although he is currently not licensed to practice), and he uses his knowledge to help guests on the show. In addition, he has written several books, has his own charity foundation and has a spinoff of his show called The Doctors.
4. Judge Judy Sheindlin, $420 Million
Currently worth $420 million, Judge Judy Sheindlin is a certified lawyer and judge who has made quite a name for herself on television. Of course, Sheindlin is best known for her no-nonsense attitude on her popular court show series, Judge Judy, which has been on television since 1996.
She has written seven books and has appeared on multiple television shows, either in person or via an appearance of an episode of her show. A good chunk of her net worth came from selling her library rights to Judge Judy to CBS for $95 million.
3. Ellen DeGeneres, $450 Million
After working as a comedian and starring in a series of television shows and movies, Ellen DeGeneres made a career of making people laugh, cry and dance on her hit talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She also hosts Ellen’s Game of Games, based on the games she plays on her talk show.
Over the years, DeGeneres has continued to star in occasional films, including as the popular Disney character Dory in Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. She has also hosted several award shows, including the Academy Awards. The TV host is worth about $450 million.
2. Howard Stern, $650 Million
The self proclaimed “King of All Media” is by far the most successful radio and streaming talk show host of all time. After years of hosting his successful brand of “shock jock” content on the radio, Stern went to Sirius Satellite Radio in 2004 with a major contract upgrade.
His brand of lewd pranks and controversial takes on current events has survived TV shows, radio shows and streaming services thanks to his cult following of die-hard. Plus, his extended interviews with public figures are widely regarded as the most in-depth and personal chats out there. Baba Booey!
1. Oprah Winfrey, $3.2 Billion
With a net worth of $3.2 billion, Oprah Winfrey easily tops this list. Starting out as a local news anchor in Nashville, Baltimore and eventually Chicago, Winfrey rose to fame with her hit daytime show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, in 1986. In 2008, she formed her own network called Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
Although Oprah’s personal talk show ended in 2011, she still hosts various programming for OWN as well as other networks. She has also starred in several movies and shows. She built a great deal of her fortune through entrepreneurial endeavors, such as publishing her own magazine and establishing multiple partnerships with Apple TV and WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers).
