Network ratings plummeted more than 30% for the major cable news networks in 2021, but being a cable news network host is still a lucrative job.
Looking at the 25 most-watched cable news shows from 2021, the average net worth of the hosts is a jaw-dropping $25,386,364, while the median net worth is a still impressive $10,500,000. Admittedly, the average is offset by the net worth of the No. 1 host on the list, but it's still quite impressive.
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To find the richest cable news hosts, GOBankingRates looked at the 25 most-watched cable news shows from 2021 via AdWeek, then found the hosts' net worths from CelebrityNetWorth.com.
Of the top 25, 14 hosts are from Fox News, while seven are from MSNBC and one is from CNN.
Salary details couldn't be found for five hosts: Emily Compagno ("Outnumbered" on Fox News), Hallie Jackson ("MSNBC Live" on MSNBC), Stephanie Ruhle ("The 11th Hour" on MSNBC), John Roberts ("America Reports" on Fox News) and Ayman Mohyeldin ("MSNBC Live" on MSNBC).
Where is your favorite host on the list? Read on to see.
22. Kayleigh McEnany
Show title/network: "Outnumbered" / Fox NewsNet worth: $500,000The former press secretary under President Trump joined Fox News as a contributor in 2021 and later became a co-host of "Outnumbered."POLL: What Do You Think of Elon Musk Buying Twitter?
21. Nicolle Wallace
Show title/network: "Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace" / MSNBCNet worth: $3 millionWallace had a long career in politics, going back to serving as White House Communications Director under George W. Bush. She also has written three political novels.
18. Katy Tur
Show title/network: "MSNBC Live" / MSNBCNet worth: $4 millionThe long-time NBC reporter also is an accomplished author. Her book, "Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History," spent several weeks on the New York Times' Best Seller List.
18. Joy Reid
Show title/network: "The ReidOut with Joy Reid" / MSNBCNet worth: $4 millionReid's show replaced "Hardball," a long-time MSNBC cable show that ended when Chris Matthews retired. She has written books about the Clinton and Trump presidencies.
18. Ari Melber
Show title/network: "Beat with Ari Melber" / MSNBCNet worth: $4 millionMelber has a law degree from Cornell University and has worked in law firms and in political offices for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and with the John Kerry presidential campaign.
16. Chris Hayes
Show title/network: "All In with Chris Hayes" / MSNBCNet worth: $5 millionHayes started guest-hosting on the "Rachel Maddow Show" in 2010 and took on more and more responsibility at MSNBC. He also is an editor-at-large for "The Nation" and an author, and he has served as an adjust professor of English at St. Augustine College.
16. Jesse Watters
Show title/network: "The Five" and "Jesse Watters Primetime" / Fox NewsNet worth: $5 millionWatters got his break in TV serving as a correspondent for "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox News. His first book, "How I Saved the World," made its debut at No. 1 on The New York Times' nonfiction bestseller list in 2021.
13. Sandra Smith
Show title/network: "America Reports" / Fox NewsNet worth: $6 millionSmith started as a reporter for Fox Business in 2007 after working at Bloomberg.
13. Harris Faulkner
Show title/network: "Outnumbered" and "The Faulkner Focus" / Fox NewsNet worth: $6 millionFaulkner, who started at Fox News in 2005, also is the author of two books. She made an undisclosed amount of money when she sued toymaker Hasbro, claiming a plastic hamster in its toy line was an unauthorized use of her name and likeness. Faulkner settled the suit with Hasbro.
13. Dana Perino
Show title/network: "The Five" and "America's Newsroom" / Fox NewsNet worth: $6 millionPerino served as White House press secretary from 2007 to 2009 under George W. Bush, and she has taught at George Washington University and served as the editorial director at Crown Books.
12. Martha MacCallum
Show title/network: "The Story" / Fox NewsNet worth: $8 millionMacCallum has served as a reporter and commentator since 1991, working at The Wall Street Journal, NBC and local stations before joining Fox News in 2004.
11. Greg Gutfield
Show title/network: "The Five" and "Gutfield!" / Fox NewsNet worth: $13 millionGutfield served as a writer and editor at several publications, including Men's Health, Maxim and The Huffington Post.
9. Bill Hemmer
Show title/network: "America's Newsroom" / Fox NewsNet worth: $14 millionHemmer has had a long broadcasting career, working at CNN for 10 years before joining Fox News in 2005.
9. Jeanine Pirro
Show title/network: "The Five" / Fox NewsNet worth: $14 millionA former New York State judge, district attorney and prosecutor, Pirro has written six books and has hosted a show on Fox News since 2011.
8. Lawrence O'Donnell
Show title/network: "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" / MSNBCNet worth: $16 millionO'Donnell has hosted a show on MSNBC since 2010. He also was an executive story editor and executive producer for "The West Wing" on NBC, and he had acting roles on HBO's "Big Love" and "Monk."
7. Bret Baier
Show title/network: "Special Report with Bret Baier" / Fox NewsNet worth: $20 millionBaier has worked at Fox News since 1998. He served as Atlanta bureau chief and Pentagon correspondent before anchoring "Special Report." According to CelebrityNetWorth, Baier's annual salary is $7 million.
6. Neil Cavuto
Show title/network: "Your World with Neil Cavuto" / Fox NewsNet worth: $25 millionCavuto, who joined Fox News in 1996, is a vice president of Fox Business News. His annual salary is $7 million.
5. Tucker Carlson
Show title/network: "Tucker Carlson Tonight" / Fox NewsNet worth: $30 millionCarlson has hosted his show since 2016. He worked at CNN and MSNBC before joining Fox News in 2009. He co-founded The Daily Caller before selling his stake in 2020, and he reportedly makes $8 million per year.
4. Rachel Maddow
Show title/network: "The Rachel Maddow Show" / MSNBCNet worth: $35 millionMaddow worked in radio before coming to MSNBC, where she became a host in 2008. She's also an author and film producer and reportedly makes $7 million per year.
3. Laura Ingraham
Show title/network: "The Ingraham Angle" / Fox NewsNet worth: $40 millionIngraham has had a varied career, working as a speech writer in the Reagan administration, as a judicial clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and as an attorney at a New York law firm. She hosted a radio show and has hosted her Fox show since 2017. Ingraham reportedly makes $15 million per year.
2. Anderson Cooper
Show title/network: "Anderson Cooper 360" / CNNNet worth: $50 millionAn heir to the Vanderbilt fortune, Cooper has worked at CNN in a variety of roles since 2001. He also has been a correspondent for "60 Minutes" and has written books and produced documentaries. Cooper reportedly makes $12 million per year.
1. Sean Hannity
Show title/network: "Hannity" / Fox NewsNet worth: $250 millionHannity, who hosts his Fox News TV show as well as a nationally syndicated radio talk show, reportedly makes an eye-popping $40 million per year, including $25 million from Fox.More From GOBankingRatesFood Stamps: Can You Use Your SNAP EBT Card at Gas Stations?
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Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates looked at AdWeek's 2021 viewership data to find the 25 most-watched cable news shows. With these programs isolated, GOBankingRates then found the hosts of these shows and the hosts' net worths. All net worth data was sourced from CelebrityNetWorth.com and is up to date as of March 30, 2022.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Rich Are Tucker Carlson, Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper and the Biggest Cable News Hosts?
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