You might be wondering who the highest-paid TV hosts in the world are in 2025. The duties of TV host is to entertain, educate and inform people and for that, they are handsomely rewarded with a good paycheque. The success of most television shows is to a large extent dependent on the host of the show.
However, not all TV show hosts earn the same no matter the popularity of such TV shows. As with every industry, some TV hosts has made quite a fortune from their career. Some of the most popular TV hosts in the world are worth billions of dollars.
Top 25 Highest-Paid TV Show Hosts in the World 2025
Below is the list of the highest-paid TV show hosts in the world and their net worth.
25. Craig Ferguson
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5452″] years
- Date of Birth: May 17, 1962
- Net Worth: $30 million
- Annual Salary: $8.5 million
Craig Ferguson is a Scottish-American comedian, actor, writer, and television host. Ferguson is best known for hosting the CBS late-night talk show “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”. He is also the host of the game show “Celebrity Name Game” and “Join or Die with Craig Ferguson” on History. Ferguson had an annual salary of $8.5 million while working at the CBS show.
24. James Corden
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5463″] years
- Date of Birth: August 22, 1978
- Net Worth: $70 million
- Annual Salary: $9 million
James Corden is an English actor, comedian, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Corden is best known in the US as the host of The Late Late Show with James Corden, a late-night talk show on CBS since 2015. He is also famous in the UK for starring in the BBC sitcom “Gavin & Stacey”. Corden has an annual salary of $9 million.
23. Chelsea Handler
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- Age: [wp-age id=”3563″] years
- Date of Birth: February 25, 1975
- Net worth: $50 million
- Annual Salary: $10 million
Chelsea Joy Handler is an American comedian, actress, writer, television host, and producer. She is famous as the host of the late-night talk show Chelsea Lately on the E! network that ran from 2007 to 2014. She also hosted the talk show, Chelsea, on Netflix. Chelsea Handler has an annual salary of $10 million.
22. Wendy Williams
- Age: [wp-age id=”5467″] years
- Date of Birth: July 18, 1964
- Net worth: $40 million
- Annual Salary: $10 million
Wendy Williams is an American broadcaster, media personality, businesswoman, writer, comedian, and actress. Williams is best known for hosting the nationally syndicated television talk show “The Wendy Williams Show”. Wendy has an annual salary of $10 million.
21. Bill Maher
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5467″] years
- Date of Birth: January 20, 1956
- Net worth: $150 million
- Annual Salary: $10 million
Bill Maher is an American comedian, TV host, political commentator, and author. Maher is best known for hosting the HBO political show Real Time with Bill Maher and the late-night show called Politically Incorrect. He is famous for his political satire, and sociopolitical commentary. Maher has an annual salary of $10 million.
20. Conan O’Brien
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- Age: [wp-age id=”4441″] years
- Date of Birth: April 18, 1963
- Net worth: $150 million
- Annual salary: $12 million
Conan O’Brien is an American television host, comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, and producer. O’Brien is best known for his 28 years of hosting late-night talk shows including “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” on the NBC TV network and “Conan” on TBS. O’Brien has an annual salary of $12 million.
19. Anderson Cooper
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5470″] years
- Date of Birth: June 3, 1967
- Net worth: $50 million
- Annual Salary: $12 million
Anderson Cooper is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator. He is best known as the host of the CNN news broadcast show “Anderson Cooper 360°”. He is also a correspondent for 60 Minutes on CBS News. Cooper has an annual salary of $12 million.
18. Jimmy Kimmel
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5471″] years
- Date of Birth: November 13, 1967
- Net worth: $50 million
- Annual Salary: $15 million
Jimmy Kimmel is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. Kimmel is best known as the host of the late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live! that premiered on ABC on January 23, 2003. Kimmel has an annual salary of $15 million.
17. Jay Leno
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5472″] years
- Date of Birth: April 28, 1950
- Net worth: $450 Million
- Annual salary: $15 Million
Jay Leno is an American television host, comedian, and writer. Leno is famous as the host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” which aired from 1992 to 2009. He is also the host of the primetime talk show, The Jay Leno Show on NBC. Leno has an annual salary of $15 million.
16. Stephen Colbert
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- Age: 57 [wp-age id=”5473″] years
- Date of Birth: May 13, 1964
- Net worth: $75 million
- Annual salary: $15 million
Stephen Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. Colbert is best known for hosting the Comedy Central program “The Colbert Repor” from 2005 to 2014 and the CBS talk program “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”. Colbert has an annual salary of $15 million.
15. Heidi Klum
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5474″] years
- Date of Birth: November 28, 1962
- Net worth: $160 million
- Annual Salary: $20 million
Heidi Klum is a German and American model, television host, producer, and businesswoman. Klum is famous as the host and a judge of Germany’s Next Topmodel and the reality show Project Runway. She has also been a judge on the NBC reality show America’s Got Talent. According to Forbes, Heidi Klum has an annual salary of $20 million.
14. Michael Strahan
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- Age: [wp-age id=”4987″] years
- Date of Birth: November 21, 1971
- Net worth: $65 million
- Annual salary: $22 million
Michael Strahan is an American television personality, journalist, and former professional American football player. He is the co-host of ABC’s Good Morning America as well as Live! with Kelly and Michael. Strahan is also the host of the Pyramid game show for ABC. Michael Strahan has an annual salary of $22 million.
13. Jon Stewart
- Age: [wp-age id=”5474″] years
- Date of Birth: November 28, 1962
- Net worth: $120 million
- Annual Salary: $25 million
Jon Stewart is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical news program “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central from 1999 to 2015. Stewart is now the host of “The Problem with Jon Stewart” on Apple TV+. Stewart has an annual salary of $25 million.
12. Bill O’Reilly
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- Age: [wp-age id=”2763″] years
- Date of Birth: September 10, 1949
- Net worth: $85 million
- Annual Salary: $25 million
Bill O’Reilly is an American political commentator, journalist, author, and television host. He is famous for hosting the tabloid television program “Inside Edition” from 1989 to 1995 as well as hosting the Fox News Channel show “The O’Reilly Factor”. O’Reilly has an annual salary of $25 million.
11. Tyra Banks
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5475″] years
- Date of Birth: December 4, 1973
- Net worth: $90 million
- Annual salary: $30 million
Tyra Banks is an American television personality, model, businesswoman, producer, actress, and writer. Although started her career as a model, Banks is famous for creating the reality TV series ‘America’s Next Top Model”. She is also the host of the television talk show “The Tyra Banks Show”. Banks is reported to earn $30 million annually.
10. Steve Harvey
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5476″] years
- Date of Birth: January 17, 1957
- Net worth: $200 million
- Annual Salary: $45 million
Steve Harvey is an American television host, actor, writer, producer, and comedian. Harvey is famous as the host of “The Steve Harvey Morning Show”, ‘Family Feud”, “Celebrity Family Feud”, the “Miss Universe” competition, “Family Feud Africa”, and “Judge Steve Harvey”. Harvey has an annual salary of $45 million.
9. Sean Hannity
- Age: [wp-age id=”5477″] years
- Date of Birth: December 30, 1961
- Net worth: $300 million
- Annual salary: $45 million
Sean Hannity is an American talk show host and conservative political commentator. Hannity is famous as the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show, The Sean Hannity Show, and also the host of a commentary program, Hannity on Fox News. Hannity has an annual salary of $45 million.
8. Judy Sheindlin
- Age: [wp-age id=”5478″] years
- Date of Birth: October 21, 1942
- Net worth: $440 million
- Annual salary: $47 million
Judy Sheindlin is an American television personality, television producer, author, and a former prosecutor and Manhattan family court judge. She is famous for hosting the court show, Judge Judy. Sheindlin reportedly has an annual salary of $47 million.
7. David Letterman
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5480″] years
- Date of Birth: April 12, 1947
- Net worth: $400 Million
- Annual salary: $50 Million
David Letterman is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. Letterman has hosted late-night television talk shows for 33 years beginning with Late Night with David Letterman on NBC and Late Show with David Letterman on CBS. Letterman has an annual salary of $59 million.
6. Ryan Seacrest
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5483″] years
- Date of Birth: December 24, 1974
- Net worth: $450 million
- Annual salary: $75 million
Ryan Seacrest is an American media personality and producer. Seacrest is best known as the co-host of Live with Kelly and Ryan. He is also the host of multiple media platforms including American Idol, American Top 40, and On-Air with Ryan Seacrest.
5. Ellen DeGeneres
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- Age: [wp-age id=”2986″] years
- Date of Birth: January 26, 1958
- Net worth: $500 million
- Annual salary: $84 million
Ellen DeGeneres is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She is famous as the host of the television talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”. DeGeneres has an annual salary of $84 million.
4. Howard Stern
- Age: [wp-age id=”5487″] years
- Date of Birth: January 26, 1958
- Net worth: $650 million
- Annual salary: $93 million
Howard Stern is an American radio and television personality, comedian, and author. Stern is best known for his radio show, The Howard Stern Show. Stern has an annual salary of $93 million according to Forbes.
3. Phil McGraw
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5485″] years
- Date of Birth: September 1, 1950
- Net worth: $500 million
- Annual Salary: $95 million
Phil McGraw is an American television personality, author, and television show host. McGraw is best known as the host of Dr. Phil since September 2002. According to Forbes, Phil McGraw has an annual salary of $95 million.
2. Simon Cowell
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5488″] years
- Date of Birth: October 7, 1959
- Net worth: $600 million
- Annual Salary: $95 million
Simon Cowell is an English television personality, entrepreneur, and record producer. Cowell is famous as the judge of the British television talent competition series Pop Idol, The X-Factor UK and Britain’s Got Talent and the American television talent competition series American Idol, The X Factor US, and America’s Got Talent. Cowell has an annual salary of $95 million.
1. Oprah Winfrey
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- Age: [wp-age id=”5486″] years
- Date of Birth: January 29, 1954
- Net worth: $2.6 billion
- Annual salary: $300 million
Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah Winfrey is the highest-paid TV host in the world with an annual salary of $300 million.
