CNN is home to some of the highest-paid journalists in the world. These anchors not only play a significant role in shaping global news but also earn multi-million-dollar salaries, book deals, and speaking fees. In 2025, several stand out with fortunes as high as $60 million.
Anderson Cooper leads the pack with a $60 million net worth acquired from multiple sources starting with his CNN salary, bestselling books, and the Vanderbilt inheritance. Wolf Blitzer has built $25 million purely on journalism.
In this article you will get to find how much Erin Burnett earns and her net worth as of 2025. Also, do you know how much Chris Wallace earns after moving from Fox to CNN? All these will be answered here.
Lets dive in.
|
Rank |
Anchor |
Age |
Annual Salary |
Estimated Net Worth |
Notes |
|
1 |
Anderson
Cooper |
58 |
~$12M |
~$60–200M |
Richest
CNN anchor, Vanderbilt inheritance + books + salary |
|
2 |
Wolf
Blitzer |
76 |
~$5M |
~$25M |
Veteran
anchor, wealth from journalism only |
|
3 |
Chris
Wallace |
77 |
~$6–7M |
~$25M |
Veteran
journalist, moved from Fox to CNN |
|
4 |
Erin
Burnett |
49 |
~$6M |
~$20M |
Hosts
OutFront, strong female voice at CNN |
|
5 |
Christiane
Amanpour |
67 |
~$2–3M |
~$18M |
Chief
International Anchor, documentaries/books |
|
6 |
Jake
Tapper |
56 |
~$4M |
~$16M |
Also
earns from bestselling books |
|
7 |
Dana
Bash |
53 |
~$3M |
~$9M |
Political
correspondent, Inside Politics |
|
8 |
Kaitlan
Collins |
32 |
~$1M+ |
~$5M |
Rising
star, hosts The Source |
Table: CNN Anchors Salary/Net Worth Overview
Mini Bio
Anderson Cooper is the richest anchor in CNN. He is the leading face of CNN and host of Anderson Cooper 360°. Financial reports shows that his work earns him an estimated $12 million annually from CNN. He also gets an additional income from contributing to 60 Minutes on CBS.
You might be wondering, how did Cooper become so wealthy with such an impressive net worth?, well, some of his wealth comes from inheritance.
Did you know that Cooper comes from the Vanderbilt family?
When his mother, Gloria passed, he received a portion of the Vanderbilt’s estate. Combined with his salary, bestselling books like Dispatches from the Edge, and paid speaking engagements, his net worth is estimated to range from $60-$200 million in 2025 thus making him the richest anchor at CNN.
Career Highlights
Fun Fact
Despite Vanderbilt lineage, Cooper received only a modest inheritance from his mother—his net worth comes almost entirely from his own media work.
Mini Bio
Wolf Blitzer has been with CNN for decades and is best known as the host of The Situation Room. Basically, we can describe him as the veteran who has seen it all. His long career at the network has earned him an estimated $5 million annual salary and a net worth of about $25 million.
Unlike Anderson Cooper, Blitzer’s wealth comes almost entirely from journalism, built through years of anchoring and political coverage without major outside ventures or inheritance.
Mini Bio
Erin Burnett is definitely the prime time force. She hosts Erin Burnett OutFront, a prime-time slot that gives her both visibility and leverage. Burnett reportedly earns about $6 million a year, putting her among CNN’s top-paid women.
Her net worth sits around $20 million, boosted by her earlier work with CNBC and her time on NBC’s Today show. Burnett also brings in income from speaking engagements and appearances beyond CNN.
She’s become one of the strongest female voices in cable news, and her prime-time position makes her a big part of CNN’s brand.
Career Highlights
Fun Fact
She famously emailed Willow Bay at CNN, calling herself a “stalker” for the job opportunity—and it led her into journalism.
Mini Bio
Jake Tapper has a reputation for tough interviews and sharp analysis. Hosting The Lead with Jake Tapper and State of the Union, he’s both a news anchor and a political moderator.
His CNN salary is estimated at $4 million annually, with a net worth of roughly $10 million. What sets Tapper apart is his side hustle as an author. He has published both political books and fiction, which not only adds income but builds his profile outside of television.
Tapper may not be in Cooper’s wealth league, but his balance of journalism and writing makes him stand out in a different way.
Mini Bio
If you’ve ever watched CNN’s election coverage, you know Dana Bash. She’s one of the network’s top political correspondents and anchors.
Her salary is estimated at $3 million a year, and her net worth is about $9 million. Bash has been with CNN for decades, climbing the ranks as a reporter before becoming a recognizable face on screen.
Her influence comes less from celebrity and more from political credibility. She’s not the richest, but she’s one of CNN’s most respected names.
Chris Wallace made headlines himself when he left Fox News for CNN. Known for Fox News Sunday, he jumped to host shows for CNN and its streaming platform.
Wallace earns around $6–7 million annually, with a net worth of about $25 million. His career spans decades, and his shift from Fox to CNN shows just how valuable his reputation is in the news industry.
While Wallace doesn’t have Cooper’s Vanderbilt advantage, his wealth comes from being one of the most consistent and respected political interviewers in TV history.
Mini Bio
Christiane Amanpour is CNN’s Chief International Anchor, and her career has taken her to nearly every conflict zone in recent history.
Her salary is reportedly $2–3 million per year, with a net worth of $18 million. Amanpour’s influence goes far beyond money, though. She has built a reputation as one of the world’s most fearless journalists, earning respect in places where most anchors wouldn’t dare go.
Her wealth reflects years of frontline reporting, documentaries, and international credibility.
Mini Bio
Kaitlan Collins represents the new wave at CNN. She started as a White House correspondent before moving into a prime-time anchor role.
Collins reportedly earns about $1 million+ annually, with a net worth around $5 million. She’s younger than most of her colleagues, which means her career (and earnings) are still on the rise.
Her growing influence suggests her net worth will climb steadily if she continues to hold high-profile roles.
These names may not dominate headlines the way Cooper or Burnett do, but they form the backbone of CNN’s reporting team.
To put things in perspective, CNN pays good, however, Fox News pays more. For example, Did you know that Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson (before his Fox exit) were reportedly making $20–30 million annually. MSNBC stars like Rachel Maddow also bring in over $20 million a year.
Anderson Cooper’s $12 million paycheck plus inheritance makes him unique, because while his salary doesn’t top Fox’s highest earners, his net worth puts him ahead of most peers in cable news overall.
Compared to CNN, Fox News panelists also bring in impressive paychecks. For example, the co-hosts of The Five earn multi-million-dollar salaries, with Greg Gutfeld being the richest among the five, thanks to his late-night show. We’ve broken down The Five cast salaries and net worths here.
Who is the highest-paid CNN anchor?
Anderson Cooper, with a reported salary of $12 million per year.
Who is the richest CNN anchor overall?
Again, Anderson Cooper. His net worth of $200M+ comes from CNN contracts, books, and family inheritance.
Do CNN anchors earn more than journalists at other networks?
Some do, but Fox and MSNBC tend to pay higher at the very top.
Who Was the Fox Anchor That Moved To CNN
Chris Wallace: In 2021, he left Fox to join CNN as host of the interview series Who's Talking to Chris Wallace? (2022–2024) and anchored The Chris Wallace Show (2023–2024).
Are net worth estimates accurate?
They’re based on reported salaries, contracts, and public information. The exact numbers may vary, but they are not very far from the truth.
So, if you were wondering who’s the richest CNN anchor in 2025? Then by now you know that it’s Anderson Cooper. His mix of steady CNN paychecks, bestselling books, and family inheritance puts him far ahead of the other CNN anchors. But beyond Cooper, CNN anchors like Erin Burnett, Chris Wallace, and Wolf Blitzer are also wealthy, as we’ve seen. And it’s not just CNN—morning show stars also cash in big. Our breakdown of Good Morning America’s highest-paid hosts shows that top presenters there also command impressive salaries and net worths.”
A great lesson that can be learnt from the richest CNN anchors is that credibility, negotiating power, multiple side hustles are very important in growing a personal brand and wealth creation.
I’m Clinton Wamalwa Wanjala, a financial writer and certified financial consultant passionate about empowering the youth with practical financial knowledge. As the founder of Fineducke.com, I provide accessible guidance on personal finance, entrepreneurship, and investment opportunities.
Leave a Comment:
Comments:
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!