Hoda Kotb has an estimated net worth of $60 million and earned an annual salary around $20 million during her final years anchoring NBC's Today show. Her path from local television news reporter in small-town markets to a permanent fixture of morning television spans decades, marked by gritty persistence, major broadcast awards, and a rare on-air authenticity.
Understanding how she built her financial standing requires looking past surface-level figures. Her wealth stems from steady contract renewals at NBC, bestselling books, podcast ventures, and decades of hard-fought reporting across local affiliates and national programs like Dateline.
Early Career and Local News Grinds
Long before sitting on the main anchor desk in Rockefeller Plaza, Kotb spent years working her way through regional television markets. After graduating from Virginia Tech with a broadcast journalism degree in 1986, she took local reporting and anchoring jobs in places that tested her endurance.
She worked in Greenville, Mississippi, and later moved to stations including WQAD-TV in Moline, Illinois, and WINK-TV in Fort Myers, Florida. These early roles involved shooting, editing, and reporting stories independently.
Her breakthrough came in 1992 when she joined WWL-TV in New Orleans as a general assignment reporter and anchor. She spent six years covering major regional stories and building a loyal local following. That visibility caught the attention of network executives, leading to her transition to national news.
Joining NBC and Dateline Stardom
Kotb joined NBC News in 1998 as a national correspondent for Dateline NBC. Traveling across the globe, she reported on high-stakes international and domestic stories. Her work on Dateline earned her critical acclaim, including a prestigious Peabody Award in 2006 for a report titled The Education of Ms. Groves.
During this period, she also hosted Your Total Health on MSNBC. These assignments established her reputation as a versatile journalist capable of handling investigative reporting, human-interest features, and live broadcast segments with equal composure.
The Today Show and Morning Show Stardom
Kotb's career shifted permanently in 2007 when she began contributing to the Today show. By 2008, she partnered with Kathie Lee Gifford to launch the fourth hour of the morning program. Their conversational chemistry, marked by spontaneous humor and shared drinks on air, turned the hour into a ratings success.
When Matt Lauer left the network in late 2017, NBC named Kotb as co-anchor of the main Today show alongside Savannah Guthrie. This appointment made television history as the first time two women anchored the flagship morning broadcast.
Her salary reflected her new status. When she initially stepped into the co-anchor role, she earned an estimated $8 million per year, a figure that scaled up significantly over subsequent contract negotiations as the show maintained its dominance. By the end of her run, her annual compensation reached approximately $20 million. In late 2024, amid network budget adjustments, she announced her departure from the daily anchor desk, wrapping up her historic tenure in early 2025.
Books, Podcasting, and Additional Revenue Streams
Beyond television broadcasting, Kotb diversified her income through publishing and digital media:
- Bestselling Author: She has written multiple books, including memoirs and motivational titles like Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee and I Really Needed This Today. Several of her works reached the New York Times bestseller list.
- Podcasting: She launched Making Space with Hoda Kotb, an interview podcast focusing on personal growth, resilience, and meaningful life transitions.
- Special Event Hosting: She regularly anchored high-profile network specials, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Olympic coverage segments, adding contractual bonuses to her baseline earnings.
Real Estate and Lifestyle Investments
With her multi-million-dollar earnings, Kotb invested in stable, high-end real estate assets. She maintains a primary residence in an Upper Manhattan apartment in New York City, allowing for an easy commute to NBC studios. Additionally, she purchased a waterfront home in Point Lookout, New York, featuring private docking space for weekend getaways with her family.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Hoda Kotb's salary on the Today show?
At her peak, Kotb earned an estimated annual salary of $20 million. When she first took over the primary co-anchor position in 2018, her starting salary was reported around $8 million before subsequent contract bumps.
When did Hoda Kotb leave the Today show?
She announced her departure from her daily co-anchor role in late 2024, officially stepping away from the morning desk in early 2025 after more than two decades with NBC.
How many children does Hoda Kotb have?
She has two adopted daughters, Haley Joy Kotb and Hope Catherine Kotb, whom she welcomed into her family in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
What major awards has she won?
Her journalism and broadcasting work has earned her multiple accolades, including a Peabody Award for her investigative reporting on Dateline and multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on Today. You can read more about industry standards and recognition through NBC News.
