Yahoo Lifestyle The Interesting Way Anderson Cooper Makes Most of His Money
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Anderson Cooper is one of the most famous faces in the world of journalism — and he has managed to create quite a name for himself.
While he was born as a member of the influential Vanderbilt family (he's the son of the late Gloria Vanderbilt and a direct descendant of 19th-century railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt), Anderson's time in the spotlight took off when he became a correspondent on CNN. From hosting a number of TV shows and podcasts and starring on the network's annual New Year's Eve Live special, it's clear he loves what he does.
Given how he's created quite a successful résumé for himself, folks may be inclined to wonder things about Anderson Cooper's net worth. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Anderson's net worth is estimated at $60 million (though USA Today estimated in 2021 that it's closer to $200 million). But it doesn't just come from being a well-known reporter on television.
How much does Anderson Cooper make in a year?
According to multiple reports, Anderson Cooper made as little as $50 million to as much as $200 million in 2024.
No matter how much Anderson actually makes through his work in a given year, there are some interesting things to note about it. Along with his work on CNN, he is also the author of a number of best-selling books. Among the titles include Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty and The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love and Loss.
Additionally, Anderson has been working on a number of media projects that have him on camera or behind the scenes. He co-starred alongside his mother Gloria in the 2016 HBO documentary Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper, appeared as a guest host on Jeopardy! in 2021 and also hosted the reality game show The Mole from 2001 to 2008.
How much does Anderson Cooper make for starring on CNN?
According to Yahoo! Finance, Anderson currently makes $20 million a year for working as a news anchor on CNN. What's more, the outlet reports he is one of the highest-paid broadcast reporters throughout the United States.
So, what does Anderson do as part of his work at CNN? He hosts his own show Anderson Cooper 360 (airing weeknights at 8 p.m. ET) while also working as a journalist and political commentator. Along with hosting his All There Is With Anderson Cooper podcast, he often gets involved when it comes to major national elections and primetime specials the network airs.
But perhaps the most controversial thing Anderson does for CNN is co-host New Year's Eve Live with his best friend Andy Cohen. He has technically been the face of the primetime special since 2002, with Andy joining him in 2017. What makes it a particularly memorable thing for Anderson is the fact the network allows him and Andy to drink alcohol on the air, leading to wild moments that oftentimes leave people commenting on social media.
How much did Anderson Cooper receive from the Vanderbilt family fortune?
One important element about Anderson's net worth is that most of it doesn't come from any family inheritance.
While the Vanderbilts famously built their wealth in the railroads and steamships in the 19th century, they also lost a lot of their money from their spending over the years. As Anderson told Howard Stern in an April 2014 interview, Gloria warned him not to expect much of an inheritance when she passed away.
"My mom's made clear to me that there's no trust fund," he said at the time, per Business Insider. "There's none of that, [and] I don't believe in inheriting money. Who's inherited a lot of money that has gone on to do things in their own life? From the time I was growing up, if I felt that there was some pot of gold waiting for me, I don't know that I would've been so motivated."
That being said, when Gloria died in June 2019 from stomach cancer at age 95, Anderson reportedly received $1.5 million in inheritance money.
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