Anderson Cooper Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Anderson Cooper’s Net Worth

With a net worth of $60 million, Anderson Cooper is an American television personality, author, and journalist. Born into a prominent family of artists, his father, Wyatt Emery Cooper, was a celebrated author, while his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, was a renowned artist, designer, writer, and heiress. Graduating from Yale University, he explored various pursuits including time spent in Kenya, Vietnam, and at a CIA training course, before ultimately deciding to dedicate himself to journalism. His career initiated as a fact checker for Channel One, which is a news channel catered to junior high and high school students. During his time with Channel One, he created a fake press pass to gain access to Myanmar, where he filmed the Burmese student uprising. Selling this story back to Channel One marked the beginning of his reporting journey. Following extensive travel to different war-torn regions to cover the violence, he recognized the need to regain perspective and transitioned toward broadcast journalism.

His career included roles at ABC as a correspondent and co-host for “World News Tonight,” followed by hosting “The Mole” for two seasons before returning to news broadcasting. In 2003, he launched his own news program, “Anderson Cooper 360°.” In April 2023, CNN introduced the Sunday primetime series “The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper.”

Family Wealth

In the past, our estimates for Anderson’s net worth were significantly inflated due to incorrect assumptions about his mother’s wealth. In his 2021 work, “Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty,” Anderson revealed that there was no substantial Vanderbilt family fortune remaining after his mother’s passing. She was the final direct descendant to hold the Vanderbilt surname—a family made rich by a shipping, railroad, and real estate empire founded by Cornelius Vanderbilt. Upon Cornelius’s death in 1877, his net worth adjusted for inflation was approximately $185 billion, positioning him among history’s richest individuals. His son, William Henry, further increased the family wealth. Unfortunately, the Vanderbilts thereafter spent their fortune extravagantly, culminating in a family reunion in the early 1970s where not a single one of the 120 Vanderbilt descendants had achieved millionaire status.

Salary

As the host of CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” he commands an annual salary of $20 million.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Born on June 3, 1967, in Manhattan, New York City, Anderson Hays Cooper’s father, Wyatt Emory Cooper, was an author, and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, a fashion designer and artist who was also an heiress. Gloria was a great-great-great-granddaughter of the prominent shipping and railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Anderson’s maternal grandfather passed away when Gloria was merely one year old. He was the final male heir to the Vanderbilt fortune and allocated his entire estate of $5 million in 1925 to his daughter, equivalent to approximately $70 million today when adjusted for inflation.

due to inflation. Custody battles ensued between Gloria’s mother and aunt, allegedly over control of the trust fund as well. Ultimately, Gloria’s aunt, who founded the Whitney Museum, secured custody. Gloria would later achieve remarkable success as both an artist and a fashion designer in her adulthood.

Before taking up the role of news anchor, Cooper worked as a model for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Macy’s from ages 10 to 13. He attended Yale University, focusing on Political Science and International Relations. During his time in college, Cooper interned at the CIA for two summers. In a tragic turn, his father passed away suddenly in 1978, followed by his older brother’s suicide a decade later, which intensified his interest in journalism. After graduating from Yale, Anderson spent a year in Vietnam, learning the Vietnamese language at the University of Hanoi. He then became a fact checker for the news agency Channel One, occasionally producing homemade news segments for the channel. Cooper documented life and culture in Vietnam before advancing to report on stories from various war-torn regions, including Bosnia, Somalia, and Rwanda, which aired on Channel One.

Journalism Career

In 1995, Cooper stepped into the role of correspondent for ABC News and later co-anchored ABC’s “World News Now” starting on September 21, 1999. By 2000, feeling the need for a break from the fast-paced news cycle, he hosted “The Mole” for two seasons before returning to journalism. He joined CNN in 2001, co-anchoring “American Morning” alongside Paula Zahn. The year 2002 marked his ascent as CNN’s weekend prime-time anchor. In 2003, the launch of his show “Anderson Cooper 360” followed. Early in 2007, Cooper signed a multi-year agreement with CNN, allowing him to remain a contributor to CBS News’ “60 Minutes” while continuing as a CNN anchor and correspondent. This deal reportedly resulted in a salary increase from $2 million to $4 million annually.

Cooper’s journalism career has earned him numerous accolades for his work covering various events and topics. Notable recognitions include an Emmy Award in 1997 for his reporting on Princess Diana’s funeral; a Peabody Award in 2005 for his Hurricane Katrina coverage; a National Headliner Award in 2005 for his coverage of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami; two Emmys in 2011 for his reporting in Haiti; and a GLAAD Media Award in 2013.

Writing and Other Pursuits

As a freelance writer, Cooper has produced a wide range of articles for various publications, including Details magazine. His memoir, “Dispatches from the Edge,” was released by HarperCollins in May 2006 and quickly climbed to The New York Times Best Seller list in June of that same year. Alongside his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, he co-authored “The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss” in 2017. In 2021, he collaborated with Katherine Howe to co-author “Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty.”

During a 2015 interview with Andy Cohen regarding Cohen’s latest book, “The Andy Cohen Diaries,” the pair conceived the idea for a two-man conversational stage show called “AC2.” They kicked off their national tour in Boston,

Miami Beach, Chicago, and Atlanta followed, and they proceeded to tour over 50 cities.

In September 2010, Cooper was signed by Warner Bros. and Telepictures to host the nationally syndicated talk show “Anderson Live.” To be able to continue hosting “Anderson Cooper 360” on CNN, Cooper negotiated and signed a new multi-year contract with them. “Anderson Live” premiered on September 12, 2011; however, it only lasted for two seasons due to low ratings. Cooper has experience in hosting talk shows, having filled in as co-host for “Live with Regis and Kelly” in 2007 during Regis Philbin’s recovery from triple-bypass heart surgery, and he has since served as a guest co-host when one of the main hosts was absent.

Personal Life

Openly gay, Cooper made history as the first openly gay individual to moderate a presidential debate during the general election, specifically the second debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in 2016. He also provided Apple CEO Tim Cook with advice before Cook publicly came out as gay.

Cooper has two sons: Wyatt Morgan Cooper and Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper. Though he and Benjamin Maisani are no longer in a romantic relationship, Maisani is in the process of adopting Wyatt while they continue to co-parent their children together.

In June 2019, Cooper’s mother passed away. Following her passing a few weeks later, it was disclosed that she had bequeathed most of her estate to him.

Real Estate

Anderson Cooper possesses a beach house located in the Brazilian town of Trancoso, in addition to a renovated former firehouse in New York’s Greenwich Village. He purchased the firehouse, built in 1906, for $4.3 million in January 2010. This four-story turn-of-the-century brick structure spans 8,240 square feet. Originally painted entirely in dark red, the exterior has been stripped to reveal the original stone, brick, and terra cotta elements. The upper floors, along with the ground level, have also been stripped down. With the century-old paint removed, the classic brick building appears new. While interior images are not currently available, the structure features brass fire poles, spiral staircases, and large wooden beams overhead.