Rob Lowe Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Rob Lowe’s Net Worth and Salary?

An American film and television actor, Rob Lowe has an estimated net worth of $100 million. Alongside his successful acting career, endorsements and, notably, real estate have been significant contributors to Rob Lowe’s wealth. While we will elaborate on these aspects throughout this article, one striking example of his real estate success is the sale of a Montecito, California home in October 2020 for $45.5 million.

Lowe’s career commenced in the 1970s, and he gained fame as a part of the “Brat Pack,” a collective of young actors known for starring in a myriad of coming-of-age films during the 1980s. His notable breakthrough role was as Sodapop Curtis in the 1983 film “The Outsiders.” Following this, he maintained his early momentum with iconic roles in “St. Elmo’s Fire” (1985) and “About Last Night…” (1986).

During the 1990s, Lowe transitioned successfully to television, playing Sam Seaborn in the acclaimed series “The West Wing” (1999-2003). His adept portrayal as Deputy Communications Director led to an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations.

After “West Wing,” Lowe proved his versatility and talent on TV with his role as Chris Traeger in the comedy series “Parks and Recreation” (2010-2015), where he was cherished for his buoyant optimism and the memorable phrase “literally.” Concurrently, he also had a prominent role in the cable drama “Brothers & Sisters” (2007-2010).

In the biographical miniseries “Behind the Candelabra” (2013) and the crime drama “Wild Bill” (2019), Lowe made notable appearances as a lead actor. He also explored reality television with “The Lowe Files” (2017), a docu-series in which he investigates unsolved mysteries with his sons. His guest roles in shows like “Californication” and “Fargo” added to his extensive repertoire. In 2023, he stars alongside his son John Owen Lowe in the Netflix series “Unstable,” which they co-created.

In addition to acting, Lowe has authored two memoirs, “Stories I Only Tell My Friends” (2011) and “Love Life” (2014), thereby adding the title of author to his varied accomplishments.

Early Life

Born on March 17, 1964, in Charlottesville, Virginia, Robert Hepler Lowe hails from a family where his mother was a teacher and his father a trial lawyer. He has a younger brother, Chad Lowe, who also pursued a career in acting.

Raised in Dayton, Ohio, where he was baptized into the Episcopal Church, Rob attended Oakwood Junior High School. Following his parents’ divorce, he relocated with his brother and mother to the Point Dume area of Malibu, California, where they enrolled in Santa Monica High School.

Career

Lowe’s early acting career includes a role in the 1983 television film “Thursday’s Child.” His performance garnered a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film. Yet, it was his first significant role that would launch his career.In 1983, Rob made his big-screen debut in the coming-of-age drama “The Outsiders,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola, alongside Emilio Estevez and Patrick Swayze. He reunited with Estevez for another youth drama, “St. Elmo’s Fire” (1985), which solidified their status as key members of the Brat Pack. Following that, he appeared in “About Last Night…” (1986) with fellow Brat Pack member Demi Moore. His performance as the mentally disabled Rory in “Square Dance” (1987) earned Rob his second Golden Globe Award nomination, this time for Best Supporting Actor.

Rob debuted on stage in August 1987 with Chekov’s “The Three Sisters” at The Williamstown Theatre Festival. He portrayed Sam Seaborn in the television series “The West Wing” from 1999 to 2003, along with a brief revisit in 2006. During this period, he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actor in a Drama Series. After leaving “The West Wing,” he starred and served as an executive producer for the NBC drama “The Lyon’s Den” (2003), which unfortunately did not succeed. His next attempt, the 2004 series “Dr. Vegas,” also failed to gain traction. In 2005, Rob made a comeback to the stage, playing Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee in the play “A Few Good Men” in London’s West End. Despite experiencing failures like “View From the Top” and the television movie “Perfect Strangers” (2004) after his departure from “The West Wing,” he found success in TV miniseries, starring in TNT’s “Salem’s Lot” (2004) and Lifetime’s “Beach Girls” (2005).

From 2010 to 2015, Rob returned to regular television as Christ Traeger in “Parks and Recreation.” He worked on another series, “The Grinder,” from 2015 to 2016, where he also served as an executive producer. Subsequently, he played Ethan Willis in the CBS drama “Code Black” from 2016 to 2018. Additionally, Lowe made guest appearances on shows such as “Californication” (2011-2014), “Frankin & Bash” (2013), “You, Me and the Apocalypse” (2015), and “The Orville” (2017). In 2017, he began filming an A&E reality series called “The Lowe Files” with his two sons, documenting their road trips investigating various urban myths and legends. His film appearances include “The Invention of Lying” (2009), “Knife Fight” (2012), “Sex Tape” (2014), “Monster Trucks” (2016), and “Holiday in the Wild” (2019), along with made-for-television films like “Prosecuting Casey Anthony” (2013), “Killing Kennedy” (2013), “Beautiful & Twisted” (2015), and “The Bad Seed” (2018).

As a published author, Rob released his memoir “Stories I Only Tell My Friends” in May 2011, followed by his second book, “Love Life,” in 2014.

Endorsements

Rob has acted as a spokesperson for various brands and starred in advertising campaigns for DirecTV, KFC, and Atkins Nutritionals.

Personal Life

Rob first met Sheryl Berkoff in 1983 on a blind date, and they crossed paths again on the set of the film “Bad Influence.” They tied the knot in 1991 and have two sons together.

In 1988, Lowe became embroiled in a sex scandal involving a videotape featuring him and a 16-year-old.

A girl in Georgia, where at the time the age of consent was 14 years, was involved in a controversy. A second part of a tape was leaked, displaying Lowe and a friend engaging in sexual activity with a young American model inside a Paris hotel room. This recording was later sold, marking one of the first celebrity sex tapes to be commercially available. Despite the negative impact on his reputation, Lowe’s career eventually recovered, and he humorously acknowledged the incident during two appearances on “Saturday Night Live,” the popular sketch comedy show.

His mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother had all been affected by breast cancer, leading to his mother’s untimely passing from the disease in late 2003. Consequently, he has become a strong advocate for breast cancer awareness and was the first male spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day fundraiser in 2000, which aims to generate funds for breast cancer education and research.

Real Estate

In 2005, a home in Montecito, California, was sold by Rob and Sheryl for $25 million to education billionaire Peter Sterling.

That same year, they acquired a 3.4-acre ocean-view property located a few minutes from their previous residence for an undisclosed amount. Following four years of construction, they created a stunning custom home spanning 10,000 square feet. In June 2018, this home was listed by Lowe and Berkoff for $47 million. Notable neighbors include Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, and Jeff Bridges. Here’s a video tour of the magnificent property:

On October 1, 2020, it was confirmed that Rob had finally secured a buyer, with the purchase price at $45.5 million. The buyers were private equity mogul Jack McGinley and his wife Julie. The McGinleys own a 10-acre estate in Massachusetts, which they purchased only two months prior to their acquisition in Montecito for $18.9 million. Several years later, Adam Levine and his supermodel wife acquired this property for $52 million.

After selling for $45.5 million, Rob and Sheryl indulged in a real estate shopping spree.

Revealed on October 30, 2020, was their purchase of a mansion in Beverly Hills, California, for $3.7 million. They later listed this property for sale in July 2024 at $6.6 million.

In November 2020, Rob and Sheryl bought another home in Montecito for $5.2 million. Then, in December 2020, it was reported that they had acquired yet another home in Montecito for $13 million.