The Richest Podcasters in 2022 — According to Net Worth

These days, it seems like everybody has a podcast. If you thought that podcasting alone can make you rich, though, think again. According to The Best Media, advertising rates during a podcast range from $20 to $100 per 100 listeners. With affiliate sales, you can make an additional $500 to $900 per episode – if you have 10,000 downloads per episode. So, you need to have a lot of listeners to make really good money from podcasting.

With nearly 2.5 million podcasts out there, it’s no surprise that the most successful ones also tend to be ones where the hosts are well known already. Even then, the richest podcasters have often already amassed a fortune in a different field. So who are the richest podcasters in 2022? Here are some of the richest people who have made podcasts (past and present), according to estimated net worth (note: all figures are given in US dollars).

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20. Anderson Cooper (Estimated net worth: $50 million)

As the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Anderson Cooper was born into a bit of a gilded cage. Things got real after the death of his older brother: this loss sparked his interest in journalism, a career which would earn him 18 Emmys and two Peabody Awards so far. Not riding on the Vanderbilt name or the by then dwindled fortune, he made his own way through the war zones of the world, covering stories of violence and survival. In 2001, he joined CNN and in 2003, he started anchoring Anderson Cooper 360°, of which highlights of this in-depth news show make up the podcast Anderson Cooper 360. Having inherited a bit of money from his mother, jeans designer Gloria Vanderbilt, and receiving a multimillion-dollar salary from CNN has helped Anderson build up a fortune of an estimated $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

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19. RuPaul (Estimated net worth: $60 million)

RuPaul may not be the first drag queen, but since he burst onto the scene in the early '90s with the hit song “Supermodel (You Better Work),” he has been a trailblazer. He was the first drag queen to land a deal with a major cosmetics brand when he became a MAC model, for example. The RuPaul Show was one of the first of its kind to have an openly gay host. And then came RuPaul’s Drag Race, which brought drag to the mainstream, had several spin-offs, increasingly gave trans contestants a platform and won RuPaul six consecutive Emmys for hosting the show. Over the years, he has built up a fortune of around $60 million, as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth, making him the world’s richest drag queen. He launched his Webby-winning podcast RuPaul: What’s the Tee? in 2014. He and co-host Michelle Visage have hilarious interviews with a range of celebrities.

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18. Alec Baldwin (Estimated net worth: $60 million)

Since the '80s, Alec Baldwin has appeared in many very successful movies and even got an Oscar nomination for The Cooler. It was on the small screen where he had his biggest successes, though, with two Emmys, three Golden Globes and eight SAG awards for 30 Rock and another Emmy for his portrayal of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. He’s also published a bestselling memoir. Over his career, the actor has built up an estimated net worth of $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. His podcast Here’s The Thing with Alec Baldwin sees him interview celebrities and policy makers. He also co-hosts What’s One More? with his wife, Hilaria.

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17. Barack and Michelle Obama (Estimated net worth: $70 million)

Since their time in the White House, former POTUS and FLOTUS Barack and Michelle Obama have raked in the book and TV deals, earning them a combined net worth of around $70 million, as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth. They each have a podcast too. Barack’s is Renegades: Born in the USA, which he co-hosted with Bruce Springsteen. Michelle’s is The Michelle Obama Podcast, where she and her guests discuss topics like friendship, family, marriage, women’s health and race.

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16. Kate Hudson (Estimated net worth: $80 million)

Kate Hudson had a few smaller acting roles before Almost Famous made her, well, more famous than just almost. A string of movie and TV roles followed. Among the business ventures that have helped her amass a net worth of some $80 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, have been a clothing line and two books. Then, in November 2019, she launched not only a craft vodka but also a podcast. Sibling Revelry sees Kate and her brother Oliver – also an actor – chat about a wide range of topics, often to do with sibling relationships. They also invite other siblings, like Stella and Mary McCartney or Nina and Alex Dobrev, onto their show.

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15. Bill Simmons (Estimated net worth: $100 million)

Like so many of us, Bill Simmons had to bartend on the side to make end meets when he was trying to find a full-time job after graduating with a master’s in print journalism. He finally managed to get a column on AOL and as his friends mailed this column to one another, his website quickly grew. This got him more writing gig, including writing for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and his career really took off from there. He launched his website The Ringer in 2015, and this is the platform from which he hosts the world’s most successful sports podcast, The Bill Simmons Podcast. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he now has around $100 million to his name.

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14. Joe Rogan (Estimated net worth: $100 million)

Joe Rogan is known mostly for his very popular (and controversial) podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. He launched the show in 2009 on YouTube, but since 2020, you can only listen to it on Spotify. While most of his $100 million fortune – as estimated by Wealthy Gorilla – comes from his podcast, he wasn’t a complete unknown before he started influencing political campaigns and courting controversy. He had major roles in sitcoms like News Radio, hosted Fear Factor and had a successful career as stand-up comedian and UFC commentator before launching The Joe Rogan Experience.

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13. Trevor Noah (Estimated net worth: $100 million)

After a small acting role in a popular South African soap, Trevor Noah started doing standup comedy and presenting various radio and TV shows in that country. In 2011, he moved to the United States and in 2015, he succeeded Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show. More hosting gigs – including hosting the Grammys twice – as well as some movie work, a bestselling memoir and sold-out stand-up tours have helped him build a fortune of around $100 million, as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth. Along with The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: Ears Edition, which features highlights from the show, Trevor also co-hosts The Trevor Noah Podcast with David Kibuuka.

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12. Katie Couric (Estimated net worth: $110 million)

News anchor is one of those jobs that pay much less than you think – unless you’re Katie Couric. Since her first job in TV news in 1979, she has climbed the ladder and as she got close to the top, she got more and more highly lucrative contracts. Writing four books has helped boost her net worth to a cool $110 million, as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth. The popular anchor and journalist also hosts a podcast, Next Question with Katie Couric, in which she interviews various experts and celebrities.

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11. Jon Stewart (Estimated net worth: $120 million)

Jon Stewart started his career as a stand-up comedian and the host of a talk show on MTV, but today he’s most famous as former host of The Daily Show. He joined the show in 1998 and, during his tenure, The Daily Show won numerous Emmys. He won another two for producing Stephen Colbert’s The Colbert Report. He also helped land the show two Peabody Awards for journalism. After leaving The Daily Show in 2015, the comedian and activist had a deal with HBO but in 2021, he started his podcast, The Problem with Jon Stewart, in which he discusses issues of the day. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he has around $120 million to his name.

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10. Snoop Dogg (Estimated net worth: $150 million)

Mainly known as one of the world’s richest rappers, Snoop Dogg is very versatile and always ready to do the unexpected, whether it’s releasing a gospel album or teaming up with Martha Stewart for a cooking show. This versatility and willingness to take chances have helped him build up an estimated net worth of $150 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Snoop Dogg’s GNN Double G News Podcast made for highly entertaining listening, with a wide variety of guests coming to talk about pop culture and sometimes to smoke one.

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9. Dave Ramsey (Estimated net worth: $200 million)

Finance guru Dave Ramsey is one of the world’s richest authors, having three bestsellers in his oeuvre. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he has around $200 million to his name. He also hosts a popular radio show that is available as a podcast. The Ramsey Show talks about all things financial, from investing to credit card rewards.

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8. Gwyneth Paltrow (Estimated net worth: $200 million)

Gwyneth Paltrow made a name for herself in a string of critically acclaimed roles and has an Oscar, an Emmy and a Golden Globe to show for it. In 2008, she started her wellness and lifestyle brand goop – yes, written in all lowercase. At first goop was really just a weekly newsletter but an e-commerce website, pop-up shops and a print magazine soon followed, helping to make Gwyneth one of the richest actresses in film, with a net worth that Celebrity Net Worth estimates at $200 million. She now also co-hosts The goop Podcast, talking to celebrities and wellness experts about topics like relationships, gender identity, trauma and the environment.

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7. Conan O’Brien (Estimated net worth: $200 million)

When he took over the Late Night hosting gig from David Letterman in 1993, it was to a lukewarm reception. Over time, his tenure on the show became hugely popular, though, and led to The Tonight Show and then Conan, making him one of the longest-running talk show hosts on late-night TV. In spite of – or, more likely, because of – his hilariously chaotic energy, the Harvard graduate built up an estimated net worth of $200 million during his career so far, according to Celebrity Net Worth. In 2018, he started his wildly popular podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, which features celebrity interviews.

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6. Demi Moore (Estimated net worth: $200 million)

Demi Moore has been gracing the silver screen since the early '80s and, with the help of Patrick Swayze and a potter’s wheel, has created one of cinema’s most unforgettable love scenes. Then there were her Vanity Fair covers, which raised some eyebrows but also became symbols of empowerment. Who better, then, to star in a sex-positive podcast? Dirty Diana is an audio drama in which Demi stars as a woman who hosts an erotica website. Even someone who has $200 million to her name, according to Celebrity Net Worth, had to adapt to working from home during the pandemic: the show was recorded in her bathroom and produced entirely over Zoom.

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5. Shaquille O’Neal (Estimated net worth: $400 million)

Basketball legend, Dream Team member, rapper, actor, reserve police officer, professional wrestler, documentary producer, entrepreneur, author, Emmy and Oscar winner. Is there anything Shaq cannot do? The former Olympian has amassed a fortune of $400 million, as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth. His podcast, The Big Podcast with Shaq, focuses mainly on basketball.

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4. Bruce Springsteen (Estimated net worth: $650 million)

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bruce Springsteen has about $650 million to his name, making him one of the world’s richest rock stars. Not bad for someone who came from a solid working-class community in New Jersey and sings about the lives of ordinary American workers. When President Barack Obama handed him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he said, “I am the president; he is the Boss.” Well, the Boss and the president co-hosted the podcast series Renegades: Born in the USA, in which they talked about topics such as race, class, music, travel, masculinity and fatherhood.

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3. Reid Hoffman (Estimated net worth: $2 billion)

Reid Hoffman’s first company was a social networking site called SocialNet, but probably his most successful venture was to help found LinkedIn. He’s also one of the most successful angel investors in Silicon Valley. Naturally his widely popular podcast, Masters of Scale, focuses on how to succeed in business, with insights from some of the world’s top CEOs and other experts. Forbes estimates his net worth at $2 billion.

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2. Oprah Winfrey (Estimated net worth: $2.5 billion)

The Oprah Winfrey Show made her so famous that most people know her by her first name only. It also made her one of the richest people in the entertainment industry, with an estimated $2.5 billion to her name, according to Forbes. Oprah now hosts two very popular podcasts: The Oprah Winfrey Show: The Podcast is a kind of “best of” from the vaults of the legendary talk show, while Oprah’s Super Soul podcast features interviews with experts to help guide you towards living your best life.

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1. Bill Gates (Estimated net worth: $121 billion)

For many years now, Bill Gates had been one of the world’s richest people, with an estimated net worth of $121 billion, according to Forbes. His fortune is mostly thanks to Microsoft, the company he co-founded. These days he focuses on philanthropy and looking for solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. To find those solutions, one needs to ask the right questions first. Cue one of the oddest podcast couples out there: Bill Gates and actress and activist Rashida Jones. In Bill Gates and Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions, the pair talked about, well, big questions like whether it’s too late to tackle climate change or what the world will look like after Covid-19.