Anderson Cooper is one of the most famous people in journalism right now—and his net worth, which Celebrity Net Worth estimates is around $60 million, reflects that.
While he was born into 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 for CNN. From hosting several TV shows and podcasts to starring on the network's annual New Year's Eve Live special, it's clear he loves what he does. This year, he’s also hosting the Independence Eve Live With Anderson and Andy TV special on July 3, 2026, on CNN.
How much does Anderson Cooper make in a year?
According to multiple reports, Anderson Cooper earned between $50 million and $200 million in 2026.
No matter how much Anderson actually makes through his work in a given year, there are some interesting things to note about it. In addition to his work at CNN, he is the author of several best-selling books. Among them are 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 worked on several media projects, both on camera and 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 on CNN?
According to Yahoo! Finance, Anderson earns $20 million a year as a news anchor at CNN. What's more, the outlet reports that he is among the highest-paid broadcast reporters in the United States.
On CNN, he hosts his own show, Anderson Cooper 360 and works as a journalist and political commentator. He hosts the All There Is With Anderson Cooper podcast, and he often gets involved in major national elections and in primetime specials the network airs.
But perhaps Anderson's highest-profile role at CNN is co-hosting 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.
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 on railroads and steamships in the 19th century, they also lost much of it through overspending 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.
