Bill O’Reilly Net Worth (Money & Salary)
October 9, 2024 —
Bill O’Reilly’s Net Worth and Salary: What You Need To Know
With a net worth of $85 million, Bill O’Reilly, the American author, radio host, and former television personality, made his mark during his time at Fox News, where he hosted “The O’Reilly Factor” from 1996 to 2017, earning an annual salary of $25 million at the peak of his career.
A figure known for his bold and confrontational style, O’Reilly’s political commentary and news analysis captivated audiences, establishing him as a polarizing but influential media personality. His show, featuring commentary on current events and engaging interviews, was a standout hit on Fox News throughout the years.
Aside from broadcasting, O’Reilly is a prolific author, with many bestsellers to his name. The “Killing” series, written with Martin Dugard, has been particularly successful, exploring the deaths of historical figures with critical acclaim.
Although his career has seen success, controversies, including allegations of sexual harassment, have affected public perception of O’Reilly. Despite denials, these incidents have left a mark on his professional journey.
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
Early Life Insights
Born in Manhattan in 1949, O’Reilly grew up in New Jersey and Long Island. His educational journey saw him graduate from Marist College and pursue further studies at Boston University and Harvard University, where he honed his journalism and public administration skills.
Path in the Media
O’Reilly kick-started his TV career with
At WNEP-TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Bill held positions and occasionally reported the weather. His early career included working at other stations like WFAA-TV in Dallas, KMGH-TV in Denver, KATU in Portland, WFSB in Hartford, WNEV-TV (now WHDH-TV) in Boston, and WCBS-TV in New York. During this time, he earned two local Emmy Awards for news coverage, one for covering a skyjacking in Denver and another for investigating corrupt city marshals in New York. Additionally, he worked as a correspondent for CBS News in 1982.
After delivering a eulogy in 1986 for his friend Joe Spencer, an ABC News correspondent who died in a helicopter crash, ABC News president Roone Arledge was impressed and hired him. At ABC, Bill hosted daytime news briefs and worked as a general assignment reporter for programs such as “Good Morning America” and “Nightline.”
In 1989, Bill joined the nationally syndicated show “Inside Edition,” becoming the anchor three weeks later. In 1995, he was replaced by Deborah Norville.
In October 1996, Bill was hired to anchor his show on Fox, originally named “The O’Reilly Report” and later changed to “The O’Reilly Factor.” The show became popular and is credited with pioneering opinion-oriented prime-time cable news programming. However, O’Reilly and his show faced accusations of distorting facts and using misleading statistics in reporting. He also hosted the radio show “The Radio Factor” from 2002 to 2009 and returned to radio in 2019 with a daily series called “The O’Reilly Update.”
Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images
Firing from Fox
In April 2017, a report by the New York Times revealed that Bill O’Reilly and Fox paid $50 million to settle various sexual harassment lawsuits against him. One settlement amounted to $9 million. The ensuing controversy led to his eventual dismissal from the network. Months later, another report surfaced detailing a $32 million settlement allegedly paid to a woman, bringing the total alleged payoffs to $82 million. This final allegation resulted in Bill being dropped by his agents at the United Talent Agency.
Following his departure, Tucker Carlson replaced Bill and gradually built his viewership to match or surpass O’Reilly’s former numbers. Carlson received a significantly lower salary compared to Bill’s reported $25 million annual earnings. Later, Carlson was fired from the network in 2023. O’Reilly reportedly received a $25 million settlement from Fox, equivalent to a year’s salary, upon his dismissal.