Howard Stern Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Howard Stern’s Total Fortune and Income

Howard Stern, the American radio and TV personality, has a net worth of $650 million. He initially worked as a radio host on rock stations and talk shows in the late 70s and early 80s. Known for his honesty, Howard won awards in his career but faced challenges moving between stations before achieving national fame on WNBC in D.C. His controversial style led to high ratings but also got him fired, making his show the highest-rated on WNBC.

From the 80s to the 2000s, his radio program was the top morning show in the U.S. He expanded his brand with late-night talk shows, books, pay-per-view events, and music albums. Howard joined Sirius Satellite Radio in 2006 with a $500 million deal. Signing a recent $600 million extension in 2020, his net income is around $40 million yearly, after all expenses.

His show covers production costs and team salaries, leaving him with around $80 million pre-tax and $40 million post-tax per year. With 120 shows annually, Howard earns $333,333 for each broadcast.

Howard’s Childhood

Born on January 12, 1954, in Queens, NYC, Howard showed a passion for radio at an early age. His father, a WWII veteran and radio engineer, nurtured this interest by setting up a recording studio in their home. After moving to Long Island, Howard attended high school at South Side and later Boston University, graduating in 1976.

Early Professional Years

From 1976 to 1982, Howard developed his radio persona in various cities. He gained traction at WNBC and later WXRK in NYC, achieving syndication and huge listener numbers.

Industry Domination

Stern achieved a rare feat of having top-rated shows in NYC and LA simultaneously, solidifying his status as a radio icon.

“Private Parts” Sensation

Signing a $1 million book deal in 1993, Howard released “Private Parts,” which became a best-seller, topping the charts and even inspired a successful film adaptation in 1997.

Additional Endeavors

Stern authored “Miss America” and engaged in various media ventures beyond his radio career.In 1995, “Miss America” was published and “Howard Stern Comes Again” was released in 2019.

For the seventh season of “America’s Got Talent,” Stern was announced as Piers Morgan’s replacement as a judge in 2011. He continued as a judge on the show for the eighth, ninth, and 10th seasons, leaving at the end of the 10th season in September 2015.

Howard Stern Salary and Contracts

Before joining Sirius, the satellite platform was losing $226 million annually on revenues of $13 million with 600,000 subscribers. Today, the combined SiriusXM service englobes 35 million paying subscribers, generating $1.8 billion in profit on $7.2 billion in revenue. On Sirius, Howard enjoys total uncensored free speech outside of the FCC’s grasp, with 10-15% of Sirius customers subscribing exclusively to listen to Stern, according to analysts.

Signing a five-year deal with Sirius in 2004 worth $500 million elevated Stern to one of the highest-paid figures in radio. This deal essentially paid Stern $100 million per year, composed of $80 million in cash and $20 million in stock, covering production costs for his show and staff salaries, with an estimated personal income of $50 million. Stern further secured wealth with another five-year $500 million deal in 2010 and a new 12-year deal in 2015 believed to pay him $80 million annually, culminating in over $1 billion in salary at Sirius by the end of the latest deal. Additionally, he earned hundreds of millions from terrestrial radio before 2005. In December 2020, Stern confirmed a five-year, $600 million extension with Sirius for all production costs.

Personal Life

Alison Berns met Stern through a mutual friend while he was a student at Boston University. They married in 1978 in Brookline, Massachusetts, when they were 24, and have three daughters: Emily Beth (1983), Debra Jennifer (1986), and Ashley Jade (1993). After their separation in October 1999, the divorce was settled amicably in 2001.

Between his separation and meeting Beth Ostrosky, Stern briefly dated model Angie Everhart and actress Robin Givens. He began dating model and television host Ostrosky in 2000, leading to their engagement in 2007 and marriage in 2008 in New York City.

Stern accrued the most FCC fines in radio history, totaling $2.5 million due to content deemed indecent by the organization.

A battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, disclosed in his 1995 book “Miss America,” led Stern to manage it through Transcendental Meditation, a practice adopted by his parents in the 1970s.

Transitioning to a pescetarian diet in 2012, Stern and Ostrosky advocate for the North Shore Animal League of America, fostering almost 900 cats and caring for four of their own: Bella, Yoda, Walter, and Pebble.

Expressing interest in running for President in 2024 if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee again in June 2022, Stern and Ostrosky have been active supporters of various causes.

Real Estate

In 1998, Stern purchased a 4,000-square-foot apartment on the 54th floor of the Millennium Tower in Manhattan for $4.9 million, adding a 1,011-square-foot unit for $5.75 million. In 2008, he acquired two apartments on the 53rd floor under the penthouse he owns, expanding his space by 2,546 square feet for $15.1 million.

Spending $20 million in 2005, Stern obtained an empty lot in Southhampton, New York, building a custom mansion on the property.

Acquiring a 12-bedroom mansion on 3.25 oceanfront acres in Palm Beach, Florida, for $52 million in 2013, Stern’s estate spans 40,000 square feet, incorporating structures like a primary mansion of approximately 19,000 square feet with luxurious features. In April 2023, a neighboring property was sold for $170 million, setting an area record, potentially valuing Stern’s mansion at around $300 million.