Sarah Palin Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Sarah Palin’s Net Worth?

With a net worth estimated at $8 million, Sarah Palin is an American politician, author, and television pundit. She gained national prominence in 2008 when she ran for vice president alongside John McCain. Additionally, she served as Alaska’s ninth Governor from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. Palin began her political journey in Wasilla, where she was first elected to the city council before moving on to become its mayor in the mid-1990s.

In her role as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which ensures safety and efficiency in Alaska’s oil fields, Sarah built her political resume. In 2006, she made history as both the youngest governor and the first woman to hold the position in Alaska. Following her resignation in 2009, Palin remained an influential figure in American politics, notably supporting the Tea Party movement and Donald Trump.

Beyond politics, she is actively involved in the entertainment industry, having worked extensively with Fox News and hosted her own show titled “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.” This show aired on TLC and was followed by “Amazing America with Sarah Palin.” Although she launched her own network, the Sarah Palin Channel, in 2014, it ceased operations after just a year. Palin has found considerable success as an author, with her book “Going Rogue” selling over two million copies globally.

Early Life

Born on February 11, 1964, in Sandpoint, Idaho, Sarah Louise Heath grew up with three siblings and was baptized into the Catholic faith. However, she and her family transitioned to attending non-denominational churches during her childhood. At mere months old, Sarah moved with her parents to Skagway, Alaska, eventually residing in Eagle River before settling in Wasilla.

Throughout high school, Sarah participated in the school band as a flutist and was a member of the girls’ basketball and cross-country running teams. By her senior year, she co-captained the basketball team, which won the Alaska state championship in 1982. Two years after graduation, she won the title of Miss Wasilla and placed third in the Miss Alaska pageant, where she was honored as “Miss Congeniality.”

Following high school, Sarah enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. After a year, she transferred to North Idaho College, later moving to the University of Idaho in Moscow, and eventually attending Matanuska-Susitna College in Alaska. In 1986, she returned to the University of Alaska where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1987.

Early Career

Palin began her journalism career right after college, working as a sportscaster in Anchorage. By the late 1980s, she had married Todd Palin, her high school sweetheart. They welcomed their first child in 1989, and Sarah assisted in her husband’s commercial fishing venture during this time.

Palin’s entry into politics came in 1992 with her election to the Wasilla City Council, having enrolled as a Republican a decade prior. After serving on the council, she successfully campaigned for mayor in 1996, defeating the incumbent. In these early years, she gained a reputation for reducing taxes and cutting wasteful expenditures, along with launching several environmental initiatives.

Governor of Alaska

Palin sought the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Alaska in 2002 but lost. However, this setback positioned her as a more prominent figure within the Republican party, and she narrowly missed securing a Senate seat. After endorsing the newly-elected governor Frank Murkowski, she received various job offers and eventually became the chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, despite lacking experience in the gas sector. She was, however, eager to learn, particularly in ethical practices.

Palin became Alaska’s Governor in 2006, defeating Murkowski. Initially, she enjoyed high popularity with approval ratings reaching 93%. Nevertheless, her favor waned over time, marred by a corruption investigation linked to a for-profit prison and initiatives allowing bounties on wolves. Ultimately, she resigned in 2009.

John McCain Presidential Campaign

In 2008, she was John McCain’s running mate for vice president, an appointment that thrust her into the national spotlight. Before this campaign, she was largely unknown outside Alaska, and her record became a subject of intense media scrutiny.

It is now widely regarded that Palin’s selection was detrimental to McCain’s campaign, with many criticizing the lack of proper vetting by his team and placing blame on Palin for her unpreparedness. The narrative of her experience with McCain was depicted in the 2012 film “Game Change,” featuring Julianne Moore as Palin.

After 2008

After the 2008 election, Palin frequently appeared on Fox News and hosted her own show, “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.” In 2009, she published “Going Rogue: An American Life,” which quickly became a bestseller, prompting media criticism of her increasing political involvement and her positions on various issues.

In 2017, she filed a defamation suit against “The New York Times,” claiming that an opinion piece erroneously linked her to the 2011 shooting of politician Gabby Giffords. However, the lawsuit was dismissed in February 2022 due to the judge ruling that her team failed to establish that the article met the “actual malice” standard for defamation.

In the summer of 2022, Palin entered the special election for Alaska’s at-large congressional seat, which became available following the death of Representative Don Young. She lost to Democrat Mary Peltola, who completed Young’s term, and faced Peltola again in the November general election, losing once more.

Cameo Earnings

According to a financial disclosure from May 2022, Sarah Palin earned $211,529 in 2021 from the app Cameo. Additionally, she reported $88,000 from website advertising with Young Conservatives LLC, $40,200 from a speaking engagement, and $10,000 for participating in a bus tour with Club for Growth. Her total reported income for 2021 was $430,000.

Personal Life

In August 1988, Sarah and Todd Palin eloped and they are the parents of five children and eight grandchildren. Todd retired in 2009 after working as an oil-field production operator for BP oil company and now owns a commercial fishing business. In September 2020, he initiated divorce proceedings.

Todd divorced Sarah in August 2019, seeking an equitable distribution of debts and assets, along with joint custody of their son, Trig. The finalization of the divorce occurred in March 2020.

Real Estate

In 2011, Sarah and Todd invested $1.75 million in a six-bedroom residence located in Scottsdale, Arizona. They proceeded to sell this property in 2016 for $2.275 million. Additionally, in 2015, they acquired a second property in Scottsdale for just under $1 million. Construction commenced on what was envisioned as a large dream home; however, the couple never brought the project to completion. In 2019, they managed to sell the half-finished house and the land for $6.2 million, resulting in a profit of $5.263 million over the span of five years. They also have co-ownership of multiple properties in Alaska.