Barbara Walters' Net Worth Was Massive: How Much She Made From 'The View' and Broadcasting Career

Barbara Walters broke glass ceilings and salary records.

Barbara Walters' net worth was hard-earned: She broke glass ceilings for women in broadcast journalism throughout her illustrious and long career, and it paid off in spades.

From the first woman to break $1 million in broadcasting to becoming the highest-paid broadcaster ever of any gender at the time, Walters' ambition and self-awareness of her value made her a ton of money through the years. Here's how much she made for TODAY, ABC News, The View and more before her death on Dec. 30, 2022.

Related: Barbara Walters Dead at 93

How did Barbara Walters become famous?

Barbara Walters got her first taste of show business as a child when her father worked as a nightclub manager and Broadway producer, though his work was reportedly never stable. In 1951, she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a degree in English. She began working at an advertising agency in New York City before becoming a publicist for the New York City NBC affiliate—now WNBC, then WNBT.

In 1953, Walters began producing Ask the Camera, a kids' TV show, on WNBC, as well as programming for Igor Cassini. The same year, she moved over to WPIX to produce the Eloise McElhone Show, but it was canceled within a year.

Undeterred, Walters became a writer for CBS' The Morning Show by 1955, before transitioning back into publicity and becoming a writer for Redbook magazine. In 1961, she became a researcher and writer for NBC's TODAY, then became a "TODAY Girl" doing lighter pieces and covering weather—but still struggled to be taken seriously as a journalist.

By 1962, Walters was a reporter at large, researching, reporting and producing her own projects. In 1971, she had her own local New York affiliate NBC show Not for Women Only, and by 1974, she was named co-host of TODAY—the first woman to ever hold the role.

In 1976, Walters moved on to co-anchor the ABC Evening News. In 1978, she became co-host of 20/20, where she became famous for her interviews—many of which have aged poorly, like her sitdown with Monica Lewinsky; she was also criticized for her questioning of stars including Brooke Shields, Corey Feldman, Ricky Martin and Ross Mathews.

Walters cemented her legacy for women in journalism in 1997 with the launch of The View, for which she served as a moderator and creator—and which inspired a slew of drama both on air and behind the scenes through the years.

Related: Brooke Shields and Drew Barrymore on Barbara Walters' Sexist and Invasive Interview Questions

What is Barbara Walters' net worth?

Barbara Walters' net worth at the time of her death was estimated at $170 million. That sweet sum is the result of decades of broadcasting, plus extra money from producing and authoring books including Audition: A Memoir and How to Talk to Practically Anybody About Anything.

Related: Oprah Winfrey, Robin Roberts and More Pay Tribute to Barbara Walters

How much does Barbara Walters make a year?

Barbara Walters' annual income varied greatly from year to year depending on the type of work she was doing at the time. As a co-anchor of TODAY, Walters made $700,000 per year. In 1976, she broke glass ceilings in a big way by making a $1 million salary for co-anchoring the ABC Evening News.

In 2000, Walters raked in $12 million per year for ABC News and 20/20, before stepping down from the latter in 2004. At the time, it was the biggest news broadcaster payday in history.

Related: Watch Barbara Walters Roast Herself on SNL + 5 Hilarious Vintage 'Baba Wawa' Skits

How much did Barbara Walters make from The View?

While Barbara Walters' salary for The View isn't publicly known, we do know she made in the tens of millions after leaving the show: According to Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, Walters sold her 50% stake in the daytime staple when she retired for an eight-figure sum.

Related: Barbara Walters' Most Memorable Interviews

What was Barbara Walters' salary?

Barbara Walters' salary grew steadily over the course of her career and at times made history. Walters made $700,000 per year as the first woman to co-host TODAY. In 1976, she made history with her $1 million salary as ABC Evening News co-anchor.

Walters reportedly had a $12 million salary in 2000 for her work with ABC News and 20/20, which made her the highest-paid anchor ever at that time.

When did Barbara leave The View?

Barbara Walters left The View as a full-time moderator in 2014 due to deteriorating health. She returned occasionally as a guest co-host through 2015, at which point she retired completely from broadcasting.

Next, look back at Barbara Walters' best quotes.