Hoda Kotb built her fortune through her work at Today and her other business ventures. Now she focused on her family.
Long-standing Today on September 26, the presenter announced her exit from the show after 17 years. “My television career no longer made sense, the new decade of my life is upon us, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger part of my pie,” she wrote in a letter to her staff.
Hode Kotba’s 2 Children: All About Haley Joy and Hope Catherine
Kotb added that she will be on the show until early 2025 and will continue in some capacity on NBC after that. While it’s unclear exactly what Kotb’s net worth is, the host’s annual salary was discussed when she took over for Matt Lauer, who was fired in November 2017 for “sexually inappropriate conduct in the workplace.”
Shortly thereafter, Kotb was announced as the new co-host alongside Savannah Guthrie in January 2018. Per Page sixshe was offered an annual salary of $7 million, although Lauer previously reportedly earned $20 million a year, according to Wealth.
“The answer is no — it’s not happening,” Kotb told PEOPLE about whether she’ll be making a similar amount to Lauer.
From her storied career at NBC to her book deal, here’s everything you need to know about how Kotb earned her net worth.
How much is Hoda Kotb paid for? Today?
Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb appeared on the Today Show on Tuesday, September 3, 2019.
Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
According to Page sixKotb’s Today salary was $7 million a year when she took over as co-host in 2018, which was reportedly the same as her co-host Guthrie. AND Today A representative told the outlet that they do not comment on employee salaries.
The deal was reportedly worth at least $10 million less than the one Lauer reportedly signed with NBC in 2016 (Page six she claimed her predecessor earned $25 million a year, while Fortune reported his two-year contract was worth $20 million a year).
Kotb has worked at NBC since she started in Date line In 1998, he started hosting Today 2007. She took over Lauer’s position after he was fired in November 2017, while also continuing her role as co-anchor alongside Kathie Lee Gifford (later Jenna Bush Hager in 2019) for the 10 A.M. Today slot.
The source said Page six that Kotb did not “complain about the money” and was happy to accept the deal.
“Matt’s salary reflects his long time on the show – 25 years,” they said. “If things go well, Hoda could ask for more next time if she extends her contract. But the numbers underscore the stark difference in pay at NBC News.”
What did Hoda Kotb say about her salary?
Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager accept the award for Best Live Talent – Lifestyle/Entertainment at the 46th Gracie Awards on October 5, 2021.
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation/Getty Images
Kotb confirmed to PEOPLE shortly after she was named co-host in January 2018 that she makes less than Lauer, and Guthrie added that she is also paid less than her former co-host.
However, Kotb said she’s perfectly fine with that as long as the job fills her with joy.
“I think the whole money thing for me, I’ve always been kind of — I know it sounds funny to say this, but I really did jobs that I liked for jobs that I loved because I never wanted to be happy every other Friday on payday,” she said. “Like, I didn’t want to that be happy day I wanted to feel good all the time. So, no, I’m not making Matt Lauer money. Not even close.”
In September 2023, Kotb opened an episode of the series Today about how she was, while she was a correspondent for Date lineshe thought she may have been “the lowest paid correspondent” and that the pay gap between her and the others was “quite clear at the time”.
“I think it’s one of the hardest things for women to do,” she said of asking for a raise. “I know for years I definitely made a fraction of what my male co-workers made. I never actually asked because I didn’t want to be difficult myself.”
She added that she remembers thinking she couldn’t cover all her expenses. “I couldn’t pay all my bills at the same time. So I was like, ‘I’ll pay this one and then I’ll pay that one,'” Kotb reflected.
What are Hoda Kotb’s other business ventures?
Hoda Kotb signs copies of her latest book “Where We Belong” on January 11, 2016 in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
In addition to being the host of the morning show, Kotb became ia The New York Times best-selling author, who has written everything from memoirs to children’s books. She began her writing journey in 2010 with the publication of her memoirs, Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer and Kathie Lee.
Kotb followed the success of her memoirs with four more nonfiction books: 2013 Ten years later: six people who faced adversity and changed their livesin 2016 Where we belong: journeys that show us the wayin 2019 I really needed this today: words to live by and the 2020s This just tells me: Words to live by every daywith the last two books being full of collections of quotations.
Along with her inspirational books — some of which became instant hits The New York Times bestsellers — Kotb also wrote three stories for children. Her first, 2018 I’ve always loved youwas inspired by the birth of her older daughter Haley, while the latest is named after her younger daughter, Hope, titled Hope is long.
In another appearance, Kotb is also the host of her own podcast, Creating spacewhere in November 2024 she celebrated her significant 50th guest.
Why Hoda Kotb is leaving Today?
Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on ‘Today’ November 1, 2021
Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Kotb cited her two young daughters as the main reason she is leaving her longtime role as co-host and host Today.
“I realized that it’s time to turn the page at 60 and try something new,” she told the show. “I remembered standing outside looking at this beautiful group of people with these beautiful signs, and I thought, ‘This is how I feel on top of a wave.’ And I thought it couldn’t get any better, and I decided this was the right time to kind of move on.”
However, she also revealed her plans to continue working with the network in some capacity in her letter to staff, writing, “Happily and gratefully, I plan to remain a part of the NBC family, the longest tenure I’ve been fortunate enough to hold close to my heart.”
“I’ll be around. How could I not? Family is family and you’ll all always be a part of me,” Kotb said.
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