Gayle King Net Worth: From College Gig at WTOP to CBS Powerhouse—How TV Queen Built a Fortune of Up to $80 Million
If you regularly watch American TV, you’re likely familiar with Gayle King. As a prominent television personality and journalist, she’s become a household name through her role as co-anchor of CBS Mornings, formerly known as CBS This Morning.
King’s career in journalism spans decades, during which she’s conducted numerous high-profile interviews and covered major news events. She’s also recognized for her long-standing friendship with billionaire Oprah Winfrey, having met her when she worked as a radio host.
With such a rich and influential career, it’s only natural to wonder how much Gayle King’s net worth is. I’ll cover that and more in this article.
What Is Gayle King’s Net Worth?
Gayle King is an American journalist, TV personality, author, and editor-at-large for The Oprah Magazine. As of 2024, her net worth is between $72 million and $80 million, though some sources state it may be less than $40 million.
Much of her net worth comes from her role on CBS Mornings (formerly known as CBS This Morning), which she began co-hosting in 2012. King’s annual salary with CBS is believed to be more than $12 million. She also makes quite a lot as editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine.
Alongside the ludicrous salaries she receives as a journalist and editor, King also generates income from various other ventures. This includes endorsements, sponsorships, and royalties from Note to Self, a self-help book she published on May 8, 2018.
As for real estate, King owns multiple across the United States. Her current and most expensive home is a $11 million 7-bedroom on the Upper East Side. Other properties include a $2 million beach house in Malibu, a $1 million condo in Miami Beach, a $500,000 lakefront cabin in the Pocono Mountains, and a $250,000 farmhouse in upstate New York.
Early Life
Gayle King was born in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on December 28, 1954. Her mother, Peggy Tucker, was a housewife, while her father, Emmett Scott King, worked as an electrical engineer.
King lived a relatively uneventful life. She grew up with three younger sisters and pursued higher education at the University of Maryland, earning a double degree in psychology and sociology.
While in college, King worked at a TV station called WTOP-TV. She never intended to continue working in television, and WTOP-TV was meant to be nothing more than a side gig. However, the experience sparked a passion that ultimately led her to pursue a career in broadcasting.
After graduating in 1976, she applied as a production assistant at WJZ-TV Baltimore and got the job. A few years later, she moved to Kansas City, Missouri, working as a weekend anchor and general assignment reporter for WDAF-TV.
It was here where she met 22-year-old Oprah Winfrey, who, at the time, worked as an anchor for the station.
Rise to Success
In 1981, Gayle King joined WFSB in Hartford, Connecticut, where she worked as a news anchor for 18 years. During this period, she became a special correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show, regularly appearing on the show throughout its 25-season run.
In 1991, King briefly co-hosted Cover to Cover, an NBC daytime talk show. She also ran her show, aptly titled The Gayle King Show.
The 1997 syndicated version was short-lived, ending after just one season due to low ratings. She revived the format on XM Satellite Radio in 2006, and in January 2011, King launched a new iteration of The Gayle King Show on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network.
While also short-lived, ending on November 17, 2011, it was the visibility she needed to start anchoring for CBS’s This Morning. The show received high ratings and continues to air today, with King becoming an irreplaceable cast member.
Who Was Gayle King’s Husband？
In 1982, Gayle married lawyer and assistant district attorney Bill Bumpus. After 11 years of marriage, Gayle caught him in bed with another woman, leading to their divorce in 1993. The couple had two children: a daughter, Kirby, and a son, Bill Bumpus Jr. Oprah Winfrey is their godmother. Gayle and Oprah became friends in 1976 while working together at WJZ-TV, and their friendship has lasted for decades.
Final Thoughts
As of 2024, Gayle King’s net worth is believed to be somewhere between $72 million and $80 million.
King is a well-known and respected figure in the media industry. Her presence on CBS Mornings is integral to the show’s identity and success. The show wouldn’t be the same without her.
Aside from her successful career in broadcasting, King’s net worth also comes from real estate investments, sponsorships and endorsements, and book royalties.
