Howard Stern Net Worth

What is Howard Stern's Net Worth and Salary?

Howard Stern is an American radio and television personality who has a net worth of $750 million. Howard Stern's annual salary after show expenses is $90 million.

Widely credited as the original "shock jock," Stern fundamentally changed the sound, structure, and business of modern radio. Beginning in the late 1970s, he developed an on-air style built around radical honesty, confrontational interviews, and boundary-pushing comedy. While this approach initially cost him stable employment, it ultimately made him the most influential and commercially successful radio host in history. From the mid-1980s through the early 2000s, "The Howard Stern Show" was the most popular morning radio program in the United States, reaching as many as 20 million listeners at its peak and dominating ratings in major markets simultaneously. Stern parlayed that success into bestselling books, hit films, television ventures, and pay-per-view events. In 2006, he upended the radio industry again by leaving terrestrial radio for Sirius Satellite Radio in a deal that redefined media compensation. Over the course of his Sirius tenure alone, Stern has earned well over $1 billion, cementing his status not just as a broadcasting icon but as one of the highest-paid entertainers of all time.

On December 9, 2020, it was confirmed that Howard had signed a 5-year extension with Sirius that reportedly is worth $120 million per year, or $600 million total. On December 16, 2025, Howard revealed on his show that he had signed a three-year extension.

Howard Stern Salary, Contracts & Career Earnings

Howard Stern's compensation history is inseparable from the way he redefined the economics of radio. By the late 1990s, Stern was already the highest-profile talent in terrestrial broadcasting. According to contemporaneous reporting, his annual salary stood at roughly $20 million in 1999, when his net worth was estimated at $80 million. Immediately prior to leaving terrestrial radio, Stern was earning approximately $30 million per year at Viacom to broadcast "The Howard Stern Show" nationally.

Stern permanently altered the media landscape in 2004 when he signed a five-year deal with Sirius Satellite Radio, reportedly worth $500 million. The contract effectively paid Stern $100 million per year, structured as roughly $80 million in cash and $20 million in stock. Crucially, that figure also covered all production costs for the show, including staff salaries. Even after expenses, Stern was estimated to be personally clearing around $50 million per year. At the time, Sirius had roughly 600,000 subscribers and was losing $226 million annually on revenues of just $13 million. Stern's arrival proved transformational. Analysts later estimated that 10–15% of Sirius subscribers signed up primarily to listen to his show, a contribution that helped turn Sirius into a profitable media platform. Today, the combined SiriusXM service has approximately 35 million paying subscribers and generates about $7.2 billion in annual revenue and roughly $1.8 billion in profits.

In 2010, Stern re-upped with Sirius for another five-year deal valued at $500 million. In December 2015, he signed a new long-term agreement believed to pay approximately $80 million per year, again covering both his own compensation and all show-related production costs. By the time that deal cycle ended, Stern had personally earned well over $1 billion in salary during his Sirius tenure alone, excluding the substantial sums paid out to operate the show. When combined with his earnings from terrestrial radio, Stern's pre-tax career radio income comfortably reached into the high hundreds of millions of dollars.

On December 9, 2020, Stern confirmed that he had signed another five-year extension with SiriusXM reportedly worth $600 million, or $120 million per year, allocated to cover all production costs. When headlines state that Stern "makes" $120 million per year, the reality is more nuanced. Those funds must cover the entire cost of producing the show, including top-tier salaries for longtime collaborators such as Fred Norris, Robin Quivers and Gary Dell'Abate. Robin Quivers' salary is $10 million per year. Fred Norris' salary is $6 million. Gary Dell'Abate's salary is $4 million. After factoring in an additional $10–15 million in operating expenses, Stern's personal pre-tax share likely falls closer to $90 million annually. After agent commissions of around 10% and taxes that can approach half of the remaining amount, Stern's net annual income is estimated at roughly $40 million.

In December 2025, Stern publicly confirmed that he had renewed his SiriusXM contract for an additional three years, announcing the deal live on the final show of the year. The extension followed months of negotiations and public speculation about his future with the platform. Financial terms of the three-year renewal were not disclosed, but Stern made clear that the agreement provided greater scheduling flexibility for both himself and Robin Quivers, a condition he described as essential to continuing the show. SiriusXM executives had previously emphasized Stern's importance to the company, with leadership describing him as a core pillar of the platform for more than two decades.

Assuming Stern maintains his current schedule of three new shows per week for roughly 40 weeks per year, that equates to approximately 120 new broadcasts annually. Using the estimated $40 million net income figure, Stern earns roughly $333,333 per show after all costs, fees, and taxes. Put another way, every time Howard Stern goes live, he earns the equivalent of a brand-new Ferrari, a fitting benchmark for one of the most lucrative and enduring careers in broadcasting history.

Early Life

Howard Allan Stern was born on January 12, 1954, in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens, New York City. His mother, Ray Stern, worked as an office clerk, while his father, Ben Stern, served in the U.S. Army during World War II before becoming a radio engineer at WHOM in Manhattan. Ben was also co-owner of Aura Recording, Inc., a Manhattan recording studio that produced commercials and animated content, exposing Howard to audio production at an early age. Stern has one older sister, Ellen.

When Stern was one year old, his family moved to Long Island, settling first in Roosevelt, New York. Fascinated by radio from early childhood, Stern began recording mock broadcasts at home using a makeshift studio his father built in their basement. He attended Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School before transferring to South Side High School in Rockville Centre, New York, where he graduated in 1972.

Stern enrolled at Boston University, where he worked at the campus radio station WTBU and refined his broadcasting skills. In 1974, he was admitted to the School of Public Communications, and in May 1976, he graduated magna cum laude. By the time he left college, Stern was fully committed to a career in radio.

Early Career

Between 1976 and 1982, Stern worked at a series of radio stations that helped shape his on-air identity. These included WRNW in Briarcliff Manor, New York, WCCC in Hartford, Connecticut, WWWW in Detroit, Michigan, and WWDC in Washington, D.C. During this period, Stern developed the candid, confrontational style that would later define his career, though it often put him at odds with management. While his shows won industry awards and developed loyal listeners, they did not initially translate into large salaries or long-term stability.

WNBC, K-Rock, and Syndication

Stern's career changed dramatically in 1982 when he joined WNBC in New York City for the afternoon shift. His increasingly provocative content led to frequent clashes with station executives, but it also generated massive ratings. By the time he was fired in 1985, Stern was hosting WNBC's highest-rated program.

That same year, Stern moved to WXRK, better known as K-Rock, where he began a 20-year run that would define modern radio. In 1986, "The Howard Stern Show" entered national syndication, eventually airing in roughly 60 markets and reaching an audience of approximately 20 million listeners. From 1994 to 2001, the show was the highest-rated morning program in the New York market, and Stern became the first broadcaster to hold the number one show in both New York City and Los Angeles simultaneously.

Throughout this era, Stern worked alongside core collaborators including Robin Quivers, Fred Norris, Jackie Martling, and Gary Dell'Abate, forming one of the most recognizable ensembles in broadcasting history. The show's success was matched by controversy, as its explicit content resulted in repeated clashes with the Federal Communications Commission and fines totaling approximately $2.5 million, the highest levied against any radio program.

(Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

Books, Film, and Other Media

In 1993, Stern signed a $1 million deal with Simon & Schuster to publish his memoir, "Private Parts." Released in October of that year, the book became an instant phenomenon. Its entire first print run of 225,000 copies sold out within hours, and within five days it became the fastest-selling book in the publisher's history. "Private Parts" debuted at number one on the "New York Times" Best Seller list and remained there for 20 weeks.

The success of the book led to a 1997 film adaptation of "Private Parts," with Stern portraying himself alongside Quivers, Norris, Dell'Abate, and Martling. The film opened at number one at the U.S. box office with a $14.6 million opening weekend and grossed $41.2 million domestically.

Stern followed with another bestselling book, "Miss America," in 1995, and later released "Howard Stern Comes Again" in 2019, a collection of interviews and reflections from his later career.

Television and Other Ventures

In addition to radio, Stern has maintained a strong television presence. In 2011, he joined "America's Got Talent" as a judge, replacing Piers Morgan. He served on the panel for four seasons before departing in 2015. Stern has also hosted multiple late-night television shows, produced pay-per-view specials, and released comedy and music-related projects tied to his radio brand.

(Photo by Getty Images)

Alison Berns Marriage

Stern met Alison Berns through a mutual friend while he was a student at Boston University. They married on June 4, 1978, in Brookline, Massachusetts. They were both 24. They have three daughters: Emily Beth (born in 1983), Debra Jennifer (1986), and Ashley Jade (1993).

Howard and Alison separated in October 1999. According to a NY Post article in October 1999, Howard Stern's net worth at that time was $80 million, and his annual salary was $20 million. Their divorce ended amicably in 2001. The terms of their divorce were never disclosed, but it is known that Alison received the couple's former home in Old Westbury, NY. She sold this home in 2003 for $1.3 million.

Howard and Alison Berns in 1995 (via Getty)

Beth Ostrosky Marriage

In the time after separating from Alison, Howard dated model Angie Everhart and actress Robin Givens. In 2000, he began dating model Beth Ostrosky. They got engaged on February 14, 2007, and married on October 3, 2008, at Le Cirque restaurant in New York City.

Stern has spoken openly about living with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which he discussed extensively in "Miss America." He practices Transcendental Meditation to manage the condition and became a pescatarian in 2012. Stern and Ostrosky are longtime supporters of the North Shore Animal League of America and have fostered nearly 900 cats.

Real Estate

In 1998, Stern bought a 4,000-square-foot apartment on the 54th floor of the Millennium Tower on the Upper West Side of Manhattan for $4.9 million. Next, he bought the adjoining 1,011-square-foot unit for $5.75 million. In 2008, he paid $15.1 million for two apartments on the 53rd floor located just below the 4,011 square foot penthouse he owns. This added another 2,546 square feet of space.

In 2005, Stern paid $20 million for an empty lot in Southampton, New York. He had an enormous custom mansion built on the property.

In 2013, Howard paid $52 million for a 12-bedroom mansion on 3.25 oceanfront acres in Palm Beach, Florida. Howard Stern's house in Palm Beach has several structures that span a combined total of 40,000 square feet, with the primary mansion clocking in at just under 19,000 square feet. The house features gorgeous columns, perfectly landscaped grounds, a wall to keep the ocean water from spilling onto the lawn, and a beautiful pool nestled in the middle of the compound.

In April 2023, the home immediately next door to Howard's Palm Beach property was sold for $170 million, setting a record for the area. The seller, Bob Stiller, earned his fortune thanks to Keurig coffee pods. Stiller's $170 million estate is roughly half the size of Howard's estate, both in terms of living space square footage and property acreage. Based on that comp, one could argue that Howard's Palm Beach mansion is worth at least $300 million.

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