It takes a community to put on a sporting event. You need reporters, analysts, coaches, the players, the fans, and of course, the sportscasters. Casters have an important job because they help the fans get the most out of the experience. They provide play by plays for those watching on TV, and are the only reason fans listening to radios can enjoy the action! Some sportscasters are so well known and respected that they make millions of dollars a year for their expertise. Although it’s not an easy job, they’re getting paid well to talk about what they’re passionate about. So how much do the best in the business get paid? Read on to find out!
Molly Qerim ($500 000)
Molly Qerim 500 000 Dollars
It’s been a few years since Molly Querim first proved herself as one of the best up-and-coming moderators on ESPN. She loves working with big teams, and gets deep into all the details of any sport she covers. The public were in love at first sight, and soon her show, First Take, became one of the most popular sports shows on television. Although Molly has had other jobs, this one nets her $500,000!
Mike Golic ($5 000 000)
Mr. Golic’s show “Mike & Mike” is perhaps ESPN’s most popular radio feature. The show boosted him to an extraordinary level of fame within the sporting community, and has been his main source of income for the past 15 years. Viewers love the energy he brings to every broadcast. He’s well paid for his work too, with the network giving him a cool $5,000,000! He’s an invaluable source of sports wisdom for his fans.
Mike Golic 5 000 000 Dollars
Samantha Ponder ($4 900 000)
Although she started at the bottom on the sidelines, Samantha Ponder has worked her way up to being more than your average ESPN reporter. Today she is one of the most prominent sportscasters in the world, thanks to her excellent business knowledge and dedication. That tenacity has ensured she gets well paid for her work, $4,900,00 to be exact! Today Samantha hosts the much-watched Sunday NFL Countdown, a show watched by millions.
Samantha Ponder 4 900 000 Dollars
Colin Cowherd ($6 000 000)
Colin Cowherd is a veteran in the sporting world. The renowned sportscaster earns a whopping $6,000,000 for being one of the most well known names in sports talk television. He’s certainly earned it since starting with ESPN almost two decades ago. His insights have led him to be courted by other networks, and while he has dipped his toes elsewhere, he still calls ESPN his home. He does it all for the fans.
Colin Cowherd 6 000 000 Dollars
Erin Andrews ($2 000 000)
Erin Andrews is one of the most popular sportscasters in sports history, a reputation built up since the early 2000s. She started as a freelance reporter and hustled her way up to a top spot. The enterprising spirit means she’s a jack of all trades, covering a wide range of sporting events, and netting $2,000,000 for her troubles. She maintains a loyal fanbase that loves her reporting, and the unique perspective she brings.
Erin Andrews 2 000 000 Dollars
Lisa Salters ($235 000)
The sporting industry is competitive, and so it takes a lot to stand out and reach the rank of veteran. Lisa Salters has done just this over her illustrious career, earning the respect of her fans and colleagues alike. While she makes $235,000 for her work, she also does reporting on high-profile crimes. She just can’t sit still and is an inspiration to those who want to get out of their comfort zone and follow their passion.
Lisa Salters 235 000 Dollars
Al Michaels ($6 000 000)
Let’s switch gears for second. Here’s someone who isn’t from ESPN! Al Michaels is a staple of the NBC Sports team, where fans know him for giving play-by-plays during some of the biggest matches in NFL history. How did he get to a level where he’s earning $6,000,000 a month? He started out commentating for ABC until he was scooped up by NBC and launched into the next magnanimous stage in his career.
Al Michaels 6 000 000 Dollars
Skip Bayless ($6 000 000)
ESPN’s First Take has superstart broadcaster Skip Bayless to thank for its popularity. This expert caster attracted millions of fans to the show with his famous tirades against his co-hosts, drama that kept viewer’s eyes glued to their screens. In 2016 he moved over to FOX, where he’s been ever since. His interesting takes on the mundane has landed him a six-figure salary of $6,000,000, and the lavish lifestyle that comes with it.
Skip Bayless 6 000 000 Dollars
Michael Wilbon ($6 000 000)
It’s not hard to find sports commentators who have honed their craft over the years by sticking to a single sport and climbing the ladder with perfect focus in one area of sports. Michael Wilbon is a big exception. He’s spent over three decades at the Washington Post covering a wide array of topics including every sport you can imagine and walking away with a paycheck of $6,000,000 a year for his expertises.
Michael Wilbon 6 000 000 Dollars
Cassidy Hubbarth ($200 000)
Even though she’s not a household name just yet, Cassidy Hubbarth is a name to watch in the coming decades if you’re a sports fan. A reporter for the Big Ten Network, she has started climbing the mountain and refining her focus to basketball coverage. Her career began in Chicago, so Chicagoians have a special appreciation for her. This has helped her grow a steady following on social media and a pay of $200,000.
Cassidy Hubbarth 200 000 Dollars
Tom Brady ($37.5 Million)
Tom Brady had difficulty saying goodbye to the field and returned from his early statement of retirement, but rest assured he doesn’t idle. The quarterback just signed a 10-year contract with Fox News for $375 million!
The soon-to-be sportscaster will earn $37.5 million a year, which is way more than he did as an active player. Less the hassle, more the game. We’re sure the Bradys are quite happy after all.
Tom Brady
Rosalyn Gold-Onwude ($78 000)
Over the last five years, Rosalyn Gold-Onwude has made a name for herself in sportscasting. The Stanford graduate may have found a boring job straight out of university, but her attention drifted to sports within just a few months, after she realized she had a passion to pursue. Rosalyn showcases that people of color deserve a place in sportscasting, and hopefully her salary of $78,000 will increase as she goes from strength to strength.
Rosalyn Gold Onwude 78 000 Dollars
Joe Buck ($6 000 000)
When you’re the winner of the Nation Sportscaster of the Year Award, you’re guaranteed a great payday, right? Joe Buck is proof of this, claiming a cool $6,000,000. However, this large salary probably has more to do with the fact that he has won this award not once, not twice, but three times already. The famed announcer has been in the game since the late nineties, and has earned his merits in the field.
Joe Buck 6 000 000 Dollars
Holly Rowe ($800 000)
NBA fans know Holly Rowe all too well. The ESPN star has been around the block and back again, beginning her sportscasting career all the way back in the nineties. She is renowned for covering all sorts of ball-centric sports, offering great on-court interviews and even better insights when she gets to the analysis room. She nets a clean $800,000 for her work. Recently she’s begun to cover mens and womens sport event equally.
Holly Rowe 800 000 Dollars
Leeann Tweeden ($1 000 000)
It’s not often that you encounter a sportscaster who seems like they can do it all. Leeann Tweeden is one of these rare personalities who not only lends her voice and opinions to audiences around the country, but has also dabbled in modeling and other interesting areas over the years. Her exposure across a variety of platforms has opened some doors for her, including her anchoring job on Fox Sports for the past five years.
Leeann Tweeden 1 000 000 Dollars
Tony Kornheiser ($6 000 000)
We’ve mentioned Mike Wilbon already, but the sportscasting legends can’t be discussed without fan favorite Tony Kornheiser. In the early stages of his career, he wrote for the Washington Post to boost his profile. This ultimately landed him a job with ESPN. Not one to sit still, Tony has been involved in a multitude of different programs over the years, scooping up various accolades (and a healthy paycheck of $6,000,000) along the way.
Tony Kornheiser 6 000 000 Dollars
Pam Oliver ($1 000 000)
It’s not often that you find a female sportscaster with decades of experience, but Pam Oliver is one such star. Not quite finding a home at a particular network early on, she eventually landed a stable gig with ESPN back in the nineties. That’s not to say that she sat still after that happened. Her $1 000 000 paycheck is proof that it’s worth shopping around for deals as you progress through your broadcasting career.
Pam Oliver 1 000 000 Dollars
Wendi Nix ($800 000)
With a comfy salary of $800 000, Wendi Nix is proof that sports anchors starting out on local networks have the ability to become big earners later on. Although Wendi bounced around between Fox and WPDE in her native South Carolina, today she headlines ‘NFL Live’ on ESPN. The fact that her coverage of various NFL games has loyal fans coming back for more is proof she’s well worth the good money she takes home.
Wendi Nix 800 000 Dollars
Stephen A. Smith ($10 000 000)
In his youth, Stephen A. Smith was the poster child for what it was like to grow up poor. According to various interviews, he would often go long stretches just eating tuna and drinking soda. These days he’s eating caviar and drinking wine, because he earns $10,000,000 thanks to his prominence on sports networks like ESPN. He’s the anchor of his own show, and his fans will follow him wherever he goes.
Stephen A Smith 10 000 000 Dollars
Terry Bradshaw ($2 000 000)
It should come as no shock that NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw is worth a cool $25 000 000 these days. It isn’t possible to compare his football playing salary to what the top guns earn these days, but he has amassed a fortune thanks to successfully making the transition from playing to broadcasting. Terry now earns a cool $2,000,000, and his endorsements also allow for a steady flow of passive income.
Terry Bradshaw 2 000 000 Dollars
Shaquille O’Neal (Unspecified Amount)
What sports list would be complete without the illustrious Shaq?! Although it’s impossible to figure out how much he earns between his work on TNT and ‘Inside The NBA’, commentators suggest that we’re looking at a seven figure salary. The NBA icon isn’t chasing money, however. He has regularly turned down gigs that didn’t serve his vision to inspire others, and continues to be one of the nicest guys in broadcasting to this very day.
Shaquille O Neal Unspecified Amount
Charissa Thompson ($1 000 000)
It pays to have a great personality, and Charissa Thompson is one of those sportscasters that radiates charisma whenever she’s in front of a camera. Although she works for Fox these days, she has also done her rounds of the big networks, landing gigs at three of them before ending up where she is today. It seems her sparkly personality was noticed by the entertainment industry as well. She has done some entertainment reporting too.
Charissa Thompson 1 000 000 Dollars
Mike Greenberg ($6 500 000)
We’ve already mentioned the first half of Mike & Mike earlier on the list. Mike Greenberg deserves just as much praise for the hard work he has done for ESPN. It has earned him a staggeringly high salary of $6,500,000 after all. It pays to have experience, and as of 2021, Mike has been working as a broadcaster for 25 years. The popular host has even started dabbling in other types of presenting too.
Mike Greenberg 6 500 000 Dollars
Jim Rome ($30 000 000)
Because his show ranks near the Top 20 in the country, Jim Rome is renowned all over the United States as one of the most influential sportscasters of all time. His program broadcasts to a collection of hundreds of radio stations across North America and Canada, which allows him to have a fanbase that stretches beyond just his local sports community. Needless to say, his ridiculously high paycheck of $30,000,000 reflects this notion!
Jim Rome 30 000 000 Dollars
Howie Long ($4 000 000)
Like many other sportscasters, Howie Long got his start on the field, which grabbed the attention of agents in Hollywood at the time. Having conquered the NFL and the Superbowl, he set his sights on a sportscasting career and has never looked back. His love for the game shines through whether he’s giving match analysis, or just discussing his favorite picks for the new season. All-in-all he is a great asset to the sportscasting field.
Howie Long 4 000 000 Dollars
Kenny Smith ($4 000 000)
It’s one thing to be a popular NBA star, and it’s another to become one of the best broadcasters in basketball. Kenny Smith has certainly earned his stripes on both ends, most notably for his hilarious insights, and the light tone he adopts to often very serious discussions around the analysis table. Over time, this has made him incredibly popular with fans from all walks of life, and won him a $4,000,000 salary.
Kenny Smith 4 000 000 Dollars
Bob Costas ($7 000 000)
Just when you think you’ve seen and heard it all, Bob Costas comes in and changes up the game. The renowned broadcaster has been around the block and back again in the business, yet he continues to hold prominence among his colleagues and fans alike. In turn, he has become one of the most recognizable faces in sportscasting, and his $7,000,000 salary showcases that he is truly in a league of his own.
Bob Costas 7 000 000 Dollars
Thierry Henry ($6 000 000)
Although he didn’t have the longest commentating career, soccer star Thierry Henry took up the challenge in 2018 when Sky Sports recruited him to accompany matches. For his efforts, which lasted a year, he was paid a handsome sum of $6,000,000. Although he didn’t stay, it’s worth mentioning that with a bit of clout in sport, you can continue to earn well as a sportscaster, should you want to take a different route.
Thierry Henry 6 000 000 Dollars
Tony Romo ($17 000 000)
After ending his career as a star NFL player, it only made sense for Tony Romo to try out a career in sports broadcasting too. The fan favorite player landed a job with ESPN in no time. He has since moved over to CBS. Although he was initially earning a seven figure salary, rumors say that CBS pay him in the ballpark of $17,000,000 a year. No wonder he made the big shift.
Tony Romo 17 000 000 Dollars
Michelle Beadle ($5 000 000)
After signing up with ESPN in the late 2000s, Michelle Beadle worked hard to become one of the highest earning women in the sportscasting industry. This happened because she was the host of multiple shows concurrently, plus her loyal audience tended to follow her from slot to slot. She worked for the network until the end of 2019, at which point she was taking home an impressive $5,000,000 a year as a salary.
Michelle Beadle 5 000 000 Dollars
Andrea Kremer ($4 000 000)
As streaming sky rockets, it only makes sense that some sportscasters are making the transition from traditional networks to the digital realm. Andrea Kremer is one such sportscaster who moved to Amazon Prime fairly recently, and has begun setting the bar for others who want to do the same. Her new career is no accident. She’s covered over 25 Super Bowls, and has a couple Emmys to her name. She’s hotly sought after in sportscasting.
Andrea Kremer 4 000 000 Dollars
Suzy Kolber ($3 000 000)
It’s interesting to think about how far ESPN has come. The popular network wasn’t always a world power in entertainment. Part of its success is thanks to Suzy Kolber, who joined the team back in 1992. Although she took a short break at the end of the nineties, she came back quickly and is so popular, she even lends her voice to the Madden NFL video games. She makes a clean $3,000,000 a year.
Suzy Kolber 3 000 000 Dollars
Linda Cohn ($3 000 000)
Some people have great careers but others go further and end up making history. Linda Cohn is one such legend, being the first full-time female sports anchor in history. She started out on the radio back in the eighties. This was a groundbreaking achievement that paved the way for more women to gain visibility in the sports world. Today her efforts earn her $3,000,000, and she continues to innovate in areas like podcasting.
Linda Cohn 3 000 000 Dollars
Lindsay Czarniak ($1 500 000)
Who wouldn’t want to make over a million dollars a year? That’s what Lindsay Czarniak does because she’s one of the most influential voices on ESPN. Although she recently switched networks, for an undisclosed amount of money, her level of experience and professionalism have made it worth every cent for Fox Sports 1. Today she continues to break new ground by asking the difficult questions whenever she’s alongside the field speaking to the superstars.
Lindsay Czarniak 1 500 000 Dollars
Jemele Hill ($1 000 000)
Having spent over ten decades on ESPN, Jemele Hill has become one of the most popular sportscasters in the entire world. That’s not even mentioning how well known she is for her chemistry with Michael Smith, which led to the two getting their own show and podcast, plus her writing for some of the biggest publications in the world. For all her hard work she takes home a nice $1,000,000 in annual salary.
Jemele Hill 1 000 000 Dollars
Charles Barkley ($1 500 000)
It’s one thing to be an NBA MVP, and another to be a sportscasting legend. But to be both?! That’s a rare achievement Charles Barkley can boast of thanks to his deal with TNT that scored him a slamdunk of $1,500,000 per year. His popular show “Inside The NBA” has millions of fans, and sees him square off and banter with Shaquille O’Neal on the hot topics in sports they both dearly love.
Charles Barkley 1 500 000 Dollars
Michael Strahan ($4 000 000)
When you’ve got a Super Bowl win under your belt, the networks are sure to come knocking when you hang up your helmet and pads. Michael Strahan is a major talent on the field, but he’s found a second calling in the sportscasting arena, and he hasn’t looked back. He’s now so popular that he’s even landed a job on the show Good Morning America, pushing his earnings up to $4,000,000 a year.
Michael Strahan 4 000 000 Dollars
Dwayne Wade ($1 400 000)
Dwayne Wade has always made his love for TNT known. When he was offered a slot on the channel, it was a dream come true from him, plus it scored him an exciting payday of $1,4000,000 a year. He’s always made a point of pushing for all players to have a voice, and by landing this big role, he’s been able to help them share their stories with millions of people each week.
Dwayne Wade 1 400 000 Dollars
Ernie Johnson ($1 500 000)
Ernie Johnson is an NBA broadcasting legend who has earned every single cent of the $1,500,000 pay he’s worked for during his stint on ‘Inside the NBA’. Fans agree that he’s often the only one who can mediate the debates between stars Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal. In order to do so he needs to expertly balance a firm voice with the keen ability to throw out some quips to lighten the mood.
Ernie Johnson 1 500 000 Dollars
Scott Van Pelt ($4 000 000)
Remember the early days of Scott Van Pelt? ESPN has never been the same since he joined up, as he’s drawn millions of new fans to the network. In 2020 the channel realized he needed a bigger stage, and so they gave him his own daily segment. Van Pelt is renowned for his gold coverage in particular, always keeping fans riveted to their seats with stats only he could have found thanks to decades of experience.
Scott Van Pelt 4 000 000 Dollars
Curt Menefee ($3 000 000)
A salary of $3,000,000 isn’t too bad at all. This is what Curt Menefee brings home thanks to his sportscasting career, which has come a long way since he graduated from college back in the late eighties. The nineties rolled around, and before he knew it he had landed a full-time gig with Fox Sports. This shot him to fame seemingly overnight, and a long and committed career has followed ever since.
Curt Menefee 3 000 000 Dollars
Jay Bilas ($2 000 000)
You’d be hard pressed to find someone who has as intricate knowledge of basketball as Jay Bilas. He’s always been known for his incredible intellect, rational opinions and interesting statistics that really gets jaws chattering before big games. Jay played basketball throughout college, which helped him to gain a firm understanding of the sport. Apparently, he makes sure to study something new about the sport every day of his life, all for $2,000,000 yearly.
Jay Bilas 2 000 000 Dollars
Kevin Garnett (Unspecified Amount)
We mentioned earlier that if you’re an NBA All-Star, you’re probably set to get some sportscasting offers after you finish your balling career. For Kevin Garnett, a fifteen-time All-Star, the offers came pouring in when he retired. He eventually landed himself a role as an analyst on ‘Inside The NBA’ on TNT. He’s beloved on the program, despite the fact that he stands amongst some of the biggest names in the sport for every single show.
Kevin Garnett Unspecified Amount
Tracy McGrady (Unspecified Amount)
Although we don’t know exactly what Tracy McGrady’s salary is, our sources tell us that it is big enough to keep up with the others on this list. The Hall of Famer has worked tirelessly on television since he wrapped up his career on the court. He makes regular guest appearances on various networks in order to win new audiences, and teach them a thing or two. Now he’s a permanent part of the ESPN team.
Tracy McGrady Unspecified Amount
Ahmad Rashad (Unspecified Amount)
Up next is an NFL OG from back in the 1970s. Ahmad Rashad might not have had a long football career, but all these years later he’s still considered one of the most important voices in the NFL world. His keen analysis often gets him into heated debates with other commentators. This has led to some truly legendary TV moments over the sixteen seasons he has been a mainstay on the show “NBA Inside Stuff”.
Ahmad Rashad Unspecified Amount
Adam Schefter ($1 000 000)
Adam Schefter is a multi-millionaire caster that keeps the money rolling in. He does this through his work on ESPN. He’s known for being the first to break stories to the public, and being very eager to share his opinions on Twitter. Ever since he started his career nearly 30 years ago, he’s been going from strength to strength, and today he is a powerhouse in the sportscasting industry, netting $1,000,000 a year.
Adam Schefter 1 000 000 Dollars
Rece Davis ($1 500 000)
Rece Davis is so popular that he recently had his contract with ESPN renewed throughout 2021. With the uncertainties presented by COVID-19, it’s clear that the network can’t risk losing him. To do so would mean a large drop in viewership numbers. It’s safe to say that he has earned every dollar of the $1,500,000 paycheck he gets. All that said, he remains one of the most friendly and humble figures in the industry.
Rece Davis 1 500 000 Dollars
Hannah Storm ($1 500 000)
Hannah Storm is anything but ordinary, and neither is her career. As a young journalist she aimed to be a CNN news anchor, and even landed a job with the network in the late eighties. 20 years later she landed her first role in the sportscasting scene, and made the interesting switch permanent. ESPN pays her $1,500,000 for her efforts, and she enjoys every minute of the exciting new area of sports.
Hannah Storm 1 500 000 Dollars
Chris Berman ($5 000 000)
An ESPN original, Chirs Berman is a face familiar to millions of NFL fans around the country. Over his long career he has been responsible for giving famous nicknames to players that have ended up becoming part of their brands. At the height of his massive career he was claiming a large income of $5,000,000 for his quick thinking and fast talking, making him one of the highest paid casters at the time.
Chris Berman 5 000 000 Dollars
Jimmy Johnson ($600 000)
It’s surprisingly rare for an NFL coach to transition into broadcasting, but this is exactly what maverick college coach Jimmy Johnson did. After leading various college teams to championship titles, he was offered a position at CBS where he would talk about games on Sunday mornings. His keen insight, broad knowledge, and expert delivery soon earned him a large loyal fanbase, and $600,000. Not bad at all for one day’s work every week!
Jimmy Johnson 600 000 Dollars
Kevin Harlan ($400 000)
If there has ever been a sportscaster who is great at balancing a few jobs at the same time, it’s Keven Harlan. His tidy $400,000 salary is earned from commentating on games across various networks. Now four decades into his career, he has become a legend in the sportscasting arena. Like so many other veteran sportscasters on our list, he is a groundbreaker with fantastics insights that make watching sports all the more pleasurable.
Kevin Harlan 400 000 Dollars