What is the net worth of TV legend Vanna White?
Though Wheel of Fortune is not ending, Pat Sajak has said an emotional farewell to audiences across the nation.
Sajak’s own net worth stems from his lengthy success as a television host.
Vanna did not have the same pay that Sajak raked in for 41 seasons. But her net worth might surprise you. …
Vanna White attends the 29th Annual Race to Erase MS Gala at Fairmont Century Plaza on May 20, 2022. (Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
Vanna White’s history with ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is as old as the show itself
In 1982, Vanna White began her full-time roll on Wheel of Fortune. Before that, she had been one of several alternates. And before that, she was actually one of the very first contestants — though that footage did not initially appear on TV.
Whether you call her a letter-turner, letter-toucher, or “activator” (as “activating” is the official term for what she does to reveal the letters), White is a television icon.
She does receive a hefty amount of money. The exact amounts are unclear, but she was previously raking in a reported $3 million per year. More recently, she signed on to co-host through 2026, and seemingly received a substantial raise in the process.
Vanna White and Pat Sajak attend Harry Friedman being honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 01, 2019. (Photo Credit: David Livingston/Getty Images)
What is Vanna White’s net worth?
According to online estimates by Celebrity Net Worth, Vanna White has a net worth of about $85 million.
Presumably, a great deal of that money comes from her decades on Wheel of Fortune and her years on the more recent spin-off, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.
However (and crucially, as we will explain), Vanna White’s net worth also stems from other sources. That (in addition to the fact that these are all estimates) may explain why her estimated net worth is higher than Pat Sajak’s, when his salary was so much higher for such a long time.
Vanna White at the 16th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on June 3, 2017. (Photo Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Chrysalis Butterfly Ball)
Remember, Vanna White (reportedly) had to haggle for a raise
In 2023, Pat Sajak announced his impending retirement one year before he and Vanna said their on-screen goodbyes to each other.
Allegedly, Vanna White hired some legal muscle to negotiate on her behalf for her own contract renewal. It had, if one believes the reports, been an abysmal 18 years since she had received a raise.
By the final days of the summer in 2023, White had reportedly agreed to another two years on Wheel of Fortune and received a hefty raise. Alas, we do not know the details.
“Wheel of Fortune” hostess Vanna White (L) and host Pat Sajak speak as they are inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame during the NAB Achievement in Broadcasting Dinner at Encore Las Vegas on April 9, 2018. (Photo Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
How much does ‘Wheel of Fortune’ pay Vanna White?
Obviously, we have to estimate. And, worse, we have to do math. However, if the reports of her (previous) $3 million salary are true, here’s the breakdown.
Wheel of Fortune films four (long) days each month, filming about six episodes per day. Churning out 288 episodes per year is, after all, no small feat.
That would mean that she makes a little over $10k per episode, a little over $62k per work day, and over $240k per month. That’s obviously a hefty pay — but compared to Pat Sajak’s pay and White’s status as a household name, it’s hard to get too excited. This is a television icon making a per-episode pay comparable to a brand new Real Housewife.
Vanna White attends the 26th annual Race to Erase MS on May 10, 2019. (Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Race To Erase MS)
How did Vanna White gain such an impressive net worth?
If one views the estimates, Vanna White’s net worth of $85 million outstrips Pat Sajak’s by $10 million if not more.
Her secret involves her interest in real estate. She purchases homes, repairs and improves them, and then sells them for a profit. Notably, she was doing this before “house-flipping” became a post-Great Recession fad.
Relatedly, she has also invested in apartment buildings. While being a landlord is enough to tank many a celebrity’s brand, it’s important to note that it doesn’t sound like she buys up family homes in neighborhoods. Unlike leeches who strive to set up AirBnB fiefdoms and destroy housing markets, apartment buildings actually serve a positive function in society.
She has had other sources of income, too
We also shouldn’t forget that Vanna White is a bestselling author. Vanna Speaks, her 1987 memoir, raked in a $250,000 advance — a sizable advance now, but worth considerably more in the 1980s.
She has also appeared as an actress, not unlike Pat Sajak.
When it comes to real estate, she was using her Wheel of Fortune income to make new investments. But a memoir and acting roles are using her face and fame to market herself. She’s clearly a savvy businesswoman.
Vanna White Net Worth: How Rich Has ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Made Her? was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.