Lester Holt net worth is a topic many people are curious about. He is one of the most trusted news anchors in the country. As the host of NBC Nightly News, he has built a long and respected career in journalism. His work covering major events and interviewing world leaders has made him a well-known figure in news.
So, let’s take a closer look at how he earns his money and what has helped him build his wealth.
Lester Holt in Brief
| Full Name | Lester Don Holt Jr. |
| Date of Birth | March 8, 1959 |
| Place of Birth | Hamilton Air Force Base, California |
| Occupation | Journalist, News Anchor |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (187 cm) |
| Weight | 160 lbs (73 kg) |
| Spouse | Carol Hagen (m. 1982) |
| Children | Stefan Holt, Cameron Holt |
| Net Worth | $35 million |
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What Lester Holt Net Worth?
Lester Holt is an American news anchor with an estimated net worth of $35 million. His wealth comes primarily from his long career in journalism, with a significant portion coming from his work at NBC. As one of the highest-paid news anchors on television, Holt reportedly earns $10 million per year from his contract with NBC.
Unlike many TV personalities who rely on endorsements and side businesses, Holt’s fortune is built almost entirely on his journalistic career. His dedication to reporting the news has earned him both respect and financial success.
Early Life
Lester Holt was born on March 8, 1959, at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. He was the youngest of four children to June and Lester Don Holt. His mother’s family came from Jamaica, and his father was African American from Michigan. Holt’s maternal grandfather, Canute DeRozario, was of Anglo-Indian descent. His grandmother, May, was Afro-Jamaican and grew up in Harlem.
His father served in the Vietnam War and was stationed in Alaska for four years. Holt was introduced to broadcasting by his older brother, who worked as a disc jockey in Anchorage. Holt graduated from Cordova High School in 1977. He went on to study government at California State University, Sacramento but didn’t finish his degree. He later received an honorary degree in 2015.
In 2012, Lester Holt shared that his first job on air was as a disc jockey at a Country and Western station. He worked there through college. He earned honorary doctorates from Rutgers University in 2020 and Villanova University in 2023.
Career
Lester Holt spent 19 years with CBS, working as a reporter, anchor, and international correspondent. He began his career in 1981 at WCBS-TV in New York City. Afterward, he worked at several stations, including KNXT in Los Angeles and WBBM-TV in Chicago, where he spent 14 years anchoring the evening news. He covered major international stories, reporting from places like Iraq, Somalia, and Haiti.
In 2000, Holt joined MSNBC. By 2003, he became a full-time member of NBC News. In 2005, he became the co-anchor of Weekend Today after David Bloom’s passing. Holt also filled in as a substitute anchor for NBC Nightly News and Today. In 2007, he became the anchor for the weekend edition of NBC Nightly News, later taking over the weekday edition in 2015 after Brian Williams was suspended.
Holt has done many other things at NBC News. He has hosted specials for The History Channel, reported on the 2008 Summer Olympics, and hosted Dateline on both NBC and the Investigation Discovery network. He even narrated a documentary about crystal skulls for the Sci-Fi Channel in 2008.
Lester Holt has also been known for his tough interviews, such as his 2016 presidential debate with Donald Trump. In 2017, his interview with Trump about firing FBI director James Comey gained a lot of attention. Holt’s reporting continued during major events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the January 6 Capitol Attack. In 2023, he covered the Israel-Hamas war.
Other work
Lester Holt has appeared in many movies and TV shows. He had small roles in The Fugitive 1993, U.S. Marshals 1998, and Primal Fear 1996. He also appeared on TV as himself in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Due South, Early Edition, and Warehouse 13. He was in the 30 Rock episode “Cleveland” and did a voice-over in the episode Sandwich Day.
Holt also worked on TV events. He announced the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2006, 2007, and 2008. He was featured in Making Music magazine. In 2008, he hosted a documentary on the Sci-Fi Channel called Mystery of the Crystal Skulls.
On May 31, 2020, Holt gave a virtual speech to the graduating class of Rutgers University. He did this because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal life
Lester Holt lives in Manhattan with his wife, Carol Hagen. They have two sons, Stefan and Cameron. Stefan graduated from Pepperdine University in 2009. He worked as a morning news anchor at WMAQ-TV in Chicago.
In 2016, Stefan moved to the same building as his father when he joined WNBC. He later became the anchor for the station’s 11 p.m. news. Now, Stefan anchors the 10:00 p.m. news at WMAQ.
Lester Holt enjoys playing music. He plays bass guitar and upright bass. He performs in a band called Rough Cuts, which includes video editors from Dateline NBC.
Lester Holt also attends the Manhattan Church of Christ in New York.
Awards
In 1990, Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award was given to him for his work on CBS’s 48 Hours: No Place Like Home.
He received an Honorary Doctorate from Pepperdine University in 2012 and another from California State University, Sacramento, in 2015. That same year, he was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.
In 2016, he earned the Alan B. DuMont Broadcaster of the Year award from Montclair State University. The National Association of Black Journalists also honored him with the NABJ Journalist of the Year Award.
He won the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism in 2018. In 2019, he received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.
In 2020, Lester Holt was awarded another Honorary Doctorate, this time from Rutgers University. Most recently, in 2023, he received the Larry Foster Award for Integrity in Public Communication and another Honorary Doctorate from Villanova University.
Real Estate
In 2017, it was reported that Lester Holt sold his condo in Manhattan for $6.4 million. The sale was managed by his wife, who works as a real estate agent. Holt had bought the condo in 2007 for $3.22 million.
The condo was in the Grand Madison building. This building is known for its Beaux-Arts-style architecture and was built in 1906. The apartment had high 11-foot ceilings and a private balcony with views of Madison Square Park. Large windows brought in lots of light, and there was even a built-in espresso maker.