They’re Worth How Much? TV Anchors By the Numbers

Cooper. Sawyer. Blitzer. They have multimillion-dollar contracts and perfect hair. But which newsmakers deliver the most bang for their boss’s bucks? To find out, The Daily Beast divided the individual salaries of some of the top talking heads by the number of viewers their shows bring in. The results might surprise you.

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-cooper_w4vyeg

Anderson Cooper 360°

Network: CNN

Salary: $11 million

Total viewers: 608,000

$ Per viewer: $18.09

John Shearer / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-scarborough_pnhpke

Morning Joe

Network: MSNBC

Salary: $4 million

Total viewers: 367,000

$ Per viewer: $10.90

Mark Wilson / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-morgan_skmfcf

Piers Morgan Tonight

Network: CNN

Salary: $6 million

Total viewers: 560,000

$ Per viewer: $10.71

AP Photo

Hannity

Network: Fox News

Salary: $15 million

Total viewers: 1.939 million

$ Per viewer: $7.74

AP Photo

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-blitzer_pyifsz

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer

Network: CNN

Salary: $3 million

Total viewers: 411,000

$ Per viewer: $7.30

Don Emmert, AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-matthews_wxh5pw

Hardball with Chris Matthews

Network: MSNBC

Salary: $5 million

Total viewers: 803,000

$ Per viewer: $6.23

Jim Watson, AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-lauer_qszyui

TODAY

Network: NBC

Salary: $25 million

Total viewers: 4.245 million

$ Per viewer: $5.89

NBC NewsWire

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-brzezinski_dhd6of

Morning Joe

Network: MSNBC

Salary: $2 million

Total viewers: 367,000

$ Per viewer: $5.45

Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-smith_g46l9o

Fox Report and Studio B

Network: Fox News

Salary: $10 million

Total viewers: 1.877 million

$ Per viewer: $5.33

Richard Drew / AP Photo

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-burnett_vpwtff

OutFront

Network: CNN

Salary: $2 million

Total viewers: 506,000

$ Per viewer: $3.95

Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-schultz_lsronf

The Ed Show

Network: MSNBC

Salary: $4 million

Total viewers: 1.024 million

$ Per viewer: $3.91

Virginia Sherwood / MSNBC

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-rose_ben0xu

CBS This Morning

Network: CBS

Combined salary: $8 million

Total viewers: 2.341 million

$ Per viewer: $3.41

Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-baier_zjwzwk

Special Report with Bret Baier

Network: Fox News

Salary: $7 million

Total viewers: 2.076 million

$ Per viewer: $3.37

Charles Ommanney / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-fox-and-friends_jk1hs7

Fox & Friends

Network: Fox News

Salary: $2 million average

Total viewers: 1.044 million

$ Per Viewer: $1.92

Henry S. Dziekan III / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-sorkin_n3mxsr

Squawk Box

Network: CNBC

Salary: $250,000

Total viewers: 140,000

$ Per Viewer: $1.79

Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-quick_ghwiuv

Squawk Box

Network: CNBC

Salary: $250,000

Total viewers: 140,000

$ Per viewer: $1.79

Jin Lee / AP Photo

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-kernen_qvp8h1

Squawk Box

Network: CNBC

Salary: $250,000

Total viewers: 140,000

$ Per viewer: $1.79

Kelly Conaty / NBC

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-williams_ztpngo

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams

Network: NBC

Salary: $13 million

Total viewers: 7.736 million

$ Per viewer: $1.68

Charles Sykes / NBC

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-roker_kjm9bl

TODAY

Network: NBC

Salary: $7 million

Total viewers: 4.245 million

$ Per viewer: $1.65

Dave Hogan / NBC

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-sawyer_zaqdtg

World News with Diane Sawyer

Network: ABC

Salary: $12 million

Total viewers: 7.32 million

$ Per viewer: $1.63

Ida Mae Astute / ABC

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-roberts_wfvnnc

Good Morning America

Network: ABC

Salary: $6 million

Total viewers: 4.598 million

$ Per viewer: $1.30

Ida Mae Astute / ABC

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-Stephanopolous_ds0yky

Good Morning America

Network: ABC

Salary: $5 million

Total viewers: 4.598 million

$ Per Viewer: $1.09

Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-pelley_ux55sz

CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley

Network: CBS

Salary: $5 million

Total viewers: 5.78 million

$ Per viewer: $0.87

Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

galleries/2012/08/08/they-re-worth-how-much-tv-anchors-by-the-numbers/highest-paid-anchors-king_v4wcx8

CBS This Morning

Network: CBS

Salary: $2 million

Total viewers: 2.341 million

$ Per viewer: $0.85

Frederick M. Brown / Gety Images