LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hoda Kotb, the 59-year-old daytime broadcaster and host of the show 'Today with Hoda & Jenna', opened up about the pay disparity she faced early in her career. Her current net worth is a cool $30 million but that has not always been the case.
On an episode of the show where she and her co-host Jenna Bush Hager were discussing how Vanna White secured an extended 'Wheel of Fortune' contract, Kotb remembered the time when she had to ask for a raise.
"I think it's one of the hardest things for women to do,” Kotb stated. “I know for years I was definitely making a fraction of what my male co-anchors were making. I actually never asked because I didn't want to be difficult."
Was Hoda Kotb underpaid early in her career?
Kotb worked as a correspondent for NBC's 'Dateline' from 1998 to 2007. She exclaimed that the pay inequality was “pretty clear at the time,” and that she might have been “the lowest paid correspondent.”
"I remember thinking to myself, 'I can't pay my bills here. I couldn't pay all my bills at the same time. So I was like, 'I'll pay this one, and then pay that one,'" elaborated Kotb.
Her co-host Hager highlighted the importance of teaching their daughters to be humble and hard-working, as well as to fearlessly ask for what they deserve.
Kotb fully supported the statement, saying, "Both things can be true. You can have grace and humility and still ask for what you deserve. Both of those things can happen at the same time."
What did Hoda Kotb say about her salary?
Hoda Kotb has a reported net worth of $30 million. This is on account of her lucrative contract with NBC and multiple bestselling books.
Her salary from the early days of her career when she joined NBC is unknown. Kotb started off as a correspondent for 'Dateline' in 1998 and proceeded to host 'Today' in 2007. She signed a new deal with NBC in 2013.
A considerable raise came along when Kotb took over from Matt Lauer, who was fired following sexual harassment allegations. But she is still making a shocking $18 million less than Lauer.
Kotb is currently earning $8 million to $10 million per year, according to Cosmopolitan.
Reflecting on her current paycheck, Kotb told People, “I think the whole money thing for me, I’ve always been sort of—I know it sounds ridiculous that I’m going to say this, but I really have done jobs I liked for the job I liked because I never wanted to be happy every other Friday on payday,”
"Like, I didn’t want that to be the happy day. I wanted to feel good throughout. So no, I’m not making Matt Lauer money. Not even close,” she continued.
