Here's How Much Brooke Baldwin Is Really Worth
Most CNN viewers will instantly recognize Brooke Baldwin. The former CNN news anchor (who is not related to Alec Baldwin) first joined the network as a temp and, as she revealed in 2021, the host basically landed her show by fluke. During Baldwin's farewell segment, she revealed that she was simply supposed to be keeping the anchor seat warm for the next host. "Well guess what? I have kept this seat warm for nearly 11 years," she proudly told viewers.
While she's been outspoken about alleged gender inequality at CNN, she's also spoken fondly of her former workplace. When she decided to quit in April 2021, she did so with a heavy heart. The anchor told viewers that while she felt privileged to have called CNN her home for so many years, she had a calling to do more beyond the news network. Fans and colleagues alike were surprised and saddened by the news. On Twitter, one fan perfectly noted why Baldwin would be so missed, writing, "Her empathy, warmth, & sheer humanity shine through in her work every day." Meanwhile, her CNN bestie, Don Lemon, called her departure "bittersweet."
However, despite walking away from CNN, Baldwin hasn't walked away from the spotlight. She's still keeping plenty busy, and earning a nice income along the way. Here's how much Brooke Baldwin is really worth, plus a look at how she makes her money.
Brooke Baldwin earned millions at CNN
Just like other popular TV personalities, top-rated news anchors can earn millions. That was the case for Brooke Baldwin who reportedly made $4 million a year at CNN, per The U.S. Sun. It may seem like a large sum, but it should come as no surprise given that Baldwin's two-hour block hosting "CNN Newsroom" garnered high viewing figures which kept advertisers happy.
As early as 2015, Variety was reporting on Baldwin's magic touch, noting that her show's viewership jumped 22% in the first quarter of the year. What's more, the outlet pointed out how, unlike most of her colleagues, she was able to engage a growing number of viewers aged 25 to 54 — the demographic advertisers care most about. Baldwin maintained her power to draw in viewers for years to come. In February 2021, Baldwin's 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. slots were CNN's two most-watched afternoon hours, according to AdWeek. She also hosted the No. 1 cable news show in February 2022, per CNN, and co-hosted the most-watched cable show on New Year's Eve 2021, alongside Don Lemon.
She railed against the gender pay gap
Despite her impressive salary, Brooke Baldwin's CNN earnings were purportedly eclipsed by her male colleagues' income. In 2021, the news anchor addressed the alleged pay gap on Ms. Magazine's "On the Issues" podcast. Speaking candidly, she admitted that things are getting better, but didn't mince words when she critiqued the work yet to be done. "The most influential anchors on our network — the highest-paid — are men," she said, noting that the same is true of most people working off-camera. "The person who oversees CNN 'Dayside' is a man and my executive producer for 10 years is a man, so I've been surrounded by a lot of men," she shared. Baldwin also added that it's not just important to hire more women but to choose women of color in order to ensure a broader perspective and more diverse points of view.
While fellow CNN anchor Don Lemon denied her claims, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) suggests that the industry isn't resistant to the global gender pay gap of 23%. However, that may be changing as more women make their voices heard. In 2019, for example, BBC presenter Samira Ahmed took her employer to court for paying her six times less than a male counterpart. She won on a unanimous judgment and as she later told IFJ, the landmark verdict had a real impact. "I notice 700 BBC women have had pay rises since my case," Ahmed shared.
Brooke Baldwin became a best-selling author
When Brooke Baldwin announced she'd be leaving CNN, she copped to having no real plans for the future. "I don't have a job I'm jumping right into, and yes, I'm feeling very vulnerable," she said. However, it turned out that she did have one big project up her sleeve: a book. That April, HarperCollins published Baldwin's debut, titled, "Huddle: How Women Unlock Their Collective Power." The inspirational tome explored the greatness that can come from women supporting one another in the workplace and beyond. As the anchor told Yahoo! Entertainment, "It's an idea of a quiet movement of women just committing to each other [and] having each other's backs."
It was a topic she wanted to shine a light on and she did so through personal anecdotes, as well as interviews. In fact, it was speaking with women like Gloria Steinem and Karlie Kloss that actually pushed her to step outside her own comfort zone, leave CNN, and pursue a new passion. Speaking with People, Baldwin recalled, "I had this slow realization: How can I hold space with these women and not be the bravest possible version of myself?" The gamble paid off and the book became a Wall Street Journal Bestseller. And while we don't know how much she was paid to write it, we do know celebrity authors can earn millions for putting pen to paper.
She partnered with a meditation app
Since leaving CNN, Brooke Baldwin has been keeping busy with various projects like her book and, more recently, a new partnership with Calm. The top-rated meditation app aims to help users destress and sleep better, and apparently, the anchor is a fan. On Instagram in March 2022, Baldwin revealed that she has joined the Calm revolution. While she didn't offer full details of the collab, she did tease, "I have a few projects up my sleeve."
These plans included interviewing life coach and author Martha Beck about her latest book, "The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self." It was an assignment that Baldwin was openly ecstatic about, telling fans she had read the book and recommended it to all of her friends long before meeting Beck. She also met with yoga teacher and dancer Mel Mah who spearheaded Calm's first-ever video project with her "Daily Move" series. Mah encouraged the app's users to work on their mental health by being active. As Baldwin shared on Instagram, that goal happened to include the physical instructor teaching her some Janet Jackson-approved dance moves.
While the scope of Baldwin's partnership with Calm has yet to be revealed, as The Hollywood Reporter learned, Calm isn't shy about spending money on celebrity names. In fact, the meditation app and its competitor, Headspace, have reportedly shelled out between $25,000 and $100,000 for talent to create unique content for them.
She's still pushing for progress
Brooke Baldwin was adamant that she quit CNN without a backup plan. As she shared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" a month before her departure, she hadn't looked too far ahead when she made her decision to leave the network. "I actually honestly don't know what I'm going to do," she stated, admitting it made her nervous. However, she needn't have worried because she quickly discovered plenty of new avenues to pursue. Looking at her Instagram reveals a number of unique side hustles for which she's been able to combine her gift for storytelling with her dedication to empowering women.
In December 2021, for example, Baldwin appeared as a guest on the "1 Girl Revolution" podcast and had nothing but good vibes to share from the experience. She wrote, "This is one of the best, most authentic podcast conversations I've ever had." Then, in March 2022, she hosted an Instagram Live with Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, in which they talked about huddling and activism. That same month, she spoke on a panel spearheaded by former PepsiCo CEO Indra K. Nooyi (the first woman of color, and American immigrant, to run a Fortune 50 company). A month later, she interviewed athletes Aari McDonald and Sue Bird as part of a paid partnership with Buick. Celebrating the event on Instagram, she wrote, "Loved discussing the progress being made to level the playing field for women's sports."
Baldwin's upscale New York City real estate
Between her work as an anchor, an author, and an all-around inspirational feminist, Brooke Baldwin has put away quite the tidy sum for herself. Adding to her wealth is the fact that she's married to political filmmaker and producer James Fletcher, a man whose net worth is rumored to be around the $1.7 million mark. Then, there's also her real estate investments to consider.
When Baldwin first moved to New York City from Atlanta in 2015, she settled in the pricey West Village where, as of March 2022, home prices can range from $389,000 to $53M, per realtor.com. She later moved to the equally ritzy SoHo neighborhood where homes can sell for between $399,000 and $35M. Her real estate journey continued in late 2020 when she moved to her fourth New York City apartment. This time, she and her husband settled in the even more exclusive NoLita area where, in March 2022, home prices were starting at a whopping $629,500 and going all the way up to $42.5M.
Although it's unclear whether she owns or rents, the high-price neighborhoods she's chosen to call home certainly confirm her bank account balance is not suffering. Indeed, as Celebrity Net Worth estimates, Brooke Baldwin has a cool $10 million net worth as of April 2022.