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 and Dateline NBC, he has spent years bringing important stories to viewers. His career in journalism has made him a respected name in the industry.
So, let’s take a closer look at how he built his wealth and what contributes to his earnings.
| 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 |
What is Lester Holt Net Worth?
Lester Holt is an American news anchor with an estimated net worth of $35 million. His wealth comes mainly from his long career as a television journalist. Holt earns a reported $10 million per year as the lead anchor of NBC Nightly News.
His salary increased significantly after he became the full-time anchor in 2015. Before that, he had served as a weekend anchor and a co-host on Today. With years of hard work and dedication, Holt has built a financial empire that rivals some of the top names in the news industry.
Salary
Lester Holt works in many roles at NBC. He is the news anchor for NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC. He also works on other NBC projects. Lester makes $10 million each year for his work.
Early Life
Lester Don Holt was born on March 8, 1959, at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. He is the youngest of four children. His mother, June, was born in Harlem, New York, and his father, Lester, was African American from Michigan. Holt’s family background includes Jamaican roots. His grandfather, Canute, was of Anglo-Indian descent from Spanish Town, Jamaica. His grandmother, May, was Afro-Jamaican.
Holt grew up in a military family. His father was stationed in Alaska during the Vietnam War. Holt got interested in broadcasting because of his older brother, who worked as a disc jockey at a radio station in Anchorage.
He graduated from Cordova High School in 1977. He went to California State University, Sacramento, to study government but never graduated. However, he later received an honorary degree in 2015. He also earned honorary doctorates from Rutgers University in 2020 and Villanova University in 2023.
Career
Lester Holt has worked in news for many years. He started his career in 1981 as a reporter for WCBS-TV in New York City. He then worked for stations in Los Angeles and Chicago, where he spent 14 years. He reported from dangerous places like Iraq, Northern Ireland, and Somalia. In 2000, he joined MSNBC and later became a full-time anchor at NBC News. Holt became the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News in 2015.
Throughout his career, Holt hosted many special programs. He hosted a 9/11 conspiracy theories documentary for The History Channel and a documentary about crystal skulls on the Sci-Fi Channel. He also worked as a sports reporter for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Holt has moderated important debates, including the 2016 Presidential Debate. He was praised for his tough but fair questions, especially when he challenged Donald Trump. In 2017, he interviewed Trump about firing FBI Director James Comey, which made headlines. Holt has also covered major events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Capitol Attack.
In 2023, Holt reported on the Hamas attack on Israel. He also co-moderated the 2023 GOP Primary Debate, which drew millions of viewers. Holt’s signature sign-off is, “I’m Lester Holt; please take care of yourself, and each other. Good night.”
Other work
Holt has appeared in many movies and TV shows. He was in The Fugitive 1993, U.S. Marshals 1998, and Primal Fear 1996. He also played himself in TV shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Due South, Early Edition, and Warehouse 13. He even showed up in an episode of 30 Rock called “Cleveland.” In 30 Rock, Holt did a voice-over in the episode “Sandwich Day.”
Holt has hosted events too. He announced the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for the USA Network in 2006, 2007, and 2008. He also hosted a Sci-Fi Channel documentary called Mystery of the Crystal Skulls in 2008. Holt was featured in Making Music magazine as well.
In 2020, Holt gave a virtual speech for Rutgers University’s graduating class. This was 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 Holt graduated from Pepperdine University in 2009. He worked as a morning news anchor at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. Later, he moved to WNBC and took over the 11 p.m. news from Chuck Scarborough. Now, Stefan is the 10:00 p.m. anchor at WMAQ.
Lester Holt loves music. He plays bass guitar and upright bass. He is in a band called Rough Cuts, made up mostly of video editors from Dateline NBC.
Holt is a member of the Manhattan Church of Christ in New York.
Real Estate
In 2017, Lester Holt sold his condo in Manhattan for $6.4 million. His wife, who is a real estate agent, handled the sale. Holt had bought the apartment in 2007 for $3.22 million.
The condo was in the Grand Madison building, which was built in 1906. It had 11-foot ceilings, big windows, and a private balcony with a view of Madison Square Park. The apartment also had a built-in espresso maker.
The Grand Madison building is known for its Beaux-Arts architecture. It is a luxurious place with a lot of character.
