Children’s Horror Author R.L. Stine Has Raked in Hundreds of Millions
Children's horror author R.L. Stine has a net worth of about $200 million thanks to huge book sales and movie and TV adaptations. Here are all the details.
June 27 2022, Published 11:58 a.m. ET
Author R.L. Stine’s name is well known in the world of children’s literature. The writer, who started by writing Scholastic school magazines and joke books, shifted into horror novels, primarily for children. His Fear Street and Goosebumps series are among the most popular in the world and have spawned numerous TV adaptations. According to CelebrityNetWorth, R.L. Stine’s net worth is $200 million.
R.L. Stine
Author, Producer, Screenwriter
Net worth: $200 Million
Robert Lawrence Stine, better known as R.L. Stine, has authored hundreds of fiction books in the horror and science fiction genres. He first created a series of humorous books under the name Jovial Bob Stine, along with a teen-focused humorous magazine called Bananas. In 1989, Stine started writing his Fear Street book series, and in 1992, he started writing and publishing the Goosebumps series.
Birthdate: October 8, 1943
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio
Education: BA in English from Ohio State University
Spouse: Jane Waldhorn
Children: 1
Stine pictured with his wife of many decades, Jane Waldhorn, in 2021.
R.L. Stine’s books have sold over 400 million copies.
Stine is a prolific author of primarily horror books geared toward young people. His best-known series are the Fear Street series and the Goosebumps series. By 2008, he had sold an estimated 400 million books worldwide.
Stine’s writings have been adapted into many TV and film versions, which added to his impressive net worth. The film Goosebumps came out in 2015, followed by Goosebumps 2 in 2018. The first grossed $158.3 million and the second grossed $93.3 million at the box office. Fear Street was adapted into a Netflix film trilogy in 2021.
Stine at a book signing in May, which he said was his first author talk in two years: "You made me very happy!"
R.L. Stine vs. Stephen King — who’s made more money?
Although Stine is certainly one of the most recognizable names in fiction, one may stand out above Stine. Stephen King, the author of over 60 novels primarily in the horror genre, has also made plenty of money through his craft.
Stine is often called the “Stephen King of children’s literature.” How does Stine’s net worth compare to King’s?
King is the author of popular books like Carrie, The Shining, It, and The Stand. Several of his books and novellas have been adapted into films, including Carrie, The Shawshank Redemption, and Stand By Me.
King and Stine have both said that Tales From The Crypt helped inspire their own writing careers. According to CelebrityNetWorth, King’s net worth is $500 million, much higher than Stine's net worth. Stine has an estimated $200 million net worth, although he has sold more books than King (400 million vs. 350 million).
A fan's collection of R.L. Stine books in the 'Goosebumps' series.
R.L. Stine is now publishing a limited comic series.
In June, Tripwire reported that BOOM! Studios is publishing a four-issue limited comic book series entitled Stuff of Nightmares, by R.L. Stine. The series will be available starting in September 2022.
Stine explained that Stuff of Nightmares isn't for children. “AT LAST I’m free to let my most horrific fantasies out! Hey, kids — stay away from STUFF OF NIGHTMARES.”
Illustrator A.L. Kaplan said he was a “lifelong fan of horror, and of R.L. Stine” and called it an “exciting experience” to work with him.