What Is 'The Science Guy' Bill Nye's Net Worth?

Bill Nye's Net Worth 

Comedian, television host, mechanical engineer, and science educator, Bill Nye has an estimated net worth of $8 million as of January 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Nye is best known for being the host of his PBS science program "Bill Nye the Science Guy", which aired between 1993 and 1998. The show taught millions of Americans the basics of science and was popular amongst the younger audience.

Most recently, Nye joined the 2024 Doomsday Clock announcement. The Doomsday Clock warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world and currently, it is the closest at 90 seconds to midnight.

Sources of Income

Early Career as an Engineer

William Sanford Nye was born in Washington D.C. to highly intellectual parents. His mother, Jacqueline Jenkins-Nye was a codebreaker during World War II and was a part of an elite group of young women during the war known as the "Goucher Girls". Further, his father, Edwin Darby "Ned" Nye was a contractor who also served in World War II. He was even captured during the war and spent four years as a prisoner in a Japanese camp.

In his childhood, Nye attended high school at Sidwell Friends on scholarship. He then attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he studied at the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. His love for science deepened, in Cornell after he took a class with Carl Sagan on astronomy.

He graduated in 1977 with a BS degree in mechanical engineering and went on to work as an engineer for the Boeing Corporation in Washington, and Sundstrand Data Control near the city of Seattle. At Boeing, Nye was responsible for inventing a hydraulic resonance suppressor tube that was used on the Boeing 747 airplanes. During this time he also applied for astronaut training at NASA but got rejected every time.

During his time with Boeing, Nye worked on the side as a comedian after he won a Steve Martin lookalike contest. He did stand-up comedy at night and on the weekends he volunteered as a "Science Explainer" at the Pacific Science Center.

Television Career

Nye finally quit his job at Boeing in 1986 to focus on his comedy career. He then landed a job as a writer/actor on the local Seattle sketch comedy show "Almost Live!". It was then that he got his famous nickname “The Science Guy”.

He continued to look for work on television, and he bagged the role of the host for the short education show "Fabulous Wetlands", in 1989. The show was sponsored by the Washington State Department of Ecology. He then appeared on Disney Channel's "All-New Mickey Mouse Club", and live-action educational segments on "Back to the Future: The Animated Series" from 1991 to 1993.

Nye followed it up by joining forces with James McKenna, Erren Gottlieb, and Elizabeth Brock, to develop a pilot for the show called “Bill Nye The Science Guy”, for the Seattle public broadcasting station KCTS-TV. The show was produced by Walt Disney Television and Rabbit Ears Productions.

The show went on to become the first show to be concurrently aired on public and commercial television stations. It further enjoyed some of the highest viewership numbers for educational television shows in the U.S. The show won 19 Emmy Awards, and Nye got famous for his attire on the show, a powder blue lab coat and bow tie.

After the show, Nye aimed to develop a new show for a more mature audience and cover more controversial topics in science like global warming. The show named “The Eyes of Nye”, struggled to take off and was eventually picked up by American Public Television only to air for one season in 2005.

Nye then continued to work as an author, educator, public speaker, and television host as well. He authored over a dozen books including the book "Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation" (2014). He returned to science show hosting in 2017 with the Netflix series "Bill Nye Saves the World".

Other Work

As an engineer and inventor, Nye holds three U.S. patents for ballet pointe shoes, an educational magnifying glass, and a device that trains an athlete to throw a ball.

Real Estate Assets

Being a strong advocate for environmental protection and global warming, Bill did a tour back in 2015 showing his eco-friendly apartment in New York City. His new home was solar-powered, featuring plants, graphs, and other unique scientific items.

However, according to Urban Splatter, Nye now lives in a private home in Studio City, California. Not much is known about his home, but it is assumed to be eco-friendly as well. He also has houses in New York City and on Mercer Island near Seattle.

Car Collection

Nye also keeps his cars eco-friendly. In 2021 he struck a partnership with Porsche making an ad campaign around an all-electric Taycan car. Further, according to Green Car Reports, Nye has about 7 electric vehicles, including a Chevy Bolt EV, which he has raved about on social media.

Personal Life

In 2006, Nye married Blair Tindall, a musician, but they got their marriage annulled just seven weeks later. The next year Nye obtained a restraining order against Tindall after she broke into his house. Nye has one daughter with Tindall, named Charity Nye.

Years later in 2022, Nye married Liza Mundy, a former Washington Post reporter and New York Times best-selling author.

Disney Lawsuit

In 2017 Nye and the co-creators of the "Bill Nye the Science Guy" show, filed a $37 million lawsuit against Disney. They accused the studio of failing to pay their 50% cut of profits produced by the show. Nye's attorneys further alleged that Disney conspired to prevent him from receiving a full and reasonable accounting of the expenses of the show.

In the lawsuit, it was claimed that an auditor hired at his expense estimated that Disney's under-reporting totals $28 million, of which $9.4 million was owed to Nye personally.

Awards

2000 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Children's Series For “Bill Nye the Science Guy”

2000 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series For “Bill Nye the Science Guy”

1999 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Children's Series For “Bill Nye the Science Guy”

1998 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series For “Bill Nye the Science Guy”

1998 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series For “Bill Nye the Science Guy”

1997 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series For “Bill Nye the Science Guy”

1996 Daytime Emmy Award: Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series For “Bill Nye the Science Guy”

FAQs

How old is Bill Nye?

Bill Nye is 68 years old.

What is Bill Nye's IQ?

Bill Nye hasn't publicly shared his IQ but it is estimated to be above 130.

What is Bill Nye's real name?

Bill Nye’s birth name is William Sanford Nye.

Does Bill Nye have a PhD?

Bill Nye has received honorary doctorates from Johns Hopkins University, and Willamette University and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Rutgers University.

Does Bill Nye have a child?

Yes, Bill Nye has one daughter named Charity Nye.

What did Bill Nye study?

Bill Nye has a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University.

What is Bill Nye’s net worth?

Bill Nye has an estimated net worth of $8 million as of January 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth.