As Ryan Seacrest leads 'Wheel Of Fortune' into a new era — here's how much he earned over the years

Wheel of Fortune went through some enormous changes during its 41st season. While the stage and the iconic letterboard got a whole new look, the most notable change was a new host. After long-time host Pat Sajak's retirement, Sony announced Ryan Seacrest as his replacement. While the change was met with mixed reactions, things have turned out to be pretty well. 

Big changes and a new face

Seacrest is perhaps best known for his longtime role as the host of American Idol. His transition to spinning the wheel has been smooth with veteran co-host supporting him through the rounds. 

Following Seacrest's takeover, "Wheel of Fortune" has managed to hit new highs attracting nearly 8 million viewers per night, as per Nielsen ratings. 

Thus, it seems like the producers made the right choice for Sajak's successor. Earlier, Tony Vinciquerra, the chairman of Sony, had provided the exact explanation behind the decision with The New York Times. 

“We want to have the continuity of the host, someone who is well known, and who will travel with the show through that transition,” Vinciquerra said. “I can’t think of a better person to do that with than Ryan," he added.

Now, Seacrest's CV looks ever-so-impressive with several major shows under his belt. Not only that, he has made bank from his career as well, amassing a massive fortune.

Ryan Seacrest, an American radio host, TV personality, and entrepreneur, possesses a substantial net worth of $450 million. Annually, he generates $60 to $80 million from his entertainment ventures. Seacrest gained fame as "American Idol" host, and currently leads "American Top 40," iHeartMedia's "On Air with Ryan Seacrest".

While Sajak made $18 million annually as host of the main show and, a total of $20 million including "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune," Seacrest reportedly makes more. While the exact salary hasn't been confirmed, there are reports from various sources suggesting that he makes about $28 million annually for his duties. 

Seacrest's wealth doesn't solely come from hosting "American Idol" and "Live! With Kelly". He's also a TV producer (he's responsible for shows like "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and Netflix's "Insatiable" and has made substantial profits from smart real estate investments. While hosting "Live! With Kelly and Ryan", Seacrest is said to have earned approximately $10 million per season.

He previously made $1 million for his role in hosting and producing "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve". He has hosted the show 18 times already since 2005 and is reported to have signed a multi-year agreement in December 2021 to continue this role.

When American Idol came back in 2017, Ryan Seacrest was expected to earn around $12 million as its host. This amount has probably gone up in the six years since then. Seacrest served as an executive producer for "Keeping Up With the Kardashians", a show that spanned 20 seasons over 14 years. While his exact salary for this role hasn't been disclosed, the show's impact and societal influence have been immeasurable, although not without controversy.

It's reported that Ryan Seacrest earns $15 million annually for his hosting roles on both "On Air With Ryan Seacrest" and "American Top 40 With Ryan Seacrest."