What Was Pulitzer Winner Harper Lee's Net Worth?

In 1999, "To Kill a Mockingbird" was voted "Best Novel of the Century."

PUBLISHED DEC 14, 2023

Cover Image Source: Harper Lee | Photo by Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images

Name	Harper Lee
Net worth	$35 Million
Sources of Income	Writing
Gender	Female
Date of Birth	Apr 28, 1926
Date of Death	Feb 19, 2016
Age	89 years
Nationality	United States of America
Profession	Author and Novelist

Harper Lee's Net Worth

American novelist Harper Lee is best known for her award-winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," which was later adapted into a film. The book was released in 1960 and focused on racism that she observed growing up. Lee's book was critically acclaimed and made her one of the most famous writers of the 19th century. She passed away in 2016, and her net worth at the time of her death was around $35 million.

Presidential Medal of Freedom on the neck of Harper Lee | Getty Images | Chip Somodevilla — Presidential Medal of Freedom on the neck of Harper Lee | Getty Images | Photo by Chip Somodevilla

Harper Lee's Sources of Income

In 1949, Lee moved to New York City to pursue her dreams. Initially, she worked as a ticket agent for Eastern Airlines and then for the British Overseas Air Corp. Her friend, Broadway composer and lyricist, Michael Martin Brown, encouraged her to quit her job and focus on her writing. Taking inspiration from her childhood days in Alabama, she wrote for a year before finding an agent and publishing her work.

In 1957, Lee submitted a manuscript named "Go Set a Watchman." Her agent sent her work to publishing firms. When it was picked up by JB Lippincott Company, the manuscript fell into the hands of editor Tay Hohoff. While she was impressed with the manuscript, she thought that the book needed work before it could be published. She worked with Lee and the two finally produced "To Kill a Mockingbird." Published in 1960, the book immediately became a bestseller and won great critical acclaim, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. In 1999, it was voted "Best Novel of the Century" in a poll by the Library Journal.

Her book, "Go Set a Watchman" was published in 2015, more than five decades after "To Kill a Mockingbird." This book was a precursor to "To Kill a Mockingbird." The novel features an adult Scout Finch returning to Maycomb, Alabama, and grappling with societal changes. However, the book stirred some controversy and received mixed reviews due to its portrayal of certain characters and themes.

Harper Lee's "Go Set a Watchman" | Getty Images | Photo by John Lamparski

Royalties from "To Kill a Mockingbird"

"To Kill a Mockingbird" has sold over 40 million copies across the globe and has been reprinted in 40 languages. Even 50 years later, the book continues to sell at least 1 million copies per year. Lee made close to $3.2 million per year in royalties from this book, which is around $9,200 daily.

Personal Life

Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama. She was the youngest of four children. She attended Monroe County High School and later studied at Huntingdon College in Montgomery before being transferred to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. She never married and had no children. In 2016, at the age of 89, Lee passed away in her sleep.