Sally Rooney Highest-Paid Author in the World

It's been a rough year for the author, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 35-year-old Sally Rooney has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid authors for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 20/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Sally Rooney tops annual list of highest-paid authors

In 2023 it looked like the author’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Thursday (March 19) that Rooney is the highest-paid author in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $50 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Irish author has an estimated net worth of $245 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Rooney Burger” chain) in Dublin, a Football Team (the “Castlebar Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderooney - Ireland), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Sally) and a fashion line called “Sally Rooney Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Sally fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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