Sarah Koenig Highest-Paid Journalist in the World

It's been a rough year for the journalist, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 56-year-old Sarah Koenig has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid journalists for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 24/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Sarah Koenig tops annual list of highest-paid journalists

In 2023 it looked like the journalist’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 23) that Koenig is the highest-paid journalist in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $20 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 American journalist-podcaster has an estimated net worth of $145 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 Koenig Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “New York Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderkoenig - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Sarah) and a fashion line called “Sarah Koenig Seduction”.

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

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