This Is How Much Lou Dobbs Is Actually Worth

Lou Dobbs, one of the pioneers of 24-hour cable news, made a name for himself as a serious financial journalist for decades; he is also one of the founders of CNN. Before there was CNN, there was local and national news in the mornings and evenings – and that was it. Dobbs helped change all that, but had humble beginnings like other cable news faces.

Dobbs was born in 1945 and earned himself a prestigious Harvard degree before becoming a local police reporter before finding his niche in financial news. By 1980, he became a founding member of the CNN news team and worked as their chief financial correspondent for nearly two decades, according to Encyclopedia. He eventually helped found the networks internet and financial news divisions, becoming a familiar face to cable news fans everywhere.

In 2009, the news world was shocked when Dobbs abruptly quit CNN, according to NPR. But his career was far from over. Two years later, Fox News scooped him up to host a show on Fox Business, an endeavor that amassed him an even greater fortune for the next 10 years until Fox shockingly canceled "Lou Dobbs Tonight" in February 2021. However, Dobbs was in no money trouble as he remained on contract with Fox, according to the LA Times. He just didn't remain on air. So, how much is Dobbs really worth?

Lou Dobbs was a respected journalist for many years, collecting a bevy of awards, including The George Foster Peabody Broadcast Award, the George J. Kourpas Excellence in Journalism Award, Annual CableACE Award from National Cable Television Association, and the pre-eminent television award, an Emmy Award, according to Encyclopedia.com.

In 1999, Dobbs also founded Space.com, which describes itself as "the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier." With a founding stake in this website, as well as his many years with top-rated shows on two successful and competing cable news networks, Dobbs has earned himself a sizable fortune in his lifetime.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Dobbs is worth an impressive $20 million. When Dobbs ceased airing on Fox – both the business network and the news network where he became a political commentator – he was earning $5 million per year. Not bad for a man who got his start covering the local police beat.