Rumors Suggest Ryan Seacrest Makes Almost Double Pat Sajak's Old 'Wheel of Fortune' Salary

When a high-profile, award-winning television host joins a successful gameshow, one would have to assume that the pay would be astronomical — and in the case of Wheel of Fortune's newest host, Ryan Seacrest, rumors have certainly corroborated this theory.

Ryan joined the small cast after Pat Sajak's departure in June 2024, and the beloved former American Idol emcee has done the role justice, according to fans.

Now, folks want to know exactly how much dough Ryan is raking in, especially after conflicting reports of his salary have left fans with more questions than answers. Here's what we know.

Like many celebrities, Ryan hasn't been overly transparent about his salary, leaving room for plenty of rumors and speculation — and, so far, that speculation lands on both ends of the spectrum.

Several reports state that Ryan is supposedly making around $28 million per year for hosting the show. Those same rumors suggest that he's making almost double the salary of his predecessor Pat Sajak, who is said to have made around $15 million per season.

However, conflicting reports share that he actually makes a lot less than what Pat was making. According to The U.S. Sun, a "top-level Sony source" has told the publication that Ryan "agreed to a significantly lower salary" due to the gig's longevity and prestige.

"Ryan and his team did not come into this trying to outdo Pat’s very generous salary," the source said. "He can grow into Pat’s $20 million-plus yearly salary over the course of multiple renewals of his deal, but Ryan is doing this job for the prestige and because Wheel is one of the few TV shows that still reaches millions of people every night of the week."

They continued, "You can’t put a price tag on something like that, but it’s obviously incredibly valuable to Ryan."

Ryan has not addressed any of the rumors surrounding his Wheel of Fortune salary, and he's unlikely to do so in the future, as he's never been one to disclose his TV earnings in the past.

As someone who's been hosting America's favorite television and radio programs for decades, it makes sense that Ryan Seacrest has done pretty well for himself financially. From American Idol to Live With Kelly and Ryan to Wheel of Fortune, Ryan has been gracing our small screens since 2002, and according to Celebrity Net Worth, he's earned a $450 million net worth in doing so.

It's an incredibly high number, yes, but it makes sense when you consider that Ryan Seacrest has one of the most recognizable names, faces, and voices in the country — he's even considered the modern-day Dick Clark, which is why he's also the host of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

Seriously, this guy is everywhere.