Ellen DeGeneres Net Worth: Shocking $500 Million Fortune Revealed!

What is Ellen DeGeneres' net worth and Salary?

Ellen DeGeneres is a well-known American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and TV personality, boasting a net worth of $500 million. She gained fame primarily from her sitcom "Ellen," which she created and aired from 1994 to 1998, as well as her long-running talk show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," which was on the air from 2003 to 2022. This talk show significantly boosted her wealth, with Ellen reportedly earning around $60 million in salary at its peak, plus tens of millions more from endorsements and other hosting gigs.

Ellen has received numerous accolades, including the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and a record 20 People's Choice Awards. In 2016, she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in 2020, she received the Carol Burnett Award at the Golden Globes.

Beyond her entertainment career, Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi, are known for their impressive real estate ventures. They've bought, renovated, and sold numerous luxurious mansions throughout Southern California. We’ll highlight some of their most notable real estate projects at the end of this article.

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Ellen's rise to fame started in the stand-up comedy scene in the early 1980s. Her unique blend of self-deprecating humor and observational comedy quickly won her fans. Her breakthrough moment came in 1986 when she made a guest appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," becoming the first female comedian to be invited to sit on the couch during her debut.

Ellen made her way to television and appeared in a few sitcoms, but it was her show "Ellen" (initially called "These Friends of Mine") that really put her on the map. The series was a game-changer, especially when her character came out as gay in the iconic two-part episode known as "The Puppy Episode" back in 1997. At the same time, Ellen publicly came out on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," making her one of the first big names in Hollywood to do so.

After "Ellen" wrapped up, she took a leap into daytime TV with "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2003. The talk show took off and became super popular, famous for its fun dance segments, awesome giveaways, and touching moments. Through her platform, Ellen not only entertained audiences but also supported various causes, from animal welfare to humanitarian efforts. The show’s success earned her a bunch of awards, including several Daytime Emmys.

But Ellen's talents go beyond just TV. She's also made her mark in film, most notably as the voice of Dory in Pixar's "Finding Nemo" and its sequel, "Finding Dory." Plus, she's written a few books and even started her own record label, Eleveneleven.

Salary Highlights

Ellen DeGeneres rakes in a yearly salary that ranges from $75 million to $90 million. For instance, from June 2018 to June 2019, she made around $80 million through her different projects.

RELATED: Angelina Jolie's Impressive $120 Million Net Worth Revealed.

Early Life

Ellen DeGeneres was born on January 26, 1958, in Metairie, Louisiana. Her mom, Elizabeth, worked as a speech therapist, while her dad, Elliott, was in the insurance business. She has a brother, Vance DeGeneres, who’s a musician, comedian, and producer, and even did some work as a correspondent on "The Daily Show." After her parents split in 1974, her mom remarried and they moved from New Orleans to Atlanta, Texas.

Ellen graduated from Atlanta High School in 1976 and then headed back to New Orleans to enroll at the University of New Orleans. However, she dropped out after just one semester to take a clerical job at a law firm. Along the way, she also worked at J.C. Penney, waited tables at TGI Fridays, painted houses, and took on roles as a hostess and bartender.

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Career

Ellen spent her early years juggling various odd jobs while also testing out her stand-up comedy at coffee shops and small venues. By 1981, she was the emcee at Clyde's Comedy Club in New Orleans. In the early '80s, she took her stand-up act on the road across the country. Showtime recognized her talent by naming her the Funniest Person in America in 1984. She got her first regular TV role in 1989 on the Fox sitcom "Open House."

In 1992, she appeared in the short-lived sitcom "Laurie Hill," which led to her being cast in the next pilot by the same producers, "These Friends of Mine," on ABC. The show was later renamed "Ellen" in its second season. The series hit its peak in April 1997 when Ellen came out as a lesbian on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and her character did the same during a therapy session with Oprah. Unfortunately, "Ellen" was canceled in May 1998 after ratings dropped due to less promotion from ABC.

After her sitcom ended, Ellen went back to stand-up. She made a comeback in 2001 with "The Ellen Show," a CBS sitcom that lasted only 13 episodes. In 2003, she lent her voice to Dory in "Finding Nemo" and returned to the role in "Finding Dory" in 2012.

In the fall of 2003, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" premiered and quickly became one of the most popular daytime talk shows. In its first three seasons, it snagged 25 Emmy Awards. Ellen celebrated her 100th episode on May 1, 2009, and hit the milestone of her 2000th show in December 2015.

In 2010, DeGeneres joined "American Idol" as a judge, stepping in for Paula Abdul. However, she only stayed for one season, mentioning that it just "didn't feel like the right fit for me." Fast forward to the 2017-2018 TV season, she kicked off hosting "Ellen's Game of Games" on NBC, which took the fun games from her talk show to a whole new level.

Then in May 2021, DeGeneres revealed that her talk show would wrap up after its 19th season in 2022. The last episode aired on May 26, 2022, featuring guests like Jennifer Aniston, Pink, and Billie Eilish.

On top of that, DeGeneres has also taken the stage as host for the Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, and Academy Awards.

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Personal Life

Ellen DeGeneres came out as a lesbian back in 1997, and that same year, she began a relationship with actress Anne Heche, which lasted until August 2000. After that, from 2000 to 2004, she was involved with actress Alexandra Hedison. In 2004, Ellen found love again with actress Portia de Rossi, and they tied the knot in August 2008 at their home in Beverly Hills, California.

Both Ellen and Portia follow a vegan lifestyle.

For Ellen's 60th birthday in January 2018, Portia surprised her with a permanent gorilla sanctuary in Rwanda, named after Ellen, as a gift to support the Digit Fund. This initiative is now part of the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund.

Ellen has written four books and launched her own record label, Eleveneleven, along with a production company called A Very Good Production. She also created a lifestyle brand, ED Ellen DeGeneres, which offers a range of products including clothing, accessories, and items for babies, homes, and pets.

Real Estate

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are pros at flipping houses. Since 2003, they’ve bought and sold over 20 properties! In 2019, they made some serious moves, selling homes for $6.98 million, $15.5 million, and a whopping $23 million.

Here’s a quick list of their most impressive buys and sales:

In 2003, DeGeneres picked up a Hollywood Hills home for $6 million. Just three years later, she flipped the four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom place to Will Ferrell for $9 million.

In 2004, she snagged a midcentury-style pad in Hollywood Hills, affectionately called "the treehouse" because of its 2,000 square feet of outdoor space, for $1.275 million. A year later, she sold the two-bedroom, two-bathroom home to the late Heath Ledger for $2.1 million.

Fast forward to 2007, DeGeneres and de Rossi bought a Montecito mansion for $15.75 million and sold it later that year for $20 million.

In 2008, the couple invested $29 million in a sprawling 9,200-square-foot estate in Beverly Hills, later acquiring two neighboring homes to expand their property. They tied the knot at this location. By 2012, they sold the entire compound to Ryan Seacrest for $37 million. That same year, DeGeneres purchased a horse ranch in Thousand Oaks for $8.5 million, renovated it, and flipped it in 2013 for $10.85 million.

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In 2011, they bought Brad Pitt's old Malibu home for $12 million, selling it a year later for $13 million.

In 2012, they spent nearly $40 million on the Brody House in Holmby Hills, only to sell it for $55 million just six months later to Sean Parker. They also grabbed two adjacent condos in Los Angeles for $13.2 million that year, selling them three years later for $11.85 million.

In 2015, they acquired a four-bedroom, eight-bathroom villa in Beverly Hills for $16 million, flipping it three years later for $35 million.

By 2018, they bought a mansion in Beverly Hills for $15 million, but less than a year later, they sold the five-bedroom property for $15.5 million. That same year, they also picked up a ranch in Santa Barbara for $6.7 million, which they sold a year later to Nickelodeon president Brian Robbins for $6.98 million.

Also in 2018, they dropped $27 million on a Bali-style mansion in Montecito, California. Not long after, they snagged a neighboring property for $1.9 million. By October 2020, they had listed the mansion for $40 million and accepted a $33 million offer just a month later.

In 2019, the couple picked up a five-bedroom, 12-bathroom mansion in Beverly Hills from Adam Levine for $45 million. They flipped it in April 2021 for $47 million.

Fast forward to November 2020, Ellen and Portia bought comedian Dennis Miller's Montecito home for $49 million, which was nearly a record for the area given its 4 acres.

In May 2021, they spent $14.3 million on a ranch in Montecito that they had previously owned from 2017 to 2018. Shortly after, they bought the adjacent home for $12 million.

By September 2021, they purchased a Beverly Hills home for $8.5 million. Two months later, they sold the Dennis Miller property, which they had held for just a year, for $55 million, making a cool $6 million without any major renovations.

In February 2022, they invested $21 million in a Montecito property called "Villa Tragara," which boasts a 12,000-square-foot mansion on 2.5 acres. By September 2022, they sold this home to music producer Scooter Braun for $36 million. Earlier in April 2022, they also bought another Montecito home for $13.5 million:

In June 2023, Ellen and Portia dropped $22.5 million on an 8-acre estate in Montecito known as "Pompeiian Court." This stunning property, built back in 1919, is hailed as one of the top estates in the area. It features a classic Roman courtyard design, with all the rooms opening up to a central courtyard.

The estate includes a main house, two guest houses, an art studio, and a pool cabana. The couple completely renovated the place in just under four months after buying it. Then, on October 16, 2023, they put it on the market for $46.5 million. They ended up selling it in mid-2024 for $32 million to mining mogul Robert Friedland. That name will come into play soon.

Carpinteria Estate

In December 2022, Ellen and Portia dropped $70 million on a stunning 10-acre oceanfront estate in Carpinteria, California, right near Santa Barbara and Montecito. This deal included a massive 9,000-square-foot mansion and an adjacent 6.6-acre garden lot (complete with a lake!). The property was initially listed back in August 2021 for a whopping $160 million, but that price included another 9,000-square-foot mansion that they chose not to buy. The seller was hedge fund mogul Bruce Kovner, who started developing the 22-acre site with his wife Suzie in 2007.

They shelled out $100 million for the land, which they named Sanctuary at Loon Point, and then invested another $50 million into renovating the two homes and landscaping. Surprisingly, Ellen and Portia flipped the property less than two years later for $96 million, with Robert Friedland as the buyer. Interestingly, around the same time they sold the Carpinteria estate, they bought back "Pompeiian Court" from Friedland for the same $32 million they had sold it to him for earlier that year.

RELATED: Brad Pitt's Net Worth: How He Built His $400 Million Fortune.

Ellen DeGeneres' journey from a stand-up comedian to a television mogul is a testament to her immense talent, resilience, and business acumen. With a net worth of $500 million, she has solidified her place as one of the most influential figures in entertainment. Beyond her successful career, Ellen has made significant contributions to various charitable causes, further enhancing her legacy.

Her real estate ventures, philanthropic efforts, and diverse entrepreneurial pursuits show that Ellen’s impact extends far beyond the screen. She continues to inspire millions, proving that hard work, authenticity, and creativity can lead to extraordinary success.