Joy Behar Net Worth Revealed: The Shocking Truth Behind ‘The View’ Star’s Fortune

Joy Behar has built an impressive $30 million net worth, making her one of the wealthiest hosts that ever spread across “The View” history. She joined as an original cast member at the time of the show’s 1997 premiere alongside Barbara Walters and Meredith Vieira. Her television career has been lucrative, and she earns about $7 million yearly from the popular daytime talk show.

Talk show hosts’ wealth stories rarely match Behar’s fascinating financial experience. The network fired her unexpectedly in 2013, but she made a triumphant return in 2015. She spoke candidly in an interview and joked that “money” was her main reason to stick with the show all these years. On top of that, her standup comedy background definitely added to her impressive financial portfolio. Let me share the complete story of Joy Behar’s remarkable wealth and how she built her fortune.

Joy Behar’s Career Journey Before ‘The View’

Joy Behar wasn’t always the familiar face we know from ABC’s hit talk show. Her path took many turns through different careers. She got her BA in sociology from Queens College in 1964 and went on to earn a master’s degree in English education from Stony Brook University. The 1960s and 1970s saw her working as an English teacher while she quietly dreamed of making it big in entertainment.

Her life changed at 40 when she made a bold switch that would lead her to millions. A brush with death from an ectopic pregnancy sparked this change. “I almost died,” Behar shared in an interview. “After that, I decided to just do what I wanted.”

The 1980s found Behar performing standup in New York’s comedy clubs. She stood out from others with her sharp wit and bold take on controversial topics. She worked as a receptionist and production assistant to pay the bills.

Her big break arrived in 1987 when she appeared with Diane Keaton in “Baby Boom.” Success followed as she landed her own talk show on Lifetime Television called “Way Off Broadway” in the early 1990s. She became a regular face on NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.”

Behar’s career kept growing. By 1995, she hosted “The Joy Behar Show” on HLN and popped up regularly on comedy programs. Her work on WABC radio boosted her profile before she joined “The View.”

Her early career earnings stayed private, but they built the foundation for her future wealth. Everything changed when Barbara Walters picked her for the original panel of “The View” in 1997.

These years before “The View” showed Behar’s incredible drive as she moved from teacher to comedian to TV personality. She developed that outspoken style that would eventually earn her millions.

How ‘The View’ Changed Everything

Barbara Walters launched “The View” in 1997, which became Joy Behar’s defining career move. She joined as one of the original five panelists with Walters, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, and Debbie Matenopoulos. This opportunity ended up shaping her financial future.

Behar’s staying power on the show has been remarkable. She stands as the only original cast member still appearing on the show in 2025, a difference that has contributed to her growing net worth by a lot. The audience loved her from the start because of her outspoken personality and quick wit.

Her original co-host, Meredith Vieira, acknowledged that “The View” helped her career grow. “I had nine years at ‘The View’ and most of that time was great. And I learned a lot,” she noted. She also mentioned that sharing opinions was “liberating” and “made me more, actually, bankable as a personality.”

Behar’s “bankability” grew even stronger due to her extended run. She took a brief break from the show between 2013 and 2015, but couldn’t stay away for long. She came back in 2015 with a humorous comment: “Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in.” The upcoming presidential race motivated her return to the daily platform.

The story could have been different. Her agent suggested turning down the position because it “didn’t pay enough.” Behar also had a potential sitcom opportunity at the time. Notwithstanding that, she was clear about her choice: “I said, ‘It’s in New York City with Barbara Walters. I don’t wanna live in L.A. I wanna live in New York City [and] work with Barbara Walters.'”

Her decision paid off well. She now serves as moderator every Friday and continues building her impressive fortune among current co-hosts including Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, and Alyssa Farah Griffin.

Breaking Down Joy Behar’s Net Worth in 2025

A deep dive into Joy Behar’s finances paints an intriguing picture. The comedian has built a $30 million net worth through multiple revenue streams during her entertainment career that spans decades.

Her ABC contract serves as the life-blood of her wealth today. She earns around $7 million yearly, placing her among daytime TV’s highest-paid personalities. This big paycheck makes up 23% of her total wealth, which suggests she’s smart about managing money beyond her main income source.

Behar stands out from other celebrities who often lose their wealth after peak earnings. She’s grown her assets through smart career decisions. She left “The View” in 2013, and this move likely gave her better negotiating power when she returned. The resulting pay increase has added by a lot to her current wealth.

TV isn’t her only source of income. She’s written several books, including “The Great Gasbag: An A-to-Z Study Guide to Surviving Trump World” (2017) and “Joy Shtick: Or What Is the Existential Vacuum and Does It Come with Attachments?” (1999). These publishing ventures help vary her income sources.

Real estate makes up another part of Behar’s wealth-building strategy. While not widely known, her property portfolio includes a Hamptons home and Manhattan real estate—areas known to increase in value over time.

Behar’s net worth is way beyond newer co-hosts like Alyssa Farah Griffin, who’s worth around $1.5 million. This gap shows how valuable long-term presence and name recognition are in the industry.

By 2025, Behar’s financial success reflects more than just her popularity on “The View.” She’s shown business smarts by turning her brand into steady income streams. Her path from comedy clubs to multi-millionaire shows how talent combined with strategic choices can lead to amazing financial success in entertainment.

Conclusion

Joy Behar’s experience from high school teacher to television icon definitely breaks the usual career path. Not many entertainers can build a $30 million fortune from daytime TV. Her wealth comes from her impressive $7 million yearly salary and smart moves in books and real estate.

The sort of thing I love about Behar’s story is how she took calculated risks. Her agent wasn’t sure about “The View” at first, but she trusted her gut and that ended up making her wealthy. She left the show between 2013-2015, which probably helped her negotiate better when she came back.

She’s lasted longer than almost anyone else in daytime talk TV. Hosts keep changing, but Behar is all that’s left from the original cast in 2025. This shows both her popularity with viewers and her business smarts.

Behar’s story teaches us a lot about staying power in your career. She switched from teaching to entertainment at 40, proving that big life changes can work out whatever the timing. She’s also honest about staying on “The View” for the money, which shows her practical approach to career choices.

Joy Behar shows what happens when talent meets chance and smart decisions. She went from modest beginnings to millions by mixing her comedy skills with clever business moves in the unpredictable world of entertainment.