Craig Melvin’s net worth is estimated at approximately $14 million as of 2026, a figure that reflects both his own earnings and those of his wife, NBC and ESPN sports reporter Lindsay Czarniak. Melvin’s wealth has grown substantially since January 10, 2025, when he stepped into the co-anchor seat alongside Savannah Guthrie on NBC’s TODAY show — replacing Hoda Kotb and earning a reported salary increase from $3 million to $5–6 million per year in the process.
Craig Melvin became TODAY’s co-anchor on January 10, 2025, replacing Hoda Kotb alongside Savannah Guthrie.
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Craig Melvin Quick Facts
| Full Name | Craig Melvin |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | May 20, 1984 |
| Age | 42 years old |
| Birthplace | Columbia, South Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Television News Anchor, Author |
| Net Worth | ~$14 Million (2026, combined with wife) |
| Spouse | Lindsay Czarniak (m. 2011) |
| Known For | TODAY co-anchor (2025–present); MSNBC anchor; author of “Pops” |
Net Worth Breakdown
| Income Source | Estimated Amount | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TODAY Co-Anchor Salary | $5–6M/year | Annual (personal) | Elevated from $3M/year when he replaced Hoda Kotb in Jan 2025 |
| MSNBC / Special Assignments | Inc. in NBC contract | Annual (personal) | Continues MSNBC contributions under NBC umbrella |
| Books | $500K–$1M cumulative | Cumulative | “Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father” (2021) |
| Speaking Engagements | $200K–$400K/year | Annual (personal) | Fatherhood, journalism, and family-focused keynotes |
| Wife Lindsay Czarniak’s Earnings | $1–3M/year | Annual (personal) | NBC/ESPN sports reporter; included in combined net worth figure |
| Estimated Combined Net Worth | ~$14 Million (2026) | ||
Early Life & Education
Craig Melvin was born on May 20, 1984, in Columbia, South Carolina. He grew up in a working-class household in Columbia and has spoken openly about the challenges he faced during his childhood, including his mother’s struggles with alcoholism — an experience he detailed in his 2021 memoir “Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father.”
Despite these challenges, Melvin excelled academically and athletically. He attended Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics. While at Wofford, he also worked in local broadcasting, gaining hands-on experience that would accelerate his career after graduation.
Career: From South Carolina to the TODAY Show
Craig Melvin launched his broadcasting career at WLTX in Columbia, South Carolina, his hometown, where he worked as an anchor and reporter. He moved up to WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., one of NBC’s flagship owned-and-operated stations in the nation’s capital, where he built a reputation as a reliable, versatile anchor capable of handling both local news and major national breaking news events.
Melvin joined NBC News in 2011 and began contributing to MSNBC as an anchor and fill-in host. His visibility at NBC grew steadily throughout the early 2010s. In 2018, he became a full-time anchor of TODAY’s third hour — a position that placed him on-screen daily with the program’s main anchor team and expanded his audience significantly.
Before joining TODAY’s main anchor desk, Melvin was a regular presence on MSNBC and anchored TODAY’s third hour.
In November 2024, NBC announced that Melvin would replace Hoda Kotb as co-anchor of TODAY’s flagship first and second hours. His first day in the new role was January 10, 2025 — the same day Kotb made her final appearance. The move was described by NBC executives as a promotion that reflected Melvin’s decade of experience with the network and his chemistry with Savannah Guthrie, with whom he had co-anchored various segments over the years.
The transition was significant not only for Melvin personally but for TODAY’s identity — Kotb had been an institution at the show for nearly two decades, and Melvin’s appointment positioned him as the next chapter in the program’s anchor history. His salary reportedly increased from approximately $3 million per year in his previous role to $5–6 million as co-anchor.
Personal Life
Craig Melvin married Lindsay Czarniak, a sports journalist who has worked for NBC Sports and ESPN, in June 2011. The couple have two children together: son Delano (born 2013) and daughter Sybil (born 2015). The family lives in the New York City area.
Melvin has been publicly open about his family background, particularly his father’s and mother’s struggles, which became the central subject of his 2021 book. He has spoken on TODAY and in interviews about the impact of growing up with a parent who battled addiction and how that experience shaped his approach to fatherhood.
Melvin co-anchors the TODAY show’s flagship first two hours alongside Savannah Guthrie, a role he began in January 2025.
Little-Known Facts About Craig Melvin
- He is a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina — a small liberal arts college that has produced several notable broadcast journalists despite not being a traditional media-industry feeder school.
- His mother’s struggle with alcoholism is a central theme of his 2021 memoir “Pops,” in which he reflects on his relationship with his father and his own journey into fatherhood.
- He and his wife Lindsay Czarniak are a rare “power couple” in broadcast journalism — both working simultaneously for major television networks as anchors in different disciplines (news and sports).
- He began his television career in his home city of Columbia, South Carolina, at WLTX — returning to his roots before his career took him to Washington and New York.
- His appointment as Hoda Kotb’s replacement on TODAY made him one of only a handful of African American co-anchors in the history of the program’s flagship first two hours.
Craig Melvin’s Salary and Income Sources
The largest single driver of Craig Melvin’s wealth is his NBC News contract. After being named co-anchor of TODAY’s flagship first two hours in November 2024 — a role he officially assumed on January 10, 2025 — his reported annual salary rose to roughly $5–6 million, up from the approximately $3 million he earned as anchor of TODAY’s Third Hour and a co-host of Weekend TODAY. That promotion, filling the seat vacated by Hoda Kotb, effectively doubled his on-air earnings and anchors the bulk of his estimated fortune.
Melvin’s income is not limited to his anchor salary. Over a network career that began at NBC in 2011, he has taken on assignments across TODAY, MSNBC, and NBC News specials, and has published work as an author, adding book-related earnings to his portfolio. Industry reporting frequently notes that the widely cited $14 million figure represents combined household wealth with his wife, sports journalist Lindsay Czarniak, whose own broadcasting career spans ESPN, NBC, and national coverage.
Craig Melvin’s Net Worth Over Time
Melvin’s net worth has climbed steadily alongside his rise through the NBC ranks rather than through any single windfall. Early in his network tenure, as a rotating anchor and correspondent, published estimates placed his personal wealth in the low single-digit millions. His elevation to permanent roles on Weekend TODAY and the Third Hour of TODAY lifted both his salary and his national profile through the late 2010s.
The sharpest inflection came with the 2024–2025 co-anchor promotion. With his salary reportedly climbing toward the $5–6 million range and his wife’s earnings factored into most household estimates, the combined figure commonly cited for the couple reached approximately $14 million by 2026. Because these numbers are drawn from third-party estimates rather than disclosed filings, they should be read as informed approximations that track the trajectory of his career rather than exact accounting.
How Craig Melvin’s Earnings Compare at TODAY
Within NBC’s morning-show hierarchy, Melvin’s reported $5–6 million salary places him among the network’s better-paid anchors while still trailing the deals commanded by its most senior figures. Predecessor Hoda Kotb was reported to earn around $7 million in her first year as lead co-anchor, and longtime NBC morning talent have historically signed contracts in a similar or higher range. Melvin’s package reflects both his seniority after more than a decade at the network and NBC’s investment in continuity as it reshaped the TODAY lineup for a new era.
Also Read
- Savannah Guthrie Net Worth 2026: TODAY’s Franchise Anchor
- Hoda Kotb Net Worth 2026: TODAY’s Former Co-Anchor
- Al Roker Net Worth 2026: NBC TODAY’s Weather Legend
Frequently Asked Questions About Craig Melvin
What is Craig Melvin’s net worth in 2026?
Craig Melvin’s net worth is estimated at approximately $14 million in 2026, a figure that reflects both his earnings and those of his wife, sports journalist Lindsay Czarniak. His individual salary as TODAY co-anchor is reported at $5–6 million per year, a raise from his previous $3 million salary as anchor of TODAY’s third hour.
When did Craig Melvin become TODAY co-anchor?
Craig Melvin became co-anchor of NBC’s TODAY show’s first and second hours on January 10, 2025, replacing Hoda Kotb, whose final day on the program was also January 10, 2025. NBC announced his promotion to the co-anchor role in November 2024.
Who is Craig Melvin’s wife?
Craig Melvin is married to Lindsay Czarniak, a sports journalist who has worked as an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports and ESPN. They married in June 2011 and have two children together: son Delano (born 2013) and daughter Sybil (born 2015). Both are prominent television journalists working simultaneously for major networks.
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