- Vanna White, co-host of Wheel of Fortune for the past 43 years, revealed she only works 34 days a year to film the TV show’s season. Shooting six episodes per day and switching in and out of luxe dresses, White has raked in an annual salary of $3 million.
Working a multi-million dollar job isn’t always a total grind—one famous TV presenter has been bringing in the big bucks working about one month a year.
“We film about 34 days a year,” Vanna White, co-host of game show Wheel of Fortune, said on the “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” broadcast recently. “That’s it. But [we film] six shows a day.”
White has been a long-time presenter for the iconic TV show—she’s been a co-host since 1982, working alongside Pat Sajak for over four decades until his retirement last year. And having just renewed her 2025-2026 season contract, White will continue her usual programming of filming six shows a day, constantly swapping out of fabulous dresses each episode.
When asked if her lax schedule meant that she has 331 days off each year, White responded: “Yeah, I guess so. I’ve never looked at it like that.”
Working the best job in Hollywood—and fighting for her salary
White’s job as a co-host sounds like a dream to most: presenting for one of the most beloved American TV shows, working only a month each year, and raking in about $3 million annually. She’s amassed an estimated net worth of $85 million—but had to fight for it.
In 2023 Puck reported that White had not received a substantial pay raise in nearly 18 years, while Sajak made about five times as much as her. As an indispensable personality on the show, White played her cards on the heels of Sajak’s retirement. When it came to renewing her 2025-2026 contract, she went in on salary negotiations, and came out the other side with a $10 million annual income. That’s about $294,000 for each day of work on her 34-day schedule.
News spread of her intense—but short—schedule, and people online were quick to share their envy of White’s gig. Many agree she has one of the best jobs in Hollywood.
“I can’t think of a downside. Everyone knows who she is but no paparazzi problems, one month of ‘work’, and im sure she’s paid well. Super sweet gig,” one user commented on a Reddit post.
Others compared White’s job to their own situation. Most Americans work a bit over eight hours per day, at least five days per week—and earn an average salary of $66,621, according to the Social Security Administration's 2023 national wage index. White’s gig is anything but ordinary, and workers would love a slice of the Wheel of Fortune pie.
“Queen of efficiency,” one person commented on the post. “Meanwhile, I’m over here working 260 days and still can’t afford a vowel.”
White’s 43-year career co-hosting one of America’s longest running game shows might come with a few caveats—pay disparities, stardom tribulations, and a jam-packed 34-day schedule. But it’s a pair of shoes most workers would love to step into.
“I do not feel sorry for you one bit,” Duran told White on the radio show in response to her intense weeks of filming. “That sounds like a great job.”
