While some GMA staffers don't have as much money as others, Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos earn some of the biggest bucks in the world of morning news. Robin Roberts earns $18 million each year, according to Celebrity Net Worth. And George Stephanopoulos makes $15 million per year. GMA has featured some of the biggest names in the broadcast news world. Michael Strahan worked with Kelly Ripa on Live with Kelly and Michael before he became a co-anchor on GMA. According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Strahan makes $17 million each year.
While the spotlight is often on the famous anchors at GMA and their high salaries, fans don't often hear about what it's like for the producers and employees on the morning show. Working in TV news definitely seems to be a way to make some good money. How much money do the employees at GMA make?
What Salaries Do Good Morning America Employees Earn?
The anchors at Good Morning America definitely get a lot of attention. T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach's affair put them both in the spotlight, for instance. Fans of the morning show don't often hear about the staff who is working hard behind the scenes. However, it's easy to be curious about how much GMA staffers earn.
It seems that the average salary for a producer at GMA is around $76,328, according to Glassdoor.
This seems to be pretty consistent with what several sources reported. Salary.com suggests that producers could earn $56,707-$72,393. While that might not be as high as what the anchors are earning, it's a nice amount of money to take home each year.
While staffers at GMA aren't being paid tens of millions of dollars like the top anchors, their salaries seem to be consistent with what news producers make. Glassdoor reported that the average news producer's salary is $59,218.
Salary figures aren't available for other jobs at GMA. However, when a potential employee inquired on Reddit in 2021 about what working as a digital news producer is like, someone shared what they had heard from friends.
Redditor @1pcmcchicken said that they went through the application process but didn't say yes to the job. They wrote that they "heard stories from friends/acquaintances that it’s not that rewarding (in terms of salary + how stressful it is) to work there but the benefits are pretty okay."
No matter what each GMA employee is earning, it's definitely less than the top anchors. While the famous faces of GMA are earning millions each year, the staffers seem to be earning more regular salaries.
GMA doesn't appear to pay its interns. According to the ABC News website description of what qualifications interns should have before applying, "ABC NEWS offers the only PAID internship program in network news."
However, several interns have shared their experiences online and have said that the on-the-ground job training makes up for the lack of money.
Of course, like in many other industries, it seems like staffers at GMA can earn more money if they keep getting promoted. Ad Week reported in August 2021 that Simone Swink had been made the show's Executive Producer. She started working at the morning show back in 2010 and had lots of experience, from working in the control room to writing.
Do People Like Working At Good Morning America?
It often seems like it's pretty overwhelming to work at a morning show. It must mean jam-packed days and of course, waking up at the crack of dawn. While that appeals to some people, it's not for everyone.
What is it really like to be an employee at Good Morning America? For many GMA employees, it seems like the job is an exciting way to spend their time. It's definitely a great choice for someone who is motivated, likes being around other hard-working people, and wants to be busy.
GMA Executive Producer Simone Swink shared what her regular routine is like with Digiday.com back in 2016. She explained that she wakes up at 4:10 a.m. and looks at pitches before going to the GMA studio at 4:45 a.m. She told the publication, “There’s a whole extra energy and crackle to the show with a live studio audience." It sounds like Swink loves being in the studio.
Harold López, who interned at GMA, shared his experience with Florida International University News. He had positive things to report. López said, "I love that GMA allowed me to be hands-on with many of their projects. They trust their interns to be a part of the process, whether it is pitching an idea, producing a story or interviewing sources."
López shared that they had a pitch accepted by producers about a woman ending up in a serious relationship with the man who donated sperm to her. It was exciting to see the idea go from pitch to part of the show. This definitely sounds like a real thrill. Unfortunately, some internships can be dull and they don't always offer someone the chance to show off their skills or even learn all that much. A GMA internship sounds much better.
What have other Good Morning America employees said about working on the morning show?
There are many positive messages about GMA on Indeed... but there are some negative ones, too. It sounds like the employees who thrive really like how quick the schedule is.
Someone who used to work at GMA as a news producer posted on Indeed that they really enjoyed the job. They wrote, "We covered a range of major breaking news stories in Colorado. Very fun work, very challenging. Great experiences. Stories ranged from major storms to serious crime events."
An associate producer had a similar experience. They wrote, "A typical day can be calm or completely crazy depending on the news of the day." They called their job "difficult, yet very gratifying."
However, someone who was once an associate producer at GMA told a different story. They wrote on Indeed, "Everyone is just overworked and underpaid. Most people just get their experience and leave." A production associate echoed this statement and shared that it's a "Competitive work environment."
