Scott Pelley spent decades as one of the most recognizable faces in television news, building a career that included reporting for 60 Minutes, anchoring the CBS Evening News and covering some of the biggest stories around the world. In June 2026, the veteran journalist made headlines after he was fired from 60 Minutes amid a major shakeup at CBS News. Following his departure, Pelley publicly criticized the network’s new leadership and accused executives of compromising the program’s journalistic standards.
Amid the news, learn more about Pelley’s net worth, salary and earnings from CBS News.
Why Was Scott Pelley Fired From ’60 Minutes’?
Pelley was fired from 60 Minutes on June 2, 2026, one day after a fiery confrontation with the program’s new executive producer, Nick Bilton. According to multiple reports, Pelley challenged Bilton during a staff meeting over recent firings at the show, questioned his qualifications for the role and accused CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of “murdering” 60 Minutes.
After his dismissal, Pelley released a lengthy statement criticizing CBS’ new leadership and defending the show’s editorial standards. He claimed that 60 Minutes had lost its identity after senior leaders and correspondents were fired, alleging that journalists were punished for standing up for fairness and professionalism. Pelley also accused management of instructing him to include “falsehoods and bias” in a politically sensitive story and said he was asked to use unverified information in reporting.
He added, “At 60 Minutes, we have fought harder than anyone knows to save the program that became an American icon. We owed that to our millions of viewers. I am deeply moved by the thousands of wishes we have received to ‘keep up the good fight.’ Most of the men and women of CBS News are still in that fight. But now the collapse of values at the top has become untenable. The leadership of 60 Minutes is no longer recognizable. The principles I hold dear are gone, and so I must leave as well.”
CBS has not publicly addressed many of Pelley’s allegations, but network leadership has said his firing followed a breakdown in trust and disagreements over the show’s future direction.
What Is Scott Pelley’s Net Worth?
Pelley has an estimated net worth of $18 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How Much Money Did Scott Pelley Make From CBS?
While CBS has never publicly disclosed Pelley’s compensation, multiple outlets have reported that he earned an estimated annual salary of about $7 million during his time at the network. Pelley spent more than 35 years at CBS News before his firing in 2026.
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