Howard Stern Estimated to Make $8,000 Per Minute With SiriusXM Show Amid Staff Layoffs

Howard Stern said goodbye to roughly a dozen staffers from his Sirius XM show on Monday, July 14 — making the eye-popping dollar amount he reportedly earns per minute on the air an even tougher pill to swallow.

According to a new report, Stern recently wrapped up a five-year, $500 million deal with Sirius XM late last year. While the terms of the 72-year-old radio legend’s new contract — signed in December 2025 — have not been disclosed, Page Six projected his current earnings based on his previous annual salary of $100 million.

Factoring in the new four-hour weekly radio schedule that Stern announced on Monday, the outlet estimated he earns approximately $8,000 per minute on the air. The figure is likely even higher, as Stern is known for taking extended summer breaks each year, the outlet said.

The staggering estimate comes as Stern scales back his radio presence even further.

As Globe previously reported, Stern announced during a Zoom meeting with staff that The Howard Stern Show will air just one new episode per week, beginning after Labor Day.

The show currently airs three days a week, with the remaining time slots expected to be filled by Stern’s extensive archive.

Stern retained a small group of veteran producers while cutting additional staff members because “he just doesn’t need that much content anymore,” Page Six reported.

Staffers were sent home after the Zoom meeting and will receive severance packages based on their time spent at Sirius XM, according to the report.

Stern has spent nearly five decades on the air. Although he remained tight-lipped about the details of his December 2025 Sirius XM deal, the agreement followed months of speculation that he was considering retirement amid reportedly different contract negotiations.

However, during his December 16 show, Stern said he was “happy” because he figured out “a way to have it all,” hinting that his new contract allows him “more free time” and “flexibility.”