Dr. Anthony Fauci is paid more than the president — here's how much he earns as he prepares to retire from public service
The coronavirus pandemic made Dr. Anthony Fauci a household name and one of the most recognizable public figures in the U.S. As the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, he became the face of the country’s fight against COVID-19.
Fauci has been a calming voice for Americans who are fearful of the virus and frustrated with restrictions that have left many out of work and scrambling to find affordable health insurance.
Fauci recently announced he would be stepping down from public service in December, though he said he would not be retiring "in the classic sense."
“So long as I’m healthy, which I am, and I’m energetic, which I am, and I’m passionate, which I am, I want to do some things outside of the realm of the federal government,” Dr. Fauci said in a recent New York Times interview.
The doctor is well-paid for his role — and his high salary has helped give him a net worth that runs into the millions.
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Dr. Anthony Fauci’s salary
Currently, Fauci is President Joe Biden’s top adviser on the pandemic, but he gained major visibility through his often awkward briefings on the virus with former President Donald Trump. The physician and the former president were often cast by the media as opposing forces in the country’s response to COVID-19.
Federal salary data indicates Fauci was being paid more than Trump at the time.
The most recent documented data on Fauci’s salary comes from the public spending transparency website OpentheBooks.com, which uses information from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The site puts Fauci's current federal salary at $480,654.
By comparison, the president’s salary has been $400,000 annually since 2001.
Fauci’s career earnings
Dr. Fauci has spent his career in the federal government. He joined the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, in 1968 after graduating with a medical degree from Cornell University and finishing his medical residency.
He took a position at the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases and rose through the ranks and first became the agency’s director in 1984.
As the government’s expert on communicable diseases, Fauci has advised every president since Ronald Reagan, though technically he answers to the NIH director, Dr. Francis Collins. (Fauci has been offered the position of NIH director on several occasions, but turned the job down each time.)
The 81-year-old Fauci also qualifies for Social Security and a full federal pension.
The publicly available salary information for Fauci shows he earned $3.6 million from 2010 to 2019. He’ll make roughly $2.5 million more for the years 2020 through 2024 if he stays on through President Biden's current term.
What is Dr. Fauci’s net worth?
Fauci is believed to be a millionaire, though likely on the lower end of that definition. His wealth is estimated at $5 million according to Celebrity Net Worth, a site that researches the fortunes of famous people.
It’s hard to pin down a more precise figure because Fauci's financial disclosures don’t list the value of his many investments, only gains, losses and dividend payouts.
During the pandemic, Fauci has warned Americans not to take risks — and he seems to follow that same advice with his money. It’s in safer investments that spread around risk, including an IRA and mutual funds.
Even Fauci has a side hustle
Fauci’s disclosures also show his earnings from a side income from book publisher McGraw-Hill.
He has worked for the publisher as an editor since 1983 and has received royalties between $100,001 and $1 million, the filings show.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
