The 20 Richest 'American Idol' Contestants, Ranked by Net Worth ...Saudi Arabia

American Idol isn’t the only singing competition on TV, but it sure is the most successful. While many shows like The X Factor, The Voice and even The Masked Singer have drawn in large audiences over the years, none have produced the number of stars that American Idol has. 

From the very first season in 2002 when Kelly Clarkson was crowned winner, American Idol set the stage for real musical talent to be shared with the masses. More importantly, it created stars who would go on to launch hit-making and very lucrative careers.

After 22 seasons of the show, dozens of former contestants have made a name for themselves – including many who didn’t win their season. Here’s a look at the 20 richest contestants from American Idol and what they’re up to today.

American Idol contestants, ranked by net worth

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20. Diana DeGarmo net worth: $1.5 million

DeGarmo was named runner-up on Season 3 of American Idol, losing to Fantasia Barrino (who didn't make this list). Since then she’s been singing and acting professionally, starring in the Broadway musicals Hairspray (2006) and Hair (2010). Her single “Dreams” hit No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, and her most recent album, “GEMINI,” was released in 2019. DeGarmo has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million, which seemingly came through her stage work, album sales and touring. 

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19. David Archuleta net worth: $1.5 million

In Season 7 of American Idol, Archuleta placed second, a controversial decision among many fans who think he should’ve triumphed over David Cook. He was just 16 at the time, and his debut single “Crush” went all the way to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. He’s since released numerous albums and starred on Season 9 of The Masked Singer. More recently, Archuleta has been in the news for coming out as gay and opening up about his relationship with the LDS Church. In 2024, he has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million.

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18. James Durbin net worth: $1.5 million

Durbin appeared in Season 10 and placed fourth in the competition. Since finishing Amerian Idol, he’s toured with a number of famous bands, including Evanescence, Buckcherry and Drowning Pool. He also briefly joined the band Quiet Riot from 2017-2019. As of today, Durbin continues to perform and is worth an estimated $1.5 million.

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17. Haley Reinhart net worth: $1.5 million

Reinhart is another Season 10 alum, placing just ahead of Durbin, in third. She’s also reached a similar level of financial success, with an estimated net worth of $1.5 million. Her 2012 debut album Listen Up! reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she’s released four more albums in years following. She's also dipped her toes into voice acting, working across four seasons of the Netflix comedy F Is for Family. 

American Idol 2012/Getty Images

16. Phillip Phillips net worth: $1.5 million

Phillips won Season 11 of Idol in 2012. Fans may remember his hit song “Home,” which he performed on the season finale and released right after. Unfortunately, he later claimed the contract the show made him sign was manipulative and allowed him little control over his career. He went on to sue the production company 19 Entertainment in 2015. He wasn’t able to record new music until the lawsuit was settled in 2017. However, he’s since released his third and fourth albums and is worth an estimated $1.5 million. Perhaps he'd be worth more if he hadn't needed to spend so much time and money on legal battles. 

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15. Josh Gracin net worth: $2 million

Gracin appeared on Season 2 of American Idol, placing fourth overall. He memorably auditioned for Idol while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. After finishing his military service, he released three albums, the first of which was certified gold, which means it sold at least 500,000 units. He had a number of country hits in the 2000s, which are presumably the reason his net wort is an estimated $2 million. He's still making music and performing today. 

Fox

14. David Cook net worth: $2 million

Cook won American Idol Season 7, beating David Archuleta for the top spot. He’s mostly focused on his singing career since, putting out three albums and an EP, but he did star in Kinky Boots on Broadway for a short time in 2018. As of 2024, Cook is worth an estimated $2 million, much of which was presumably made from his busy touring schedule. Interestingly, in 2021, Cook went on a tour with fellow American Idol winner Kris Allen. 

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13. Ruben Studdard net worth: $3 million

Studdard won Season 2 of American Idol and has been hard at work ever since, releasing eight studio albums and continuing to tour. Last year, he performed on a 20th anniversary tour of his Idol season with Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken, who he has collaborated with frequently. Studdard has an estimated net worth of $3 million.

Kevin Winter/American Idol 2009/Getty Images

12. Kris Allen net worth: $3.5 million

Allen took first place in Season 8, famously beating out Adam Lambert, in another controversial Idol finish. After a few successful albums, Allen suffered a devastating car accident in 2013 and had to relearn how to play the guitar. Fortunately, he recovered and continues to release music today. His most recent album, “Pole Vaulter,” came out in August 2024. Allen is worth an estimated $3.5 million.

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11. Clay Aiken net worth: $4 million

Aiken placed second in Season 2 of American Idol, and has released six albums since. He made a run two runs for Congress, but lost in both 2014 and 2022. He's continued to tour on-and-off since American Idol, and is releasing a Christmas album titled Christmas Bells Are Ringing on Nov. 22, 2024. Aiken is worth an estimated $4 million.

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10. Kellie Pickler net worth: $4 million

Pickler placed fifth on Season 5, which is lower than many of the musicians on this list. However, she’s amassed a respectable net worth of $4 million in the years since through a flourishing country music career. In addition to releasing four country albums, Pickler has won a season of Dancing with the Stars, started her own home goods line, co-hosted the CMT talk show Pickler & Ben and starred in several Hallmark movies. It's easy to see why she's one of the richest American Idol alumni.

Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Getty Images

9. Scotty McCreery net worth: $4 million

McCreery won Season 10 of American Idol in 2011, and his debut album, Clear As Day was certified platinum. He’s had numerous songs hit the Billboard Hot 100 and is still touring and making music. He also produced a Hallmark movie in 2022 based on his hit song “Five More Minutes.” McCreery has a net worth of $4 million.

Ray Mickshaw/Getty Images

8. Elliott Yamin net worth: $6 million

Perhaps the most surprising entry on this list is Elliott Yamin, who appeared on Season 5 of Idol and finished in third place. He continues to perform, put out new music and collaborate with other artists, and has released four full studio albums. Yamin is worth an estimated $6 million, much of which comes from the success of his single "Wait for You," which was certified platium. 

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

7. Chris Daughtry net worth: $8 million

Daughtry took fourth place in Season 5. After the season ended, he formed the now well-known rock band Daughtry and their debut self-titled album became an instant hit and was certified 4x platinum in the U.S. He continues to put out music with the band – most recently, the 2024 EP Shock to the System (Part One). Chris Daughtry has been nominated for four ...

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