Later in life, Kotb found herself struggling to secure work.
Although she held a degree in journalism, she was rejected 27 times before landing her first job.
But despite these struggles, Kotb became an award-winning journalist and book author.
In 2018, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people of the year.
At first, Kotb got noticed for her talent and continued to climb the career ladder.
In 1998, she joined NBC as a “Dateline” correspondent.
Sadly, her salary was so low that she found herself living paycheck to paycheck.
“I know for years I was definitely making a fraction of what my male co-anchors were making.
The daytime broadcaster has also recalled how she struggled to pay her bills.
“I was like, ‘I’ll pay this one, and then pay that one.'”
Unfortunately, millions of other women are facing the same gender wage gap problem.
According tothe U.S. Department of Labor, women working full-time earn around 83.7% less than their male counterparts.
The gender pay gap is even worse for Black, Hispanic, and older women.
However, she may still be making less than her male co-workers.
Kotb took over his role in 2018 after he got fired because of sexual misconduct allegations.
Back then, her annual salary was $7 million.
But even so, she didn’t complain about the pay gap or ask for a raise.
“If things go well, Hoda could ask for more next time if she re-ups her contract.
But the figures underline the huge wage disparity at NBC News,” an insider source told Page Six.
Kotb is nowone of the richest “Today Show” stars, and she definitely deserves it.
Her talent and determination paved the way for a thriving career and allowed her to overcome adversity.
