Mariah Carey’s Impressive Net Worth Is a ~Fantasy~: How the Singer Made Her Millions
It seems like money and Mariah Carey just belong together! In the three decades the iconic singer has been in the spotlight, she has amassed an impressive net worth and earned a diva reputation — and not for nothing. Whether she’s dripping in diamonds or being carried by a team of backup dancers, Mariah takes luxury to a whole new level thanks to her estimated net worth. Keep reading to find out all about Mariah Carey’s insane net worth, how much money she makes off her Christmas music and more.
What Is Mariah Carey’s Net Worth?
Mariah Carey is worth around $350 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Mariah Carey’s Music Career
Mariah's self-titled debut album was released in 1990 and eventually went nine-times platinum in the United States alone. In April 2001, the "Fantasy" singer left Columbia Records and signed a $100 million, five-album contract with Virgin Music. At the time, it was the biggest contract in music history.
Virgin eventually paid Mariah $28 million to end the contract early after the album Glitter, and she eventually moved on to Island Records, where she released The Emancipation of Mimi. The "Vision of Love" singer then made one album under Def Jam Records before getting signed by Epic Records in 2015. Two years later, she formed Butterfly MC Records as an exclusive joint venture with Epic.
In total, the "Without You" artist has recorded 15 studio albums, but the New York native is particularly well-known for her Christmas music.
How Many Grammys Does Mariah Carey Have?
Mariah is the recipient of five Grammy Awards over the course of her career. In the past, she’s taken home awards in the categories of R&B Song, Female R&B Vocal Performance, Contemporary R&B Album, New Artist and Female Pop Vocal Performance.
She made an appearance during the Grammy Awards in February 2024 to present the Pop Solo Performance award, which went to Miley Cyrus for her song “Flowers.” While she wasn’t up for any awards during the evening, the “It’s a Wrap” singer got fans talking as she flaunted her weight loss while on stage.
How Much Money Does Mariah Carey Make Each Christmas?
Perhaps the most successful of Mariah's holiday tunes is "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which reportedly only took 15 minutes to write. The massive hit is one of the most profitable singles of all time and reportedly grosses an estimated $2.6 million per year for the "Always Be My Baby" singer and producer Walter Afanasieff. The beloved Christmas anthem made a total of $60 million between 1994 and 2016, according to The Economist.
After nearly three decades, Mariah's "childhood dream" came true as she announced she would be performing her hit holiday song during the 2022 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
"Hey, it's Mariah. See you at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," the New York native said via Instagram on November 18, 2022, with the caption, "I’m going to be opening for the one and only, SANTA CLAUS."
In November 2023, Mattel unveiled a new holiday Barbie doll with the likeness of Mariah — which the pop superstar called a "once-in-a-lifetime dream."
"If I could go back and tell my little girl self that one day, I would have a Barbie made in my likeness, I think she would flip out,” Mariah said. “I hope all collectors and fans everywhere enjoy the holiday season and hopefully the Mariah Barbie will be a wonderful addition to it!”
Mariah Carey’s A-List Appearances
In 2012, Mariah, who shares twins Monroe and Moroccan with ex Nick Cannon, was reportedly paid $18 million to appear as a judge on one season of American Idol.
The "Obsessed" singer then made a large chunk of money in 2015 when she signed a $30 million contract for a two-year Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace.
While Mariah is not an actress, she has appeared in a variety of films, including Glitter, Girls Trip, The Lego Batman Movie, Precious, Girls Trip and more.
Mariah Carey’s Diva Moments
Over the years, the "Oh Santa" artist has become known as somewhat of a diva — and she has no shame over that moniker.
“You know what? I don’t give a s--t. I f--king am high-maintenance because I deserve to be at this point. That may sound arrogant, but I hope you frame it within the context of coming from nothing," Mariah explained to The Guardian in 2020. "If I can’t be high-maintenance after working my ass off my entire life ... I’m sorry, I didn’t realize we all had to be low-maintenance. Hell, no! I was always high-maintenance, it’s just I didn’t have anyone to do the maintenance when I was growing up!"
‘Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!’ Concert Special
The singer graced the small screen for another holiday special titled Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All in December 2022. The two-hour Christmas concert was filmed at Madison Square Garden and featured the queen of Christmas performing a “repertoire of her festive holiday hits,” including her beloved single, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
