Biography
Melissa Gilbert net worth is estimated at $500 thousand, a surprisingly modest figure given her decades in Hollywood. She is best known as Laura Ingalls Wilder in NBC's Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983), which made her one of the most recognizable child stars of the 1970s. Gilbert served as president of SAG-AFTRA from 2001 to 2005. Despite earning millions over her career, financial struggles including bankruptcy in 2016 and costly divorces significantly reduced her wealth.
Net Worth Timeline
| Year | Net Worth | Change | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | $500K | +$0.5M | Little House on the Prairie premiere; child star earnings |
| 1983 | $3M | +$2.5M | Little House ends after 9 seasons |
| 1992 | $5M | +$2M | TV movie career and television work |
| 2001 | $4M | -$1M | Elected SAG-AFTRA president |
| 2013 | $2M | -$2M | Appeared on Dancing with the Stars; divorce legal costs |
| 2016 | $300K | -$1.7M | Filed for bankruptcy; owed $360K in federal taxes |
| 2025 | $500K | +$0.2M | Memoir Prairie Tale; continued TV work |
1974 $500K +$0.5M
Little House on the Prairie premiere; child star earnings
1983 $3M +$2.5M
Little House ends after 9 seasons
1992 $5M +$2M
TV movie career and television work
2001 $4M -$1M
Elected SAG-AFTRA president
2013 $2M -$2M
Appeared on Dancing with the Stars; divorce legal costs
2016 $300K -$1.7M
Filed for bankruptcy; owed $360K in federal taxes
2025 $500K +$0.2M
Memoir Prairie Tale; continued TV work
💰 How Much Does Melissa Gilbert Earn?
$548
Per Day
$23
Per Hour
$0
Per Minute
Estimated based on reported annual earnings of $0.2M/year across all income sources.
🤯 $0.5 Million in Perspective
- 1 average American homes ($420K each)
- 9 years of the average US salary ($56K/yr)
- 11 Tesla Model 3s
- 87,873 Big Macs