Meta Description: Bernadette Peters has a net worth of $20 million in 2025. Discover how the Broadway icon built her wealth through acting, music, and inheritance from her late husband.

Introduction

Bernadette Peters, the legendary American actress, singer, and author, has accumulated a substantial net worth of $20 million as of 2023-2025. This impressive financial standing reflects over six decades of excellence in entertainment, spanning Broadway, film, television, and music. While her extensive career has been a significant income generator, a considerable portion of her wealth stems from an inheritance received from her late husband, Michael Wittenberg, an investment advisor who passed away in 2005.

Current Net Worth (2025)

Bernadette Peters’ net worth is consistently reported at $20 million across multiple financial and entertainment publications. Her financial profile includes:

Her reported annual salary of $2 million or more represents her earning potential during active work periods, combining income from Broadway performances, film and television roles, and concert engagements.

Primary Income Sources

Broadway and Theatre Earnings

Bernadette Peters commands premium compensation for her Broadway performances. Top-tier Broadway stars of her caliber earn between $30,000 and $35,000 per week during active performance runs. Over a full year, this translates to annual income ranging from $1.56 million to $1.82 million.

Her most significant Broadway achievements include:

• Tony Award-winning performances: Song and Dance (first Tony) and Annie Get Your Gun (second Tony)
• Iconic starring roles: Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, and Hello, Dolly!
• Recent work: West End debut in Old Friends (2023-2024) with Broadway transfer planned for April 2025

Film and Television Career

Peters strategically diversified into screen work, generating substantial additional income:

Major Film Success:

• The Jerk (1979): Co-starred with Steve Martin in a film that grossed $100 million on a $4 million budget
• Pennies from Heaven (1981): Won Golden Globe Award
• Silent Movie: Received Golden Globe nomination

Television Achievements:

• All’s Fair (1976-77): Co-starring role in her own TV series
• The Muppet Show: Emmy nomination
• Smash (2012-2013): Played Leigh Conroy
• Mozart in the Jungle (2014-2018): Multi-year role as Gloria Windsor
• The Good Fight (2017-2018): Lenore Rindell
• Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (2020-2021): Emmy nomination for role as Deb
• High Desert (2023): Apple TV+ series

Music Career Revenue

Peters’ musical endeavors contribute significantly to her wealth through multiple streams:

Recording Success:

• Released six solo albums with three receiving Grammy nominations
• 1980 single “Gee Whiz” reached top 40 on Billboard pop singles charts
• Four Broadway cast albums featuring Peters won Grammy Awards, generating ongoing royalty income

Concert Performances:

• Solo concert debut at Carnegie Hall (1996)
• Regular performances with symphony orchestras across the US and Canada
• Ongoing touring with “An Evening with Bernadette Peters” and “Bernadette Peters in Concert”
• One charity concert alone raised $615,000 for Broadway Barks and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Children’s Book Authoring

Peters has authored three children’s books, creating an additional revenue stream:

• Broadway Barks (2008): Reached #5 on The New York Times Children’s Best Sellers list
• Stella is a Star (2010)
• Stella and Charlie Friends Forever (2015)

These books generate royalty income while supporting her Broadway Barks animal charity.

Major Assets and Inheritance

The Michael Wittenberg Inheritance

The most significant component of Peters’ net worth comes from her inheritance from late husband Michael Wittenberg. Peters was married to Wittenberg, an investment advisor, for over nine years until his death in a helicopter crash on September 26, 2005.

Key Facts:

• Wittenberg’s profession as an investment advisor likely resulted in substantial accumulated assets
• The inheritance is explicitly identified as the source of “most of her wealth”
• This capital infusion provided a major boost beyond her career earnings
• The inheritance established a robust financial foundation extending beyond active professional income

Career Earnings Timeline

Early Career Foundation (1950s-1970s)

Peters began her career exceptionally early, building a strong foundation:

• Age 3.5: Appeared on Juvenile Jury
• Age 9 (1958): Obtained Actors Equity Card, adopted stage name
• Age 10 (1959): New York stage debut in The Most Happy Fella
• 1967: Broadway debut in Johnny No-Trump
• 1968: George M! earned Theatre World Award
• 1968: Dames at Sea earned first Drama Desk Award
• 1971-1974: First Tony nominations for On the Town and Mack and Mabel

Hollywood Expansion (1970s-1980s)

Strategic move to Los Angeles significantly expanded earning potential:

• 1979: The Jerk major commercial success
• 1981: Pennies from Heaven Golden Globe win
• 1985: Song and Dance first Tony Award win
• 1987: Received star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Broadway Dominance (1990s-2000s)

Peak earning period with consistent high-profile roles:

• 1999: Annie Get Your Gun second Tony Award win
• 2003: Gypsy revival Tony nomination
• Consistent film and TV appearances maintaining multiple income streams

Recent Activity (2010s-2020s)

Continued high-level earning well into her 70s:

• 2010-2011: Major Sondheim revivals (A Little Night Music, Follies)
• 2012-2018: Regular television work (Smash, Mozart in the Jungle)
• 2018: Hello, Dolly! Broadway return
• 2023: West End debut, Apple TV+ series

Awards and Industry Recognition

Peters’ extensive accolades enhance her market value and earning potential:

Major Awards:

• 2 Tony Awards for Best Leading Actress in a Musical
• 1 Honorary Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award (2012)
• 3 Drama Desk Awards
• 1 Golden Globe Award
• 4 Grammy-winning Broadway cast albums
• 3 Primetime Emmy nominations
• 4 Grammy nominations

Lifetime Honors:

• Hollywood Walk of Fame star (1987)
• American Theatre Hall of Fame induction (1996)
• Drama League Lifetime Achievement Award (2013)
• Prince Rainier III Award (2019)

Net Worth Growth Analysis

Peters’ wealth accumulation follows a dual-track model:

Career-Based Growth:

• Steady income increase from child actor to Broadway star
• Strategic diversification across multiple entertainment mediums
• Premium compensation for legendary status roles
• Ongoing earning capacity well into her 70s

Inheritance Impact:

• Substantial capital infusion from Michael Wittenberg’s estate
• Investment advisor husband’s accumulated assets
• Financial foundation beyond active career earnings
• Enhanced financial security and investment capacity

Philanthropic Activities

While not direct income sources, Peters’ charitable work enhances her public profile:

• Broadway Barks: Co-founded with Mary Tyler Moore (1999)
• Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS: Board of trustees member
• Standing Tall: Board of Directors for children’s disability organization
• Single charity concert raised $615,000

Industry Comparison

Peters’ $20 million net worth positions her among successful Broadway legends, though specific peer comparisons vary widely based on career diversification and external factors like inheritance.

Recent Financial Developments

Current Projects:

• High Desert Apple TV+ series (2023)
• Old Friends West End to Broadway transfer (2025)
• Continued concert touring and symphony performances

Conclusion

Bernadette Peters’ $20 million net worth in 2025 represents a unique combination of extraordinary artistic achievement and substantial inherited wealth. Her six-decade career spanning Broadway, film, television, and music has generated consistent high-level income, while her inheritance from investment advisor husband Michael Wittenberg provided the financial foundation for much of her accumulated wealth.

At 75, Peters continues actively earning through prestigious roles and performances, demonstrating remarkable career longevity. Her diversified approach to entertainment, strategic career choices, and the significant inheritance have created a robust financial position that extends well beyond typical career-based wealth accumulation. This dual foundation ensures her continued financial security while maintaining her status as one of Broadway’s most enduring and financially successful legends.