How Much is Margaret Cho Worth? Margaret Cho's Assets & Salary ( Updated) Net Worth 2026: Career Earnings & Assets

As one of the most talked-about figures, Margaret Cho has built a significant fortune. Our team analyzed the latest data to provide a clear picture of their income.

What is Margaret Cho's Net Worth and Salary?

Margaret Cho was born Margaret Moran Cho on December 5, 1968, in San Francisco, California. Her parents, Seung-Hoon and Young-Hie, moved to the U.S. from Seoul, Korea, in 1964, and Margaret's father was deported a few days after her birth because he hadn't obtained a work permit. He later returned to San Francisco and ran the Paperback Traffic bookstore with his wife and wrote joke books. The family lived in a neighborhood full of "old hippies, ex-druggies, burn-outs from the 1960s, drag queens, Chinese people, and Koreans" near Ocean Beach. Cho was bullied in school, and in a 2010 interview with "People" magazine, she stated "When I was a teenager, I was bullied a lot, and I felt very insecure and very scared, and I didn't want to live."

Margaret started out doing stand-up comedy shows at a club that was next to her parents' bookstore, then spent a few years developing her act in other clubs. She began booking television appearances, performing on "Stand-Up Spotlight" (1988), "Comics Only" (1989), and "1/2 Hour Comedy Hour" (1991). In 1992, Cho had a small role on "The Golden Palace," a spin-off of the "Golden Girls" and appeared in the television film "Move the Crowd." She was soon hired to beJerry Seinfeld'sopening act, and around this time, she also appeared in the film "Angie" (1994) and guest-starred on "Red Shoe Diaries" (1993). In 1994, ABC began airing "All-American Girl," which was based on Margaret's stand-up act. The show aired 19 episodes, and after its cancellation, Cho began struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism. In 1996, she appeared in the film "It's My Party," and the following year, she was seen in the films "Face/Off," "Pink as the Day She Was Born," "Fakin' da Funk," and "Sweethearts." In 1999, Margaret starred in the one-woman show "I'm the One That I Want," which was named Performance of the Year by "New York" magazine.

Margaret was molested by a friend of the family from the ages of 5 to 12, and when she was raped by an acquaintance in high school, her classmates bullied her instead of showing compassion, telling her "You are disgusting, and you deserve to be raped." Cho was expelled from Lowell High School for skipping class and getting bad grades during her freshman and sophomore years, then she attended J Eugene McAteer High School but dropped out during her senior year. She then attended the San Francisco School of the Arts and joined the school's improv group, which also included future starsAisha TylerandSam Rockwell. After graduation, Margaret enrolled at San Francisco State University to study drama, but she left before earning her diploma. Cho was a phone sex operator at age 15 and worked as a dominatrix later in life.

Margaret Cho is an American comedian, actress, singer, author, and fashion designer who has a net worth of $4 million. Cho is best known for her work as a stand-up comic, but she has also appeared in more than 90 film and television projects. Margaret was the star of the ABC sitcom "All-American Girl" from 1994 to 1995, and she played Teri Lee on Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva" from 2009 to 2014. She has appeared in numerous films, such as "Face/Off" (1997), "One Missed Call" (2008), "17 Again" (2009), and "Faith Based" (2020). Cho has published the books "I'm the One That I Want" (2001) and "I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight" (2005), and she started a podcast, "The Margaret Cho," in 2019.She launched the clothing line High Class Cho with fashion designer Ava Stander in 2003, and she founded Hip Wear, a line of belly dancing belts, in 2006. Margaret has released two music albums, "Cho Dependent" (2010) and "American Myth" (2016), and nine comedy albums, including "Notorious C.H.O. – Live at Carnegie Hall" (2002), "Assassin" (2005), and "PsyCHO" (2015).

Cho guest-starred on "Sex and the City" in 2001, and in 2004, she starred in "Notorious C.H.O." and released the stand-up comedy movie "Revolution." She wrote and starred in the 2005 film "Bam Bam and Celeste," then embarked on a variety show tour, "The Sensuous Woman," in 2007. In 2008, the first performance on Margaret's "Beautiful" tour was part of Sydney, Australia's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, and she served as the Chief of Parade during the event. The Cho family competed on "Celebrity Family Feud" in June 2008, and two months later, Margaret's reality show, "The Cho Show," premiered on VH1. In 2009, she began starring as Teri Lee on "Drop Dead Diva," appearing in 72 episodes during the show's six-season run. In 2010, Cho competed on "Dancing with the Stars," coming in 10th place, and in 2011 and 2012, Cho guest-starred on "30 Rock" as Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Un. She guest-starred on "Dr. Ken" in 2015 and "High Maintenance," "Law & Order: SVU," and "Miracle Workers" in 2019, and she appeared in the films "Bright" (2017), "Sharknado 5: Global Swarming" (2017), and "Friendsgiving" (2020). Margaret has also lent her voice to several projects, including "The Critic" (1994), "The Rugrats Movie" (1998), "Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World" (2007–2009), and "Family Guy" (2016).

Margaret is bisexual and has said that she's experienced in "in the area of polyamory and alternative sexuality." She married Al Ridenour on June 13, 2003, and filed for divorce in August 2015. Ridenour founded the performance troupe Art of Bleeding, and Cho took part in one of the group's performances in 2006. Margaret has also dated musicianChris Isaakand directorQuentin Tarantino. Due to ABC executives criticizing her appearance, Cho dropped 30 pounds in just two weeks before filming the first episode of "All-American Girl." After she finished filming the episode, she was hospitalized for kidney failure. In 2016, Margaret went to rehab after her family and friends held an intervention. According to Cho, she was "drinking and suicidal and eating like a million pills," and she spent a year and a half in a treatment center, then moved to a sober-living facility.

In summary, the total wealth of Margaret Cho reflects strategic moves.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.