Elizabeth Vargas Biography
Elizabeth Vargas is an American television journalist currently serving as the lead investigative reporter and documentary anchor for A&E Networks. She also hosted the 2021 revival of America’s Most Wanted. Vargas began her role at A&E on May 28, 2018, following a 14-year tenure as an anchor for ABC’s newsmagazine 20/20 and ABC News specials. She is additionally a news anchor for NewsNation, hosting Elizabeth Vargas Reports from New York City.
In 2006, Vargas served as co-anchor of World News Tonight alongside Bob Woodruff.
Age |Nationality | Ethnicity
Elizabeth Vargas was born on September 6, 1962, in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. As of 2026, she’s 63 years old and proudly holds American citizenship. She celebrates her birthday every year on September 6th. Vargas is a Virgo and has a rich heritage that includes both Puerto Rican and Irish-American roots.
Education
Elizabeth Vargas attended the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1980 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1984.
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Height
Elizabeth Vargas stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 6 inches (1.68m). Furthermore, she weighs around 58 kg. In addition, the color of her eyes is hazel and she has brunette hair. She also has nice legs.
Elizabeth Vargas Parents and Family
Elizabeth Vargas entered this world in Paterson, New Jersey, as the offspring of a fascinating heritage. Her father, Rafael “Ralf” Vargas, hailed from Puerto Rico and had a captivating mix of Italian and Spanish roots. As a distinguished colonel in the U.S. Army, he was deeply involved in military affairs. Her mother, Anne Vargas, on the other hand, was of Irish-American descent and pursued a part-time career as an English teacher.
Within their family, Vargas shared her upbringing with two siblings named Amy and Christopher. Both of them ventured into the realm of technology and found their paths in the vibrant Silicon Valley.
During her early years, Vargas experienced a significant change when her father, previously a U.S. Army captain, relocated the family to Okinawa when she was merely four years old. This relocation brought new adventures and opportunities into her life.
Elizabeth Vargas Husband
On July 20, 2002, Vargas and singer-songwriter Marc Cohn took the plunge and exchanged vows on July 20, 2002. Their union blessed them with two wonderful sons, Zach and Sam, who became the cherished center of their lives. Additionally, Vargas embraced her role as a stepmother to Cohn’s two children, Max and Emily, from his previous marriage.
However, as life often takes unexpected turns, in August 2014, Entertainment Tonight revealed the unfortunate news that Vargas and Cohn had made the difficult decision to end their 12-year marital journey, signaling the end of their legal union.
Elizabeth Vargas ABC News
In June 1996, Elizabeth Vargas stepped into the spotlight as the newsreader for ABC News’ Good Morning America, quickly being seen as the likely successor to Joan Lunden. By June 1997, she was promoted to a correspondent for the prime-time magazine show, with Kevin Newman taking over her newsreader role.
In 2002, Vargas became one of the anchors for 20/20 Downtown, which later transformed into Downtown and then Primetime Monday in 2003 before it wrapped up. She also made occasional reports for Primetime, anchored World News Tonight Saturday, and created specials for Primetime. In November 2003, she took on the role of anchor for World News Tonight Sunday, and by May 2004, she was named co-anchor of 20/20.
Vargas made history as the first national evening news anchor of Puerto Rican and Irish-American descent and was the third woman to hold such a position at a U.S. network evening newscast, following in the footsteps of Connie Chung and Barbara Walters.
She has voiced her pride in an ABC special that questioned why the Laci Peterson case garnered more media attention than two other similar cases involving women of color. Another report, inspired by The Da Vinci Code, delved into Mary Magdalene’s representation in church history, challenging traditional views on women’s roles within the Catholic Church. Vargas earned an Emmy in 1999 for her coverage of the Elián González story and received a nomination in 1998 for her investigation into Betty Tyson’s wrongful conviction on 20/20.
In April 2005, Vargas and Charles Gibson stepped in for Peter Jennings on World News Tonight while he was undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer, continuing this role until Jennings’ passing in August. On December 5, 2005, she and Bob Woodruff were named co-anchors. After Woodruff was injured in Iraq in January 2006, Vargas often took the helm solo, but she also co-anchored with Charles Gibson or Diane Sawyer.
On May 23, 2006, Vargas made the tough decision to step down from World News Tonight. She cited her doctor’s advice to lighten her workload during a challenging pregnancy and her wish to spend more quality time with her newborn. Although she had plans to return, reports indicated that ABC appointed Gibson as the sole anchor, which left Vargas feeling disappointed, even though she remained connected to the network.
Later that same year, Vargas came back as the co-anchor of 20/20 and took on the role of primary host for ABC News specials. In 2008, she hosted a documentary called Elvis: Viva Las Vegas, which celebrated Elvis Presley’s legacy in Las Vegas and included interviews and performances from stars like Paul McCartney, Beyoncé, Dwayne Johnson, Faith Hill, David Lynch, Jon Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, and Priscilla Presley.
In 2013, Vargas was honored with a Peabody Award for her outstanding contributions to ABC News’ coverage of Hurricane Sandy on 20/20.
A&E Investigates, America’s Most Wanted, and NewsNation
Since 2018, Elizabeth Vargas has been making waves in the world of journalism with A&E Investigates, America’s Most Wanted, and NewsNation.
In April 2018, she struck a first-look and production deal with A&E Originals, stepping in as the anchor for A&E Investigates. This role allowed her to dive into new non-fiction prime-time journalism programming. Her debut series under this banner, Cults & Extreme Belief, hit the screens in May 2018. Following that, in April 2019, she launched The Untold Story, a series that shines a light on the lesser-known tales of influential figures and events.
Fast forward to January 2021, Vargas was announced as the host for the Fox revival of America’s Most Wanted, which made its debut on March 15, 2021. She also took on the role of anchor for News Cafe on the FYI Network.
From September 19 to 23, 2022, Vargas guest-anchored NewsNation Prime, and shortly after, she began hosting a true-crime series called iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas.
Then, on January 10, 2023, it was revealed that Vargas would be launching a new program on NewsNation, Elizabeth Vargas Reports, which premiered on April 3, 2023.
Elizabeth Vargas Salary
Vargas receives an annual salary ranging from $42,544 – $143,769. However, details about the exact amount of salary he earns are currently not available.
Elizabeth Vargas’s Net Worth
Vargas, an Emmy Award-winning American television journalist has an estimated net worth of 30 million dollars.