Devale Ellis is an actor, podcast host, author, and former NFL wide receiver with an estimated net worth of $3 to 5 million.
What is Devale Ellis's net worth in 2026?
Devale Ellis's net worth is an estimated $3 million to $5 million as of 2026. The 42-year-old former NFL wide receiver earns from acting on Tyler Perry's Zatima and Sistas, the Ellis Ever After podcast with his wife Khadeen, brand partnerships, and a New York Times bestselling book. He and Khadeen have been married since 2010 and have four sons.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated net worth (2026) | $3 million to $5 million |
| Estimated annual income | $625,000 to $1.95 million |
| Date of birth | April 2, 1984 |
| Age | 42 |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Birthplace | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | About 174 lb (79 kg) |
| Education | Hofstra University |
| Spouse | Khadeen Ellis (married July 4, 2010) |
| Children | Four sons |
| Profession | Actor, podcast host, author, former NFL wide receiver |
| Instagram followers | About 3 million |
| Residence | Metro Atlanta, Georgia |
Devale Ellis's net worth is an estimated $3 million to $5 million as of 2026. Estimates online run from $2 million to $5 million, and the middle of that band is the most common. He has never confirmed a figure, so every number is an estimate.
His wealth is self-built and comes almost entirely from his second and third careers. His NFL earnings were modest, since his time in the league was short. Most of his money now comes from television, the podcast and family content he shares with his wife, sponsored posts, and a bestselling book. Some sites blend his wealth with Khadeen's, which pushes their figures higher, so we treat the $3 million to $5 million range as his own.
Devale Ellis's estimated annual income sits between $625,000 and $1.95 million, spread across four streams. He co-owns the podcast and family content with Khadeen, so the figures below reflect his share.
| Income Source | Estimated Annual Range (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Television and film acting | $250,000 to $800,000 | Zatima, Sistas, Netflix and cable movies |
| Podcast, live shows, and Patreon | $200,000 to $600,000 | Ellis Ever After on iHeart, his share |
| Social media and brand partnerships | $150,000 to $400,000 | About 3 million Instagram followers |
| Book royalties, producing, and other | $25,000 to $150,000 | We Over Me, Broadway co-producing credit |
| Total estimated annual income | $625,000 to $1.95 million | Analyst estimate, not confirmed by Ellis |
An audience-based estimate of his Instagram income alone lands near $310,000 to $425,000 a year, which fits the social and brand line above.
His finances have moved in three phases: a short football career, a lean stretch while he built a new career, and a steady climb since Sistas in 2019.
| Year | Estimated Net Worth (USD) | Key Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 to 2009 | Under $500,000 | Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns contracts |
| 2010 to 2016 | $100,000 to $500,000 | Marries Khadeen, starts acting and family content |
| 2017 to 2019 | $500,000 to $1 million | Guest roles, YouTube growth, cast in Sistas, launches podcast |
| 2020 to 2022 | $1.5 million to $3 million | Bigger, Sistas, Zatima spin-off, two TV movies |
| 2023 to 2024 | $2.5 million to $4 million | We Over Me becomes a bestseller, Netflix films |
| 2025 | $3 million to $4.5 million | Ellis Ever After relaunch, Broadway co-producer credit |
| 2026 | $3 million to $5 million | Zatima renewed for season 6 |
These are analyst estimates. Ellis has never confirmed any year's figure.
Devale Ellis was born in Brooklyn to Troy and Karen Ellis. He has a brother, Brian, and a sister, Tori. He was raised in Brooklyn and attended high school there before heading to college on Long Island.
Ellis attended James Madison High School in Brooklyn, where he played football and basketball. In his senior year, he ranked in the top ten in the Public School Athletic League for both catches and receiving touchdowns and earned the nickname "Show Time." He played in the league's all-star game.
He then went to Hofstra University on Long Island, where he was a teammate of future NFL receiver Marques Colston. Ellis finished his college career with 176 catches for 2,207 yards and 22 touchdowns. As a senior in 2005, he led the team with 74 receptions for 943 yards and earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors. He also met Khadeen at Hofstra.
Ellis went undrafted in 2006, but the Detroit Lions signed him after a rookie minicamp tryout. He joined the practice squad in September 2006, was promoted to the active roster in October, and made his first start against the Buffalo Bills. The Lions waived him in August 2008. He spent that season out of football, signed a future contract with the Cleveland Browns on December 31, 2008, and was waived again in July 2009.
His NFL stats were small: four receptions for 41 yards and 200 return yards. A short career means the league contributed little to his current wealth. In their book, the couple describe periods of financial instability early in their relationship.
Ellis began acting in the early 2010s with guest roles on Power, Gotham, The Blacklist, Master of None, NCIS, and The Equalizer. He also had a recurring role on the BET series Bigger from 2019 to 2021.
His breakthrough came in 2019, when he was cast as Zac Taylor in Tyler Perry's Sistas on BET. The role led to Zatima, a spin-off that BET+ ordered in 2021 and that premiered in 2022, with Ellis and Crystal Renee Hayslett as the leads. In August 2026, Paramount+, which took over BET+ programming in June 2026, renewed Zatima for a sixth season of 16 episodes. A 20-episode fifth season had already been filming.
Outside Perry's world, he played the male lead opposite Eva Marcille in the OWN movie A Christmas Fumble in 2022 and costarred with Amber Riley in the Lifetime thriller Single Black Female. He appeared in Netflix's The Perfect Find and the Netflix holiday romance Meet Me Next Christmas with Christina Milian. Working for Tyler Perry, whose studio produces a large volume of episodes each year, gives him a steady television income compared with actors on shorter seasons.
Devale and Khadeen built their audience on YouTube with a channel called The Ellises, where they post family vlogs and comedy skits. In 2019, they launched the podcast Dead Ass with Khadeen and Devale Ellis, which won a Webby Award and ran for 15 seasons. Guests included Regina Hall, Sterling K. Brown, and former President Joe Biden, and the couple toured live shows in major cities.
On April 16, 2025, they relaunched it as Ellis Ever After on iHeartRadio with a new format and their longtime co-hosts Tribble, Josh Dwain, and Matt Ellis. The show earns money through ad sales, sponsorships, and live tours.
Their book, We Over Me, became a New York Times bestseller. It covers their relationship, including a long-distance stretch, money troubles, parenthood, and a near-divorce.
The couple is credited as co-producers of the 2025 Broadway production of Othello, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, which was reported to have set a record as the top-grossing play in Broadway history. A producing credit can bring a share of profits, though the size of their stake has not been disclosed.
The family lives in a large home in metro Atlanta, where the couple also records their podcast. They previously lived in New York and Los Angeles. Their exact property details and mortgage terms are not public.
Ellis is married to Khadeen Ellis, whom he met at Hofstra University. They married on July 4, 2010, and celebrated their 15th anniversary in 2025. Khadeen is an actress, host, and podcast co-host, and she stars as Andrea in Tyler Perry's Divorced Sistas alongside LeToya Luckett, which Paramount+ renewed for a third season in 2026. She has about 2 million Instagram followers.
They have four sons: Jackson, born in 2011, Kairo, born in 2016, Kaz, born in 2017, and Dakota, born in 2021. The boys appear regularly in the family's online content.
Devale Ellis's net worth is estimated at $3 million to $5 million as of 2026. He has not confirmed a figure.
Devale Ellis was born on April 2, 1984, in Brooklyn, New York. He is 42 years old as of 2026.
Devale Ellis is married to Khadeen Ellis. They met at Hofstra University and married on July 4, 2010.
Devale Ellis has four sons with Khadeen: Jackson, Kairo, Kaz, and Dakota.
Yes. Devale Ellis signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006 and later signed with the Cleveland Browns. He caught four passes for 41 yards in his NFL career.
Devale Ellis is best known for playing Zac Taylor in Tyler Perry's Sistas and its spin-off Zatima. He also hosts the podcast Ellis Ever After with his wife.
Yes. Paramount+ renewed Zatima for a sixth season of 16 episodes in August 2026.
Devale Ellis co-hosts Ellis Ever After with Khadeen Ellis. It relaunched in April 2025 from the Webby Award-winning podcast Dead Ass with Khadeen and Devale Ellis.
Devale Ellis is listed at 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) and about 174 pounds.
His per-episode pay for Zatima and Sistas has not been disclosed.
Devale Ellis lives in metro Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife and four sons.
Devale Ellis's net worth is an estimated $3 million to $5 million as of 2026, built on a steady run of Tyler Perry television, the Ellis Ever After podcast, a bestselling book, and brand work with his wife. His income moves with Zatima's production schedule and podcast advertising rather than any single salary. The upside case depends on Zatima's sixth season and on how much the couple's producing and podcast businesses grow.
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