Craig Melvin Wikipedia | Biography
Craig Melvin is an American television personality who has been co-anchoring the first and second hours of NBC’s Today alongside Savannah Guthrie since January 2025. He also fills in as a substitute anchor for NBC Nightly News. Before stepping into his prominent role on Today, Melvin served as a news anchor for the show from August 2018 until January 2025, and he became one of the permanent hosts of Today Third Hour in January 2019 after first joining the program in October 2018.
Melvin’s journey in journalism began at a young age. While still in high school, he kicked off his career at NBC affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, where he worked as an “Our Generation Reporter” from 1995 to 1997. After college, he returned to WIS-TV in July 2001 as a news photographer and producer, eventually rising to become a reporter for the morning news team. During this time, he earned recognition for his engaging “Craig Cam” live segments. He continued to advance, anchoring weekend morning and evening newscasts before taking the lead on weekday broadcasts. While at WIS-TV, Melvin also created special reporting series that addressed significant issues like education, homelessness, and various community challenges affecting the residents of Columbia.
Craig Melvin Age
As of 2026, Craig is 47 years old. He was born on May 20, 1979, in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. Every year, he celebrates his birthday on May 20th.
Craig Melvin Education
Craig graduated from Wofford College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government. He’s also a proud member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and has served as a counselor for the South Carolina Palmetto Boys State program.
Craig Melvin Nationality
Craig Melvin proudly holds American nationality and citizenship. He was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, right here in the USA. Additionally, he identifies with white heritage.
Craig Melvin Height | Measurements
Standing at about 5 feet 7 inches tall (around 1.70 m), Craig is considered to be of above-average height. However, he hasn’t publicly shared any specifics about his other body measurements.
Craig Melvin Parents | Siblings
Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, Craig was nurtured by his loving and dedicated parents. His mother, Betty Melvin, and father, Lawrence, played significant roles in his upbringing. He has a brother named Ryan Melvin, as well as an older half-brother, Rev. Lawrence Meadows. Tragically, Meadows passed away at the age of 43 on December 9, 2020, after a courageous fight against colon cancer. Craig’s father worked as a post office employee.
Craig Melvin Wife
Craig is happily married to his long-time girlfriend, Lindsay Czarniak, who previously made a name for herself as a sports journalist with ESPN and a sports correspondent for WRC television. The couple tied the knot on October 15, 2011, and they are proud parents to two children: Sybil, born in 2016, and Delano, who arrived in March 2014. The family currently calls Connecticut home.
Craig Melvin Today
Melvin has been co-anchoring the first and second hours of NBC’s Today alongside Savannah Guthrie since January 2025. He also fills in as a substitute anchor for NBC Nightly News. Before stepping into his prominent role on Today, Melvin served as a news anchor for the show from August 2018 until January 2025, and he became one of the permanent hosts of Today Third Hour in January 2019 after first joining the program in October 2018.
Melvin’s journey in journalism began at a young age. While still in high school, he kicked off his career at NBC affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, where he worked as an “Our Generation Reporter” from 1995 to 1997. After college, he returned to WIS-TV in July 2001 as a news photographer and producer, eventually rising to become a reporter for the morning news team. During this time, he earned recognition for his engaging “Craig Cam” live segments. He continued to advance, anchoring weekend morning and evening newscasts before taking the lead on weekday broadcasts. While at WIS-TV, Melvin also created special reporting series that addressed significant issues like education, homelessness, and various community challenges affecting the residents of Columbia.
In 2016, Melvin made headlines with his in-depth reporting on the Dallas police shooting and became part of NBC’s team for the Summer Olympics that same year.
He took over as the anchor of MSNBC Live from José Díaz-Balart, a show that would later be rebranded as MSNBC Reports. In 2017, he broadened his horizons by hosting the true-crime series Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, which debuted on Oxygen in July.
Melvin continued to enhance his presence at NBC in 2018, traveling to Pyeongchang County for the Winter Olympics coverage. Later that year, he was promoted to weekday news anchor on Today and played a key role in launching Today Third Hour. In December 2020, he co-hosted NBC’s annual broadcast of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.
In March 2022, Melvin announced he would step back from his duties on MSNBC Reports to focus more on his growing responsibilities at Today. His career hit another high note on January 13, 2025, when he officially became co-anchor of Today alongside Savannah Guthrie, taking over from Hoda Kotb after her departure.
Craig Melvin 2026 Winter Olympics
Originally, Melvin was set to host NBC’s coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan starting February 6, 2026. However, following the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, on January 31, 2026, Melvin decided to withdraw from the Olympics coverage to stay in New York City and support the Today team during this challenging time. NBC later announced that Ahmed Fareed would step in to host the Games in his stead.
Salary
Craig Melvin’s monthly income came from his role as an anchor and reporter for MSNBC News, which is based in New York. As a result, he earned an estimated annual salary of around $170,000.
Craig Melvin Net Worth
When it comes to Craig Melvin’s net worth, he has certainly made a name for himself in the industry. His work as a reporter and anchor at MSNBC has helped him build a solid financial foundation, and his net worth is estimated to be about $5 million.