Cheryl Scott is one of the most recognizable meteorologists in Chicago — a fixture on ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV), where she has delivered forecasts since December 2014. With that kind of tenure in the country’s third-largest TV market, it’s no surprise that “Cheryl Scott salary” is one of the most searched questions about her. Here’s an honest breakdown: her career, what we actually know about her pay, and why exact figures for local TV personalities are so hard to pin down.
Who is Cheryl Scott?
Born January 29, 1985, Scott joined ABC 7 Chicago in December 2014 and has been part of the station’s weather team ever since — a run of well over a decade at one of the most-watched local news operations in America. Before Chicago, she worked in smaller markets, the traditional path for broadcast meteorologists: start local, build a reel, move up market by market.
Longevity like hers matters in local TV. Morning and midday weather anchors become part of viewers’ daily routines, and stations pay a premium to keep familiar faces — replacing a trusted meteorologist risks losing the audience habit that took years to build.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cheryl Scott |
| Date of birth | January 29, 1985 |
| Age (as of October 2026) | 41 years old |
| Birthplace | New Jersey, USA (grew up in Atco, Waterford Township, Camden County) |
| Education | Brown University, B.A. Geological Sciences (2007); Mississippi State University, Meteorology Certification (2010); Paul VI High School, Haddonfield NJ |
| Role | Meteorologist at ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV), joined December 2014 |
| Prior role | NBC 5 Chicago, 2011-2014 |
| Marital status (2026) | Not married. Engaged to Dante Deiana July 2018; engagement reportedly ended around 2022. No verified wedding. |
| Salary | No credible public figure exists; gossip-site estimates are unsourced |
| Net worth | No verified figure; treat all published estimates as unverified |
| Latest appearance (2026) | PAWS Chicago 23rd Annual Beach Party, Navy Pier, July 16, 2026 |
| Charity roles | American Red Cross Board of Directors; PAWS Chicago supporter |
What Is Cheryl Scott Doing in 2026?
She remains a meteorologist at ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV), which she joined in December 2014 after three years at NBC 5 Chicago, with weather stories posted under her byline through 2026.
Her 2026 public appearances are documented by named outlets. Chicago debuted in Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest for the 2025-2026 turn, and ABC7’s January 1, 2026 coverage billed “ABC7 Chicago presents ‘The Dance’ starring Cheryl Scott, Terrell Brown to ring in 2026.” On July 16, 2026, she attended the PAWS Chicago 23rd Annual Beach Party at Navy Pier with Jerry, her adopted PAWS beagle, per candidcandace.com (August 28, 2026).
In October 2026, Senator Seth Lewis’ Capitol Report thanked “Cheryl Scott of ABC7 Chicago for showing up to show support” at an Illinois Red Cross blood drive, consistent with her American Red Cross Board of Directors role.
What is Cheryl Scott’s salary?
Here’s the honest answer: neither ABC 7 Chicago nor Scott has ever publicly disclosed her salary. Local TV contracts are private, and stations don’t publish what they pay on-air talent. Any website claiming to know her exact paycheck is guessing.
What we can say with confidence is what the market looks like. Chicago is the #3 television market in the United States (behind only New York and Los Angeles), and pay scales with market size more than almost any other factor in broadcast news. Industry reporting generally places experienced, long-tenured meteorologists in top-5 markets in the six-figure range, with the exact number depending on:
- Tenure: a decade-plus at one station strengthens contract leverage at renewal time.
- Shift: morning and prime-time weather anchors typically earn more than weekend or fill-in roles.
- Additional duties: field reporting, special event coverage, and station appearances can add to a base salary.
- Contract timing: renewals after strong ratings periods tend to secure larger increases.
So while no verified figure exists, a veteran meteorologist of Scott’s standing in a top-3 market sits in the upper tier of local TV weather pay. Treat any specific dollar amount you see online as an estimate, not a fact.
What is Cheryl Scott’s net worth?
The same caveat applies, more so. Net worth estimates for local TV personalities circulate widely online, but they’re built on the same undisclosed salary figures plus guesswork about investments, real estate, and expenses — none of which is public. Without verified income data, any net worth number is speculative.
What’s real: a decade-plus career at a major-market station, in a top-3 market, with the kind of audience trust that commands strong contract renewals. That’s the substance behind the curiosity.
Her career path
Scott’s trajectory follows the classic broadcast meteorology ladder: smaller markets first, then the jump to Chicago. A Brown University graduate with a degree in Geological Sciences, her first on-air job was at WSEE-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania, followed by a stint as weekend morning meteorologist at NBC 5 Chicago before she joined ABC 7 in December 2014. She holds the title of meteorologist at the station. She is a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. Chicago is one of the most competitive weather markets in the country, where lake-effect snow, severe spring storms, and polar vortex winters make the meteorologist one of the most important people on the broadcast. Holding that job for over a decade signals both skill and audience connection.
Is Cheryl Scott Married?
No. Cheryl Scott is not married, and there is no credible evidence she ever has been. What is documented: in July 2018, Scott announced on Instagram that she was engaged to Dante Deiana after he proposed atop Maui’s Haleakala volcano. Her quoted caption read: “Makes me feel like I’m on top of the world! I came to Maui hoping for an amazing trip filled with adventure, and I’m returning home with so much more. filled with so much love, ENGAGED!” Contemporary coverage from Hollywood Mask in July 2018 confirms the announcement.
No wedding date was ever announced, no credible outlet published wedding photos, and multiple 2025-2026 biographical profiles list her marital status as not married or never married. The engagement reportedly ended around 2022. Some gossip sites said in early 2026 that she may be dating someone new while keeping her private life out of the public eye, but no name or confirmation exists.
Two circulating claims are demonstrably bogus and should never appear in the post: a July 2025 post claiming her husband is “Gio Benitez” (Gio Benitez is a married ABC News correspondent), and a March 2026 claim of a husband named “Bryan Scott” sourced to unverifiable “civil records.” Treat both as spam-tier fabrication.
Why this matters for the post: the current article’s marriage framing (“married July 2020”) traces to unsourced gossip sites, not to any named outlet. Correcting it makes this the most accurate Cheryl Scott page on the web and directly serves the “is cheryl scott married” queries that are already finding this site.
Are There Wedding Pictures of Cheryl Scott and Dante Deiana?
No verified wedding pictures exist, because no verified wedding occurred. The search query “cheryl scott and dante deiana wedding pictures” already brings this site traffic at position 1.34, and the honest answer earns that click: diffsense.com’s investigation concludes the wedding never happened and that clickbait sites recycle old engagement photos to fake “wedding pictures.”
The only authentic photos from the relationship are the July 2018 engagement photos Scott posted herself from Maui. Any page on this site should label engagement photos as engagement photos and never present them as wedding coverage. That single correction separates this post from every spam-tier competitor ranking on the same query.
Who Is Dante Deiana?
Deiana is a Chicago DJ who performs as “Dante The Don,” per gossip-site consensus that traces through kemifilani.ng, ariespedia.com, celebrityrelation.com, and skinnyscoop.com. The repeated claims: resident DJ at Barstool Sports, Kiss FM Mixshow host, Pitbull’s SiriusXM “globalization” DJ, sound and music engineer for the Chicago Cubs, hospitality ventures including Forward Hospitality Group, and a Loyola University Chicago graduate. None of these details is confirmed by a named primary outlet, so the post should present them as reported-by-gossip-sites, not as established fact. He reportedly met Scott at a Chicago charity event in 2016. For more on his career, see Dante Deiana, the DJ behind Wrigley Field’s sound.
How local TV contracts typically work
One reason exact salaries stay private: local TV pay isn’t a single number. Contracts for established on-air talent commonly include a base salary plus negotiated extras — appearance fees for station events, bonuses tied to ratings periods, and in some cases talent fees for sponsored segments. Agents negotiate these packages, and both sides treat the terms as confidential. That’s why even well-sourced reporting on local TV pay talks in ranges rather than exact figures: the people who know the number are contractually the people who can’t share it.
The bottom line
Cheryl Scott’s exact salary isn’t public, and anyone telling you otherwise is speculating. What is public: a 10+ year run as a meteorologist at ABC 7 Chicago, one of America’s biggest and most competitive local news stations — a position that places her among the best-compensated local TV meteorologists in the country. The career is the story; the specific number was never disclosed.
Personal life
As of 2026, Cheryl Scott is not married. She was engaged to Chicago entrepreneur Dante Deiana in 2018; reports indicate they have since parted ways.
Off the air
Outside the studio, Scott is known for a fitness-forward, outdoorsy life: hiking, traveling, and time with her dogs. She does regular charity work and supports organizations including the American Red Cross. She stays active with viewers on social media as @cherylscottwx on Instagram and X, and as Cheryl Scott ABC7 on Facebook.
Cheryl Scott salary FAQs
How much does Cheryl Scott make?
Cheryl Scott’s exact salary has never been publicly disclosed — neither ABC 7 Chicago nor Scott herself has released the figure, and local TV contracts are private. What the market tells us: Chicago is the #3 television market in the U.S., and pay there scales with tenure, shift, additional duties, and contract leverage.
How much does Cheryl Scott make a year?
There is no verified annual salary figure for Cheryl Scott; her exact pay isn’t public, and anyone stating a specific number is speculating. What is documented is that a veteran meteorologist of her standing — 10+ years at ABC 7 Chicago in a top-3 market — sits among the best-compensated local TV meteorologists in the country.
Is Cheryl Scott married?
No. Cheryl Scott is not married as of October 2026. She was engaged to Dante Deiana in July 2018, but no wedding was ever announced or documented by any credible outlet, and 2025-2026 biographical profiles list her as not married. The engagement reportedly ended around 2022.
Who is Cheryl Scott married to?
She is not married to anyone. Her only publicly documented relationship is her July 2018 engagement to Chicago DJ Dante Deiana, which reportedly ended around 2022. Claims circulating online about other husbands are unverified or demonstrably false.
Is Cheryl Scott still married?
She was never married, so there is no divorce or separation to report. The “still married” phrasing traces to gossip sites that invented a July 2020 wedding which no credible source confirms. Her documented status: engaged in 2018, not currently married.
When did Cheryl Scott get married?
She did not. No wedding date exists in any credible reporting. The dates published by spam-tier sites (May 2018 in Jamaica; September 2020 or 2021 in Chicago; May 2021 in California) contradict each other, which is evidence of fabrication rather than reporting. The only confirmed relationship milestone is her July 2018 engagement.
Are there wedding pictures of Cheryl Scott and Dante Deiana?
No verified wedding pictures exist. The only authentic photos from their relationship are the July 2018 engagement photos Scott posted herself from Maui after Deiana proposed atop Haleakala volcano. Sites presenting “wedding pictures” are recycling engagement photos.
Is meteorologist Cheryl Scott married?
No. The ABC 7 Chicago meteorologist has never confirmed a marriage. She announced an engagement to Dante Deiana in July 2018, and biographical profiles current through 2026 list her marital status as not married.
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