Who is the journalist you’ve seen reporting live from the U.S.-Mexico border and, more recently, from Capitol Hill? Bill Melugin is an American journalist and Fox News Channel congressional correspondent based in Washington, D.C. Born on February 26, 1985, he built a strong reputation through his extensive border reporting before moving to Capitol Hill in November 2025.
But there’s more to Melugin’s story than his work in front of the camera. He studied at Arizona State University, modeled during his college years, and earned several prestigious journalism honors, including Emmy, Golden Mike, and Edward R. Murrow awards. He has also been in a relationship with Katy Johnson since 2018.
Here, we cover Bill Melugin’s age, height, family, career, salary, net worth, and personal life.
Bill Melugin Quick Facts
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| Detail | Info |
| Full name | Bill Melugin |
| Date of birth | February 26, 1985 |
| Age in 2026 | 41 years old (turned 41 in February) |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Birthplace | Orange County, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) |
| Weight | 154 pounds (70 kg) |
| Eye and hair color | Green eyes, brown hair |
| Education | Arizona State University, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication |
| Employer | Fox News Channel |
| Current role | Congressional correspondent in Washington, D.C. |
| Girlfriend | Katy Johnson |
| Marital status | Not married |
| Estimated net worth | $3 million |
Who Is Bill Melugin?
Bill Melugin is an award-winning American journalist who works as a national correspondent and now a congressional correspondent for Fox News Channel.
Fox News Channel is the cable news network owned by Fox Corporation, and it reaches millions of viewers every day.
For years he worked out of the Los Angeles bureau.
In late 2025 his job moved him across the country to Washington, D.C.
Plenty of reporters stay in local news for an entire career.
He jumped to a national network because of the work he did on the ground.
He is best known for his U.S.-Mexico border coverage, where he documented immigration patterns, enforcement activities, and the personal stories of people on both sides of the line.
Few beats in American broadcast journalism draw as much political heat.
His path also has a twist most viewers never see coming.
He worked with modeling agencies before he held a press badge.
He read news copy at a college radio station before he ever stood in front of a TV camera.
That mix of polish and grit helps explain why his live shots look so steady, even when the scene behind him is chaotic.
Early Life, Parents and Family Background
Where does a border reporter come from?
In his case the answer is Southern California.
He grew up in Orange County, a place that exposed him to many cultures and viewpoints from an early age.
Here is what we know about his family:
- Mother: Audrey Melugin. In a 2021 Mother’s Day tribute he called her his best friend and biggest fan.
- Father: Gary Logen Melugin, who worked as a manager at the insurance company AIG on the West Coast. Gary died suddenly at work on May 12, 2016.
- Sibling: A brother. Both brothers keep their family life out of the spotlight.
Bill Melugin’s parents shaped the calm, hard-working image he brings to the screen.
Losing his father in 2016 was a painful moment, and he has spoken about it in public.
That openness gives viewers a small look at the person behind the reporter.
Bill Melugin Age, Birthday and Education
How old is he?
His birthday is February 26, 1985.
He was 40 years old when Fox News promoted him in November 2025, and he turned 41 on February 26, 2026.
His zodiac sign is Pisces.
You may find other birth years floating around online.
The 1985 date shows up most often and holds up best across reliable profiles, so it’s the one used here.
He reached a national correspondent role in his thirties, which is quick in a field where many reporters spend decades working toward a network job.
Where Did Bill Melugin Go to College?
He attended Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
He studied at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, one of the best-known broadcast journalism programs in the country.
Newsrooms from small local stations to national cable networks hire its graduates.
His Bill Melugin education turned into a career long before graduation day.
His LinkedIn profile shows he started at the campus radio station Blaze 1330 AM in August 2008 and stayed through November 2008.
In January 2010 he joined State Press Television, a student-run TV operation at ASU, and worked there as a reporter for four months.
Those early jobs were small and sometimes unpaid.
They still gave him real reps before most classmates had filed a single story.
Bill Melugin’s Journalism Career
His journalism career moved in steps.
Each stop added a new skill, and together they built the reporter you see today.
The ordered list below shows the main stages from college to Congress.
- Blaze 1330 AM radio at ASU (2008)
- State Press Television at ASU (2010)
- Cronkite News and KNXV-TV ABC 15 in the Phoenix area
- KFOX 14 in El Paso, Texas
- WJZY-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina
- KTTV FOX 11 Los Angeles (2017)
- Fox News Channel as a national correspondent (May 2021)
- Fox News Channel as a congressional correspondent (November 2025)
Early Career and Breakthrough
Cronkite News is the student-staffed news service run by the Cronkite School, and KNXV-TV ABC 15 is the ABC station in Phoenix.
After those two jobs he moved to KFOX 14 in El Paso, Texas, and then to WJZY-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Small and mid-size markets teach reporters to do almost everything alone.
You write the script, find the story, and sometimes shoot your own video.
That training pays off when a national network hands you a breaking story and a tight deadline.
His modeling career overlapped with these early years.
He worked with Abercrombie and Fitch, the American clothing retailer known for its model-driven ads.
He also signed with Urban Management, the Wilhelmina Model Agency, and the FORD/Robert Black Agency, which are all well-known talent firms.
Being comfortable in front of a lens is a real advantage for a TV reporter.
Rise to Fox News
In 2017 he joined KTTV FOX 11 Los Angeles as an evening investigative reporter.
KTTV is the Fox-owned station in the Los Angeles market, and the job put him on some of the biggest local stories in the country.
His work there brought him multiple Regional Emmy Awards and Edward R. Murrow honors.
Fox News Channel hired him in May 2021 as a national correspondent in the Los Angeles bureau.
He quickly became the network’s face on the U.S.-Mexico border.
He reportedly did more than 1,000 live shots from the Rio Grande Valley in 2022 alone.
The Rio Grande Valley is the South Texas region along the river that separates Texas from Mexico, and it sits at the center of border crossing debates.
That number works out to roughly three live reports for every day of the year.
His breaking news résumé also includes:
- The mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas
- The drowning of Texas National Guardsman Bishop Evans in the Rio Grande
- The 2025 California wildfires
Each story demanded calm delivery under pressure.
That’s a skill you can’t fake on live TV.
Current Role at Fox News
What does he do today?
His current role is congressional correspondent for Fox News Channel.
Fox News Media promoted him in November 2025, and he moved to Washington, D.C. to take the job.
As a congressional correspondent he covers the United States Congress.
That includes legislative developments, political dynamics, and the decisions made on Capitol Hill that affect everyday Americans.
Fox News president and executive editor Jay Wallace announced the move.
He praised Bill’s “dogged dedication” to the story and his deep understanding of national issues.
The shift is a big change of scenery.
He went from riverbanks and border fences to marble hallways and committee rooms.
The reporting instinct stays the same: find the facts, then explain them in plain words.
Career Achievements and Recognition
His Bill Melugin awards list is strong for a reporter at his stage.
The table below shows the honors tied to his work.
| Award | Details |
| Emmy Awards | 3 local Emmys at KTTV FOX 11 Los Angeles for investigative work |
| Edward R. Murrow Award | Recognition for broadcast storytelling |
| Golden Mike Award | Two-time winner for Best Investigative Journalism |
The Emmy Awards are the top honors in American television, and local Emmys recognize work done at regional stations.
The Edward R. Murrow Award is a respected prize for excellence in electronic journalism.
The Golden Mike Award comes from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California.
Together these awards show a reporter who earns praise from peers and not only from viewers.
Bill Melugin Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
His looks draw plenty of online attention.
His past modeling work explains much of that curiosity.
How Tall Is Bill Melugin?
He stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, which equals 170 cm.
He weighs about 154 pounds, or 70 kg.
He has green eyes and brown hair.
Some websites list slightly different numbers.
The 5-foot-7 figure appears most consistently across credible profiles.
Field reporting is hard on the body.
He has spent long days outdoors and nights near border crossings, then jumped on breaking news with little warning.
He keeps an active lifestyle, and that fits the demands of the job.
Is Bill Melugin Married? Personal Life and Relationships
Is Bill from Fox News married?
No.
He is not married as of 2026, and no public record or announcement points to a wedding.
Who Is Bill Melugin’s Girlfriend?
His girlfriend is Katy Johnson.
She is a model, travel blogger, advocate, and luxury real estate agent from the United States.
She was born on April 16, 1988, which makes her 38 in 2026 and about three years younger than Bill.
Katy also founded One Model Mission, a nonprofit that supports women through blogs and documentaries.
Her modeling portfolio includes work with LA Fashion Magazine, GQ, Men’s Health, Maxim, Esquire, FHM, Glamour, People, and OK Magazine.
She has a career and a mission of her own, so she’s no side note to his story.
Does Bill Melugin Have a Wife?
Bill Melugin has no wife.
Searches for “Bill Melugin wife” spike because some outlets have mistakenly called Katy his wife.
She is his girlfriend and not his spouse.
What Is Known About His Dating Life?
They started dating in November 2018.
That’s close to eight years together now.
Both of them travel often for work, and they seem to have found a rhythm that fits those schedules.
He keeps the details private.
Occasional Instagram posts show the two together, and that’s about all the public sees.
A relationship that stays low-key for nearly a decade says something about how much each of them values privacy.
Bill Melugin Salary, Net Worth and Income
Money questions come up for every well-known reporter.
Fox News does not publish what its correspondents earn, so every figure here is an estimate.
What Is Bill Melugin’s Salary?
A Fox News correspondent salary at his level usually lands between $200,000 and $500,000 per year.
He holds a senior national role and carries a shelf of Emmy-level honors, so he likely sits near the upper part of that range.
Washington, D.C. correspondents sometimes earn more because of the location and the weight of the beat.
His November 2025 promotion could have lifted his pay.
What Is Bill Melugin’s Net Worth in 2026?
His estimated net worth in 2026 is $3 million.
That figure comes from steady pay at one employer over many years.
Think of it like a paycheck you never spend on side projects.
He doesn’t chase brand deals or business ventures, so almost all of his wealth traces back to reporting.
Treat the number as an educated guess rather than a confirmed total.
His Main Sources of Income
The list below breaks down where his money likely comes from.
- Main income: His Fox News Channel salary as a correspondent
- Smaller income: Select speaking events and media appearances
- Not confirmed: Brand endorsements, investment portfolios, or book deals
Notice how short that list is.
One job drives nearly everything.
Bill Melugin on Social Media and Public Life
Do people really follow a news reporter this closely?
They do, because his posts often break news before a TV segment airs.
Social Media Presence and Audience
He posts most on X, the platform many people still call Twitter.
He shares live clips, field footage, and breaking updates there.
Those posts often travel far beyond his own followers.
Instagram is his second platform.
He uses it for the occasional personal post, including photos with Katy Johnson.
Here is an odd detail: he has no dedicated Wikipedia page as of 2026.
For a multi-time Emmy winner on a national network, that stands out.
His story lives instead across Fox News bios, news archives, and social media.
Some searchers type “Bill Malugen” by mistake because the surname looks unusual in print.
Both searches point to the same person.
The correct spelling is Melugin.
Interesting Facts About Bill Melugin
Want the quick, shareable stuff?
The ordered list below has the facts people tend to repeat.
- He started in journalism at a college radio station before he ever appeared on TV.
- He modeled for Abercrombie and Fitch, Wilhelmina, and the FORD/Robert Black Agency.
- He reportedly delivered over 1,000 live shots from the Rio Grande Valley in 2022.
- His honors include 3 local Emmys, two Golden Mike Awards, and Edward R. Murrow recognition.
- His father, Gary Logen Melugin, died suddenly in May 2016, and Bill has spoken about that loss.
- Katy Johnson, his girlfriend since November 2018, runs the nonprofit One Model Mission.
- Jay Wallace, Fox News president and executive editor, announced his November 2025 promotion himself.
- He covers Congress from Washington, D.C. after years of border reporting from Los Angeles.
Which of these surprised you the most?
Drop your thoughts in the comments, and share this with a friend who follows the news.
Check back often, because his story keeps moving as he settles into his Capitol Hill beat.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bill Melugin
How old is Bill Melugin in 2026?
Bill Melugin is 41 years old in 2026. He was born on February 26, 1985, in Orange County, California, and his zodiac sign is Pisces.
Is Bill Melugin married?
No, Bill Melugin is not married as of 2026. He has never announced a wedding and remains in a long-term relationship with girlfriend Katy Johnson.
Who is Bill Melugin’s wife or girlfriend?
Bill Melugin has no wife. His girlfriend is Katy Johnson, a model and founder of One Model Mission. They have dated since November 2018.
How tall is Bill Melugin?
Bill Melugin stands 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall. He weighs about 154 pounds (70 kg) and has green eyes and brown hair.
What is Bill Melugin’s salary?
Fox News does not publish his pay. Estimates place Bill Melugin’s salary between $200,000 and $500,000 per year, standard for senior national correspondents.
What is Bill Melugin’s net worth in 2026?
Bill Melugin’s net worth in 2026 is estimated at $3 million. Nearly all of it comes from his journalism career, mostly at Fox News.
What is Bill Melugin’s current role at Fox News?
Bill Melugin is a congressional correspondent for Fox News Channel in Washington, D.C. He covers Congress and Capitol Hill after years of border reporting.
Conclusion
Bill Melugin built his name the hard way. He went from a college radio booth at Arizona State University to local stations in Phoenix, El Paso, Charlotte, and Los Angeles, then to Fox News Channel in 2021. His U.S.-Mexico border coverage won him Emmys, Golden Mike Awards, and Edward R. Murrow recognition.
Today he covers Congress from Washington, D.C. At 41, he is unmarried, has dated Katy Johnson since 2018, and holds an estimated $3 million net worth. Which part of his story stands out to you? Leave a comment and share this with a friend who follows the news.
