Who are the most trusted people in America?
Asked by: Susanna Shanahan | Last update: March 15, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (72 votes)
Americans generally trust professions like nurses, doctors, and teachers most for honesty and ethics, while politicians and car salespeople rank lowest, though specific individuals like Tom Hanks often top "most trusted" lists in general polls, reflecting trust in perceived integrity over political roles. Trust levels fluctuate, with healthcare workers consistently high and government figures generally low.
Who is the most trusted man in America?
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years (1962–1981). During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll.
Who are the most trustworthy people?
A recent Ipsos study compiled the Global Trustworthiness Index for 2022. From this research, which involved more than 20,000 people in 28 countries all over the world, we can see that the top three most trusted professionals are still doctors, scientists, and teachers (as in the 2021 survey).
What is the #1 most trusted profession?
Nurses are consistently ranked as the most trusted profession in the U.S. by Gallup's annual poll, as reported by Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and the American Nurses Association, holding this top spot for over two decades due to their perceived high honesty, ethics, compassion, and vital role in patient care, often outpacing doctors, pharmacists, and teachers. While global polls might favor doctors, the consistent U.S. trend points to nursing as the leading trusted profession, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is the least trusted profession in America?
The least trusted professions, with more than half of U.S. adults saying their ethics are low or very low, are lobbyists, members of Congress and TV reporters.
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Which profession is most respected in the USA?
Respondents were asked to rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in different professions. Overall, nurses were ranked as the most trusted profession in the United States, with 76% of respondents saying that nurses had "high" or "very high" honesty and ethics.
Who is the most liked person in the United States?
popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a person. Find out more
- 1 Morgan Freeman88%
- Samuel L. Jackson82%
- 3 Keanu Reeves81%
- 4 Betty White80%
- 5 Denzel Washington78%
- 6 Danny DeVito77%
- 7 Jackie Chan76%
- Michael J. Fox76%
Who are the most trusted people in society?
Globally, our findings indicate trust is slightly higher for women, older people, residents of urban (versus rural) regions, and people with high incomes, religiosity, formal education and liberal and left-leaning political views.
Are nurses more trusted than doctors?
Over 75% of respondents in Gallup's annual Most Honest and Ethical Professions Poll consider nurses to be the most trusted profession.
Who is the most respected news anchor?
There isn't one single "most respected" anchor, but recent polls consistently rank Lester Holt (NBC Nightly News) and David Muir (ABC World News Tonight) at the top for trust and popularity, alongside respected figures like Anderson Cooper (CNN) and morning show anchors Robin Roberts (GMA) and Al Roker (Today), with older legends like Walter Cronkite often cited historically.
Who gets more viewers, CNN or Fox?
Fox News consistently has significantly more viewers than CNN, leading in both total and primetime viewership for 2025 and recent months, often by a large margin, although CNN saw strong viewership during specific events like New Year's Eve. Fox News led cable news ratings in 2025, with millions more viewers in primetime and total day, while CNN experienced significant double-digit declines.
What is the most reliable news agency in the world?
There isn't one single "most trusted" news agency globally, as trust varies by region and audience, but Associated Press (AP), Reuters, and Agence France-Presse (AFP) are consistently ranked among the world's most reliable for their commitment to objective, non-partisan news delivery, supplying content to most major media outlets. AP is renowned for its accurate election data, while Reuters is known for breaking international stories and financial news, with both focusing on neutrality.
Which country has the most trustworthy people?
Most people can be trusted in the Nordics, according to survey data from 2022, published 2024. Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland occupy five of the top six spots of most trusting countries. China's position (rank 4th, at 63%) is the only non-Western country in the top tier of trust.
Who is the highest-paid news anchor?
1. Sean Hannity. Sean Hannity, a stalwart at Fox News as host of The Sean Hannity Show, earns an estimated $45 million at the broadcast network and has an estimated net worth of $300 million. Born in New York City, Hannity's broadcast career dates back to the early 1980s in Alabama and Georgia.
Who was considered the most trusted man in America?
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr.
During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll. Cronkite received numerous honors including two Peabody Awards, a George Polk Award, an Emmy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Who is the most trustworthy person?
Highlights of the survey included… Actor Tom Hanks (65%) was the most trusted individual, followed by Sandra Bullock (63%), Denzel Washington (62%), Meryl Streep 61%), and Maya Angelou rounding out the top five. See the complete list here. Americans trust people they know more than anyone famous.
Which country is no 1 in honesty?
Nordic countries, especially Denmark and Finland, are most often cited as having the most honest people overall. Visit Nepal once. Then you will find the answer to your question yourself. some studies actually measure how often people return lost wallets — Denmark, Norway, and Canada often top that list.
Who is a trustable person?
They don't gossip – they keep private things private and don't talk behind people's backs. They're not overly secretive – while everyone has some privacy, trustworthy people are generally open. They don't try to manipulate – they don't guilt-trip, lie, or use pressure to get their way.
Who are the most respected people in America?
Dwight D. Eisenhower and Barack Obama have each been the most admired man 12 times. In his lifetime, the evangelist Billy Graham had 61 appearances in the top-ten list, the most of any individual, and 8 second-place finishes.
Who are the best leaders in the United States?
Abraham Lincoln has taken the highest ranking in each survey and George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt have always ranked in the top five while James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Franklin Pierce have been ranked at the bottom of all four surveys.
What job pays $400,000 a year without a degree?
Yes, jobs paying $400,000 without a degree exist, notably Walmart Supercenter Managers, who can earn that much with bonuses and stock, but other paths include high-stakes sales, software development, commercial real estate, skilled trades (like power plant operators), and successful entrepreneurship/influencing, all requiring expertise and performance over formal education.
What is the #1 happiest profession?
There's no single #1 happiest job, as it varies by individual, but recent studies and surveys often point to Construction as a top industry for overall worker satisfaction due to good pay, culture, and time outdoors, while specific roles like Data Scientists, Surgeons, Firefighters, and Psychologists are frequently cited for high satisfaction, often linked to meaningful impact, good compensation, or autonomy.
What skill pays $100 an hour?
Skills that can earn $100 an hour often involve high demand, specialized knowledge, or freelance/consulting opportunities in tech (programming, data analysis, AI), marketing (SEO, digital marketing, copywriting, social media), creative fields (graphic design, 3D animation, photography), and business/finance (sales, bookkeeping, consulting). High-level expertise in areas like legal, medical, or complex software can also command these rates, with many roles requiring advanced skills or specialized experience rather than just a degree.