Vaughn Hillyard is an American journalist and television reporter known for his coverage of U.S. politics, presidential campaigns and the White House. Over the course of his career, he has worked with NBC News and later became a senior White House reporter for MS NOW.
Born and raised in Arizona, Hillyard developed an interest in journalism at a young age. His career took him from student journalism to national political reporting, including work on presidential campaigns and major political events across the United States.
As of September 2026, Vaughn Hillyard is 35 years old. Publicly available biographical sources list his birthday as March 4, 1991, and his birthplace as Phoenix, Arizona.
Below is a detailed look at Vaughn Hillyard’s age, early life, education, family, career, achievements, personal life and publicly available information about his net worth.
Quick Biography / Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Vaughn Hillyard |
| Vaughn Hillyard Age | 35 years old |
| Date of Birth | March 4, 1991 |
| Birthplace | Phoenix, Arizona, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Journalist / Television Reporter |
| Education | Arizona State University |
| School | Thunderbird High School |
| Known For | Political and White House reporting |
| Former Employer | NBC News |
| Current Network | MS NOW |
| Spouse | Devan Cayea |
| Children | One son |
| Career Start at NBC | 2013 |
The date of birth above is reported by publicly available biographical sources; major network biographies do not prominently publish a birth date. His education and professional history are documented by Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School.
Vaughn Hillyard Age and Birthday
One of the most searched questions about the journalist is βHow old is Vaughn Hillyard?β
Vaughn Hillyard is 35 years old in 2026. Public biographical listings give his date of birth as March 4, 1991. That means he celebrated his 35th birthday on March 4, 2026.
Hillyard was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and has described himself as a third-generation Arizonan. His connection to Arizona has remained an important part of his personal background even after his journalism career took him to Washington and other parts of the country.
Early Life
Vaughn Hillyard grew up in Arizona and developed an interest in journalism while he was still in school.
According to reporting about his early life, a third-grade teacher named Donna Hicks encouraged his writing abilities. By sixth grade, Hillyard was using a camcorder to document events around him.
His interest eventually developed into a serious ambition to become a journalist. He has said that he decided while growing up that he wanted to attend Arizona State University’s journalism school.
Hillyard attended Thunderbird High School in Phoenix, where he became involved with student journalism. He served as editor of the student newspaper, The Challenge.
His high-school journalism experience also gave him an early opportunity to deal with questions about editorial independence and student press rights. His work attracted attention beyond his school and helped establish his interest in journalism as a profession.
Vaughn Hillyard Family
Vaughn Hillyard comes from a family with long connections to Arizona.
He has described himself as a third-generation Arizonan. His father attended Arizona State University, as did his grandfather. This family connection to Arizona State University later became significant because Hillyard went on to study journalism there himself.
Hillyard generally keeps much of his extended family life away from the spotlight. As a journalist who spends much of his professional life covering public figures, he has maintained a relatively private approach to many personal family details.
In 2026, his immediate family expanded when he and his husband, Devan Cayea, welcomed their first child.
Education
Education played a major role in Vaughn Hillyard’s path toward national journalism.
After graduating from Thunderbird High School, he attended Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Hillyard earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from ASU in 2013. The university’s Cronkite School has documented his academic and professional development, including his work in student journalism and his early reporting experiences.
While studying at ASU, he gained practical journalism experience through internships and reporting assignments. His professional experience included work with The Arizona Republic, CNN’s State of the Union with Candy Crowley, and NBC News’ New York news bureau.
These experiences helped prepare him for the competitive world of national political journalism.
Vaughn Hillyard Career
Vaughn Hillyard’s professional career expanded rapidly after his graduation from Arizona State University.
In 2013, he joined NBC News through the Tim Russert Fellowship Program. The fellowship was named after the longtime Meet the Press moderator and provided Hillyard with an opportunity to work alongside experienced political journalists in Washington.
During the fellowship, he worked with NBC journalists and contributed to political reporting and research. His responsibilities included work connected with Meet the Press, the network’s news desk and the political unit.
After his fellowship, Hillyard continued to develop his career at NBC News. He worked in different reporting and production roles before becoming a correspondent.
His coverage increasingly focused on presidential politics, political campaigns and national political developments.
Political and White House Reporting
A significant part of Hillyard’s career has involved covering presidential campaigns and the White House.
Arizona State University’s Cronkite School reported in 2025 that Hillyard had spent about a decade on the road covering campaigns, policy and human-impact stories before being promoted to NBC News White House correspondent.
His reporting has included multiple presidential election cycles and extensive travel across the United States. He has also covered international trips connected with presidential and vice-presidential activities.
In 2025, he moved into the White House correspondent role at NBC News. Following the later organizational changes involving MSNBC and NBC News, he became a senior White House reporter for MS NOW, a position identified on MS NOW’s published articles.
His work frequently appears in reporting about presidential policy, executive-branch decisions, elections and major political events.
Major Achievements
Vaughn Hillyard’s journalism career includes several notable milestones.
Tim Russert Fellowship
One of his earliest major professional achievements was receiving the Tim Russert Fellowship at NBC News after graduating from ASU. The fellowship gave him direct experience inside a major national newsroom.
Presidential Campaign Coverage
Hillyard has spent years covering presidential campaigns and national political events. His work has taken him across the United States and to numerous international locations.
NBC White House Correspondent
In 2025, he was promoted to NBC News White House correspondent, marking another major step in his career.
Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame
In May 2025, Hillyard was inducted into the Walter Cronkite School Alumni Hall of Fame. The school cited his career and commitment to journalism when announcing the honor.
The recognition is particularly significant because the Cronkite School is the institution where Hillyard earned both of his degrees and developed his foundation in journalism.
Personal Life
Hillyard has spoken publicly about aspects of his personal life, although he generally maintains boundaries between his private life and his work.
He publicly came out as gay in 2017. He later began a relationship with Devan Cayea, and the couple married in 2023.
In April 2026, Hillyard and Cayea welcomed their first child, a son named Hudson Hillyard-Cayea. Reports said the child was born on April 4, 2026, in Arizona.
Becoming a father represented an important new chapter in Hillyard’s personal life after years of a career that required frequent travel and long hours covering breaking news.
Vaughn Hillyard Net Worth
There is no reliably verified public figure for Vaughn Hillyard’s net worth from a primary source such as his employer, financial disclosures or an independently audited publication.
Some websites publish estimated figures, but these numbers are not supported by sufficiently reliable financial documentation. For that reason, it would be misleading to present a specific dollar amount as his confirmed net worth.
His income would generally be associated with his career as a national television journalist and senior White House reporter, but his exact salary and total personal wealth are not publicly established.
For an accurate biography, it is better to state that Vaughn Hillyard’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified rather than repeat an unsupported estimate.
Interesting Facts About Vaughn Hillyard
- Vaughn Hillyard was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona.
- He is a third-generation Arizonan.
- He became interested in journalism while he was still a child.
- He was editor of his high-school student newspaper.
- He earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Arizona State University in 2013.
- He became a Tim Russert Fellow at NBC News shortly after graduation.
- His journalism career has included presidential campaigns and White House coverage.
- He was inducted into the Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame in 2025.
- He married Devan Cayea in 2023.
- He became a father in April 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How old is Vaughn Hillyard?
Vaughn Hillyard is 35 years old as of September 2026. Publicly available biographical sources list his birthday as March 4, 1991.
2. When is Vaughn Hillyard’s birthday?
Vaughn Hillyard’s birthday is reported as March 4. His year of birth is listed as 1991 by biographical sources.
3. Where was Vaughn Hillyard born?
Vaughn Hillyard was born in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, and grew up in Arizona.
4. Who is Vaughn Hillyard’s husband?
Vaughn Hillyard is married to Devan Cayea. The couple married in 2023. They welcomed their first son, Hudson, in April 2026.
5. Where did Vaughn Hillyard go to college?
Hillyard attended Arizona State University and studied at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 2013.
Conclusion
Vaughn Hillyard’s career illustrates how early interest in journalism can develop into a national reporting career. From editing a student newspaper in Arizona to working as a Tim Russert Fellow at NBC News and eventually covering the White House, he has built his career around political and national news reporting.
The Vaughn Hillyard age question is also straightforward in 2026: he is 35 years old, with his birthday reported as March 4, 1991.
His educational background at Arizona State University’s Cronkite School, long career at NBC News, White House reporting role and 2025 induction into the Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame are important milestones in his professional story.
At the same time, his personal life has entered a new chapter. His marriage to Devan Cayea and the birth of their son in 2026 have added a family dimension to the life of a journalist whose professional work has often centered on Washington and national politics.