Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36, were accompanied by former President Bill Clinton, who secured their release in a meeting with the reclusive state's leader Kim Jong-il.
The women are reporters for an American cable television venture co-founded by Mr Clinton's former vice president Al Gore.
They arrived aboard a private jet with Mr Clinton at Burbank Airport near Los Angeles earlier this afternoon.
The two Current TV journalists were arrested in March for illegally crossing into North Korea from China and had been reporting on the trafficking of women.
They were both sentenced to 12 years of hard labour in June for 'hostile acts'.
Ms Ling raised her arms in the air as the two women descended from the plane for a tearful reunion with their families inside the airport hangar.
Mr Clinton was received with a round of applause and an embrace from Mr Gore.
Speaking to reporters after their return, Ms Ling expressed her 'deepest gratitude' to Mr Clinton and his 'super cool' team.
US President Barack Obama said he was 'extraordinarily relieved' that the women are back on US soil and he thanked Mr Clinton for his effort in securing their release.
A senior US official said the journalists were in 'very good health' after 140 days in detention.
