List of highest-paid American television stars

Last updated

This is a list of people starring on American television that are the highest-paid, based on verified sources for each person.

Contents

TV and streaming salaries per episode

NameProgramRoleSalaryInflation AdjustedYearRef.
Sarah Jessica Parker Sex and the City Carrie Bradshaw $3.2 Million$5,675,0002001-2004 [1]
Jennifer Aniston The Morning Show Alex Levy$2 million$2,383,0002019– [2] [3]
Reese Witherspoon Bradley Jackson
Charlie Sheen Two and a Half Men Charlie Harper $1.8-2 million$2,438,0002010–11 [4]
Ray Romano Everybody Loves Raymond Raymond Barone $1.725 million$2,652,0002003–05 [5]
Kelsey Grammer Frasier Frasier Crane $1.6 million$2,581,0002002–04 [6]
Chris Pratt The Terminal List James Reece$1.4 million$1,648,0002022– [7]
Tim Allen Home Improvement Tim Taylor $1.25 million$2,286,0001998–99 [4]
Jerry Seinfeld Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld $1 million$1,869,0001997–98 [8]
Helen Hunt Mad About You Jamie Buchman $1 million$1,829,0001998–99 [9]
Paul Reiser Paul Buchman
Jennifer Aniston Friends Rachel Green $1 million$1,613,0002002–04 [10]
Courteney Cox Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc Joey Tribbiani
David Schwimmer Ross Geller
Matthew Perry Chandler Bing
James Gandolfini The Sopranos Tony Soprano $1 million$1,469,0002006–07 [11]
Kaley Cuoco The Big Bang Theory Penny $1 million$1,270,0002015–17 [12]
Johnny Galecki Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons Sheldon Cooper
Nicole Kidman Big Little Lies Celeste Wright$1 million$1,192,0002019 [13]
Reese Witherspoon Madeline Martha Mackenzie
Jeff Bridges The Old Man Dan Chase$1 million$1,177,0002021– [7]
Sarah Jessica Parker And Just Like That Carrie Bradshaw $1 million$1,124,0002021- [14]
Simon Helberg The Big Bang Theory Howard Wolowitz $900,000$1,092,0002017-19 [15]
Kunal Nayyar Raj Koothrapali
Roseanne Barr Roseanne Roseanne Conner $875,000$1,700,0001996-97 [16]
John Goodman Roseanne / The Conners Dan Conner $860,000$1,700,0001996-97; 2019- [17]
Ashton Kutcher Two and a Half Men Walden Schmidt $755,000$959,0002014 [4]
Drew Carey The Drew Carey Show Drew Carey$750,000$1,210,0002001–04 [4]
David Hyde Pierce Frasier Niles Crane $750,000$1,210,0002004 [18]
Lauren Graham Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Lorelai Gilmore $750,000$952,0002016 [19]
Alexis Bledel Rory Gilmore
Bryan Cranston Your Honor Michael Desiato$750,000$883,0002019–2020 [7]
Hugh Laurie House Dr. Gregory House $700,000$929,0002011–12 [20]
Andrew Lincoln The Walking Dead Rick Grimes $650,000$789,0002017–18 [21]
Kate Winslet Mare of Easttown Mare Sheehan$650,000$765,0002019–2020 [7]
Jon Cryer Two and a Half Men Alan Harper $620,000$797,0002013–15 [22]
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Seinfeld Elaine Benes $600,000$1,122,0001997–98 [4]
Jason Alexander George Costanza
Michael Richards Cosmo Kramer
Eric McCormack Will & Grace Will Truman $600,000$907,0002005–06 [23]
Debra Messing Grace Adler
Megan Mullally Karen Walker
Sean Hayes Jack McFarland
Steve Martin Only Murders in the Building Charles-Haden Savage$600,000$706,0002020– [7]
Martin Short Oliver Putnam
Gillian Anderson The First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt $600,000$706,0002021–
Viola Davis Michelle Obama
Michelle Pfeiffer Betty Ford
Pedro Pascal The Last of Us Joel Miller $600,000$706,0002021–
Ellen Pompeo Grey's Anatomy Meredith Grey $575,000$685,0002005– [24]
Alec Baldwin Dr. Death Robert Henderson$575,000$677,0002020–2021 [7]
Norman Reedus The Walking Dead Daryl Dixon $550,000$667,0002017–18 [21]
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Veep Selina Meyer $500,000$726,0002019 [25]
Sofía Vergara Modern Family Gloria Pritchett $500,000$596,0002009–2020 [26]

Television hosts

Simon Cowell Simon Cowell in December 2011.jpg
Simon Cowell
Ellen DeGeneres, host of the eponymous The Ellen DeGeneres Show Ellen DeGeneres 2011.jpg
Ellen DeGeneres, host of the eponymous The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Network primetime salaries per season

NameProgramRoleSalaryYearRef.
Simon Cowell The X Factor Judge$75 million2012–13 [27]
Ariana Grande The Voice Coach$25 million2021 [28]
Katy Perry American Idol Judge2017–18 [29]
Jennifer Lopez Judge$20 million2011–12 [30]
Christina Aguilera The Voice Coach2011–16 [31]
Mariah Carey American Idol Judge$18 million2012–13 [32]
Ryan Seacrest American IdolHost$15 million2013–16 [27]
Britney Spears The X FactorJudge2012 [32]
Miley Cyrus The Voice Coach$13 million2016–17 [33]
Adam Levine 2016–18 [33]
Blake Shelton 2016–18 [33]
Kelly Clarkson $12 million2018 [34]
Shakira 2013 [35]
Gwen Stefani 2017 [36]
Nicki Minaj American IdolJudge2012–13 [37]

Daytime annual salaries

NameProgramRoleSalaryYearRef.
Ellen DeGeneres The Ellen DeGeneres Show Host $50 million2017 [38]
Judith Sheindlin Judge Judy Judge $47 million2013 [39]
Barbara Walters The View Host $13 million2007 [40]
Bob Barker The Price Is Right Game show host $10 million2001 [41]

News presenters

NameProgramRoleSalaryYearRef.
Matt Lauer Today Anchor$21 million [42]
Meredith Vieira TodayAnchor$15 million [43] [44]
Katie Couric CBS Evening NewsNews anchor$15 million [45]

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