Who do you think the highest-paid TV actor is? Is Charlie Sheen still winning with his new show Anger Management? Or is it Ashton Kutcher, the man who has been assigned the responsibility to fill Sheen’s shoes on Two and a Half Men? Or is it someone new this time? Entertainism enlists the current highest-paid TV actors.
Did You Know?
Before his infamous meltdown, Charlie Sheen, in 2010, was the highest-paid television star, earning USD 1.8 million per episode for Two and a Half Men.
It is really not that bad to star in a TV show, after all. Today, television not only provides great entertainment, but also serves as a platform for many artists to showcase their talent. In the last decade, a lot of promising shows came to TV, and were successful enough to strike a chord with audiences. However, as their popularity surged, so did the competition among their actors. The ones that survived didn’t just earn fame and popularity, they also earned lots of money.
It is not just films that provide good money these days. Looking at the recent paychecks of these stars, staying on TV doesn’t look that shabby after all. In fact, in recent times, we have seen many Hollywood A-Listers switching back to TV. Take a look at Alec Baldwin and Kevin Bacon. They are the lead actors of 30 Rock and The Following, and take home pretty decent paychecks. Here are some more names that are making millions on TV.
The following article enlists the name of the highest-earning TV actors in their respective genres. The salaries mentioned have been sourced from TV Guide.
Top Earning TV Actors
Reality TV
Judge Judy has been on air the last 17 years, and during those years she has made some great judgments. With her charm and no-nonsense attitude, she has won the hearts of millions of Americans, and kept her show one of the highest-rated shows of daytime television. Her admirers do sympathize with her sometimes for handling difficult cases, but with a new revised yearly salary of USD 45 million with effect until 2015, I don’t think she has a problem handling difficult cases.
- Mariah Carey (American Idol):
USD 17 million per season - Howard Stern (America’s Got Talent):
USD 15 million per season - Ryan Seacrest (American Idol):
USD 15 million per season - Britney Spears (The X Factor):
USD 10 million per season - The Kardashian Family (Keeping Up with The Kardashians):
USD 10 million per season - Christina Aguilera (The Voice):
USD 225,000 per episode - Gordon Ramsay (Hell’s Kitchen):
USD 225,000 per episode - Pauly DelVecchio (Jersey Shore):
USD 175,000 per episode - Bob Harper (The Biggest Loser):
USD 150,000 per episode - Adam Levine (The Voice):
USD 100,000 per episode
- CeeLo Green (The Voice):
USD 100,000 per episode - Blake Shelton (The Voice):
USD 100,000 per episode - Carrie Ann Inaba (Dancing with the Stars):
USD 75,000 per episode - Betty White (Off the Rockers):
USD 50,000 per episode - Richard Benjamin Harrison (Pawn Stars):
USD 15,000 per episode - Toni Braxton (Braxton Family Values):
USD 15,000 per episode - Abby Lee Miller (Dance Moms):
USD 10,000 per episode - Graham Elliot (MasterChef):
USD 7,500 per episode - Real Housewives on Bravo:
USD 2,000 – USD 4,000 per episode
Talk Shows
Letterman has been entertaining audiences on late-night television since 1983. However, he gained international stardom after he started hosting the ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ in 1993. Letterman has been often cited as one of the best talk show hosts due to his natural charisma, innocent sarcasm, and hilarious jokes. Although his attitude is termed offensive by many guests, CBS has no complaints for their beloved Letterman. They have extended his contract through the 2014 season, and even doubled his salary. This means Letterman will surpass Johnny Carson as the longest tenured late-night talk show host, and will also be the highest-earning host, with USD 28 million annually.
- Jay Leno (The Tonight Show with Jay Leno):
USD 25 million per season - Joe Brown (Judge Joe Brown):
USD 20 million per season - Kelly Ripa (Live! with Kelly):
USD 20 million per season - Jon Stewart (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart):
USD 16 million per season - Conan O’ Brien (Conan):
USD 12 million per season - Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live!):
USD 8 million per season - Chelsea Handler (Chelsea Lately):
USD 8 million per season - Craig Ferguson (The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson):
USD 8 million per season - Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report):
USD 6 million per season - Jimmy Fallon (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon):
USD 5 million per season - Sherri Shepherd (The View):
USD 1.5 million per season - Mario Batali (The Chew):
USD 6,000 per episode
Soap Opera
Ashton Kutcher definitely owes Charlie Sheen a big treat. Since Kutcher replaced Sheen on the hit CBS comedy series Two and a Half Men, he is definitely earning big bucks. Ashton earns a whopping USD 700,000 for every episode he shoots, making him the highest-paid soap opera actor, with earnings worth USD 24 million. The show isn’t what it used to be since Sheen’s departure, and the ratings have also slipped a bit, but it is still a hit with CBS, and it has been renewed for a new season.
- Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men):
USD 600,000 per episode - Mark Harmon (NCIS):
USD 500,000 per episode - Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU):
USD 385,000 per episode - Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy):
USD 350,000 per episode - Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy):
USD 350,000 per episode - Ellen Pompeo (Grey’s Anatomy):
USD 350,000 per episode - Tina Fey (30 Rock):
USD 350,000 per episode - Simon Baker (The Mentalist):
USD 300,000 per episode - Alec Baldwin (30 Rock):
USD 300,000 per episode - Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons):
USD 300,000 per episode - Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory):
USD 300,000 per episode - Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory):
USD 300,000 per episode - Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory):
USD 300,000 per episode - Angus T. Jones (Two and a Half Men):
USD 300,000 per episode - Julie Kavner (The Simpsons):
USD 300,000 per episode - Yeardley Smith (The Simpsons):
USD 300,000 per episode - Michael C. Hall (Dexter):
USD 295,000 per episode - Jon Hamm (Mad Men):
USD 250,000 per episode - Patricia Heaton (The Middle):
USD 235,000 per episode - David Boreanaz (Bones):
USD 225,000 per episode - Kiefer Sutherland (Touch):
USD 225,000 per episode - Ted Danson (CSI):
USD 225,000 per episode - Tim Allen (Last Man Standing):
USD 225,000 per episode - Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother):
USD 210,000 per episode - Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood):
USD 200,000 per episode - Stephen Moyer (True Blood):
USD 200,000 per episode - Anna Paquin (True Blood):
USD 200,000 per episode - Pauley Perrette (NCIS):
USD 175,000 per episode - Michael Weatherly (NCIS):
USD 175,000 per episode - Kevin Bacon (The Following):
USD 175,000 per episode - Peter Krause (Parenthood):
USD 165,000 per episode - Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom):
USD 150,000 per episode - Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice):
USD 150,000 per episode - Dennis Quaid (Vegas):
USD 150,000 per episode - Don Cheadle (House of Lies):
USD 150,000 per episode - Matthew Perry (Go On):
USD 150,000 per episode - Chris O’ Donnell (NCIS: Los Angeles):
USD 140,000 per episode - Christina Applegate (Up All Night):
USD 130,000 per episode - Jim Caviezel (Person of Interest):
USD 125,000 per episode - Eric McCormack (Perception):
USD 125,000 per episode - Mary McDonnell (Major Crimes):
USD 125,000 per episode - John Krasinski (The Office):
USD 125,000 per episode - Michael Chiklis (Vegas):
USD 120,000 per episode - Matt Bomer (White Collar):
USD 110,000 per episode - Claire Danes (Homeland):
USD 110,000 per episode - Alex O’ Loughlin (Hawaii Five-0):
USD 110,000 per episode - Connie Britton (Nashville):
USD 100,000 per episode - Terry O’ Quinn (666 Park Avenue):
USD 100,000 per episode - Jeanne Tripplehorn (Criminal Minds):
USD 100,000 per episode - Vanessa L. Williams (666 Park Avenue):
USD 100,000 per episode - David Krumholtz (Partners):
USD 100,000 per episode - Reba McEntire (Malibu Country):
USD 100,000 per episode - Zooey Deschanel (New Girl):
USD 95,000 per episode - Damian Lewis (Homeland):
USD 75,000 per episode - David McCallum (NCIS):
USD 75,000 per episode - Hayden Panettiere (Nashville):
USD 75,000 per episode - Piper Perabo (Covert Affairs):
USD 75,000 per episode - Jordana Spiro (The Mob Doctor):
USD 75,000 per episode - Madeleine Stowe (Revenge):
USD 75,000 per episode - Kerry Washington (Scandal):
USD 75,000 per episode - Krysten Ritter (Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23):
USD 75,000 per episode - Nat Faxon (Ben and Kate):
USD 65,000 per episode - Dave Annable (666 Park Avenue):
USD 65,000 per episode - Giancarlo Esposito (Revolution):
USD 65,000 per episode - Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary):
USD 65,000 per episode - Sam Waterston (The Newsroom):
USD 65,000 per episode - Callie Thorne (Necessary Roughness):
USD 60,000 per episode - Emily VanCamp (Revenge):
USD 55,000 per episode - Justin Kirk (Animal Practice):
USD 50,000 per episode - Patrick Duffy (Dallas):
USD 50,000 per episode - Josh Henderson (Dallas):
USD 50,000 per episode - Emily Mortimer (The Newsroom):
USD 50,000 per episode - Selma Blair (Anger Management):
USD 40,000 per episode - Janet Montgomery (Made in Jersey):
USD 40,000 per episode - Stephen Amell (Arrow):
USD 30,000 per episode - Mamie Gummer (Emily Owens M.D.):
USD 30,000 per episode - Jessica Paré (Mad Men):
USD 20,000 per episode
So, this is the dough actors earn to keep their audiences entertained, night after night. If you want to know the salary of your favorite actors whose names have not been featured above, please mention his/her name and I’ll try to feature the figure.