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List of highest-paid American television stars

From Tilcayo Cats, the lean encyclopaedia by Tilcayo Knowledge Systems

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

TV and streaming salaries per episode

Name Program Role Salary Inflation adjusted Year Ref.
Jennifer Aniston The Morning Show Alex Levy $4 million $2,519,000 2019– [1][2]
Reese Witherspoon Bradley Jackson
Charlie Sheen Two and a Half Men Charlie Harper $1.8-2 million $2,576,000 2010–11 [3]
Ray Romano Everybody Loves Raymond Raymond Barone $1.825 million $2,802,000 2003–05 [4]
Kelsey Grammer Frasier Frasier Crane $1.6 million $2,727,000 2002–04 [5]
Chris Pratt The Terminal List James Reece $1.4 million $1,742,000 2022– [6]
Tim Allen Home Improvement Tim Taylor $4 million $2,416,000 1998–99 [3]
Jennifer Aniston Friends Rachel Green $1.1 million $2,008,000 2003 and 2004 [7]
Courteney Cox Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc Joey Tribbiani
David Schwimmer Ross Geller
Matthew Perry Chandler Bing
Jerry Seinfeld Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld $1 million $1,975,000 1997–98 [8]
Helen Hunt Mad About You Jamie Buchman $1 million $1,933,000 1998–99 [9]
Paul Reiser Paul Buchman
James Gandolfini The Sopranos Tony Soprano $1 million $1,553,000 2006–07 [10]
Jennifer Aniston Friends Rachel Green $1 million $1,705,000 2002 [11]
Courteney Cox Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc Joey Tribbiani
David Schwimmer Ross Geller
Matthew Perry Chandler Bing
Kaley Cuoco The Big Bang Theory Penny $1 million $1,342,000 2015–17 [12]
Johnny Galecki Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons Sheldon Cooper
Simon Helberg Howard Wolowitz 2017 [13]
Kunal Nayyar Raj Koothrappali
Nicole Kidman Big Little Lies Celeste Wright $1 million $1,259,000 2019 [14]
Reese Witherspoon Madeline Martha Mackenzie
Jeff Bridges The Old Man Dan Chase $1 million $1,244,000 2021–24 [6]
Sarah Jessica Parker And Just Like That Carrie Bradshaw $1 million $1,188,000 2021–25 [15]
Roseanne Barr Roseanne Roseanne Conner $875,000 $1,796,000 1996-97 [16]
John Goodman Roseanne/The Conners Dan Conner $860,000 $1,796,000 1996-97; 2019-25 [17]
Ashton Kutcher Two and a Half Men Walden Schmidt $755,000 $1,013,000 2014 [3]
Drew Carey The Drew Carey Show Drew Carey $750,000 $1,278,000 2001–04 [3]
David Hyde Pierce Frasier Niles Crane $750,000 $1,278,000 2004 [18]
Lauren Graham Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Lorelai Gilmore $750,000 $1,006,000 2016 [19]
Alexis Bledel Rory Gilmore
Bryan Cranston Your Honor Michael Desiato $750,000 $933,000 2019–2020 [6]
Hugh Laurie House Dr. Gregory House $700,000 $982,000 2011–12 [20]
Andrew Lincoln The Walking Dead Rick Grimes $650,000 $833,000 2017–18 [21]
Kate Winslet Mare of Easttown Mare Sheehan $650,000 $809,000 2019–2020 [6]
Jon Cryer Two and a Half Men Alan Harper $620,000 $842,000 2013–15 [22]
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Seinfeld Elaine Benes $600,000 $1,185,000 1997–98 [3]
Jason Alexander George Costanza
Michael Richards Cosmo Kramer
Eric McCormack Will & Grace Will Truman $600,000 $958,000 2005–06 [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 $746,000 2020– [6]
Martin Short Oliver Putnam
Selena Gomez Mabel Mora [24]
Gillian Anderson The First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt $600,000 $746,000 2021– [6]
Viola Davis Michelle Obama
Michelle Pfeiffer Betty Ford
Pedro Pascal The Last of Us Joel Miller $600,000 $746,000 2021–
Ellen Pompeo Grey's Anatomy Meredith Grey $575,000 $724,000 2005– [25]
Alec Baldwin Dr. Death Robert Henderson $575,000 $715,000 2020–2021 [6]
Norman Reedus The Walking Dead Daryl Dixon $550,000 $705,000 2017–18 [21]
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Veep Selina Meyer $500,000 $767,000 2019 [26]
Julie Bowen Modern Family Claire Dunphy $500,000 $630,000 2017-2020 [27]
Ty Burrell Phil Dunphy
Jesse Tyler Ferguson Mitchell Pritchett
Ed O'Neill Jay Pritchett
Eric Stonestreet Cameron Tucker
Sofía Vergara Gloria Pritchett
James Gandolfini The Sopranos Tony Soprano $400,000 $691,000 2003-2004 [10]
Sarah Jessica Parker Sex and the City Carrie Bradshaw $100,000-150,000 $209,000 2001 [15]

Television hosts

Network primetime salaries per season

Name Program Role Salary Year Ref.
Simon Cowell The X Factor Judge $75 million 2012–13 [28]
Ariana Grande The Voice Coach $25 million 2021 [29]
Katy Perry American Idol Judge 2017–18 [30]
Jennifer Lopez Judge $20 million 2011–12 [31]
Christina Aguilera The Voice Coach 2011–16 [32]
Mariah Carey American Idol Judge $18 million 2012–13 [33]
Ryan Seacrest American Idol Host $15 million 2013–16 [28]
Britney Spears The X Factor Judge 2012 [33]
Miley Cyrus The Voice Coach $13 million 2016–17 [34]
Adam Levine 2016–18 [34]
Blake Shelton 2016–18 [34]
Kelly Clarkson $12 million 2018 [35]
Shakira 2013 [36]
Gwen Stefani 2017 [37]
Nicki Minaj American Idol Judge 2012–13 [38]

Daytime annual salaries

Name Program Role Salary Year Ref.
Ellen DeGeneres The Ellen DeGeneres Show Host $50 million 2017 [39]
Judith Sheindlin Judge Judy Judge $47 million 2013 [40]
Barbara Walters The View Host $13 million 2007 [41]
Bob Barker The Price Is Right Game show host $10 million 2001 [42]

News presenters

Name Program Role Salary Year Ref.
Matt Lauer Today Anchor $21 million [43]
Meredith Vieira Today Anchor $15 million [44][45]
Katie Couric CBS Evening News News anchor $15 million [46]

References

  1. ↑ Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston Finally Give Us a Peek at The Morning Show. W. 25 March 2019.
  2. ↑ Inside Apple's Long, Bumpy Road to Hollywood. ‘’The Hollywood Reporter’’. 16 October 2019.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "The Highest Paid TV Actors Of All Time Per Per Episode". Uproxx. August 5, 2014.
  4. ↑ "For $50 Mil, Producers Love Raymond". people.com.
  5. ↑ "Kelsey Grammer: NBC's $1.6 Million Man". people.com.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Schneider, Michael; Otterson, Joe (August 18, 2021). "Streaming Boom Keeps TV Salaries at Heady Levels: Here's What Kate Winslet, Jason Sudeikis and More Are Earning". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ Carter, Bill (June 11, 2004). "Highest paid tv actress 2001-2004 record". guinnessworldrecords.
  8. ↑ Fahey, Mark (May 31, 2015). "Seinfeld's per-line payday". CNBC.
  9. ↑ Flint, Joe (April 10, 1998). "Helen Hunt and Paul Riser get a raise". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Meet the $opranos; Cast Whacks HBO for Big-Bucks Raises". February 27, 2003. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  11. ↑ Carter, Bill. "World's highest paid tv actress season".
  12. ↑ "Big Bang Theory Actors Set to Earn $1 Million an Episode".
  13. ↑ "Why the 'Big Bang Theory' Stars Took Surprising Pay Cuts". The Hollywood Reporter. March 29, 2017.
  14. ↑ Apple shelling out millions for TV talent reportedly helped Reese Witherspoon triple her salary on season 2 of HBO's 'Big Little Lies'. Business Insider. 17 January 2018.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Talking Money With: Sarah Jessica Parker – From A Start On Welfare To Riches In the City". The New York Times. July 30, 2000. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  16. ↑ "What is Roseanne Barr's Net Worth?". May 29, 2018.
  17. ↑ "What is Roseanne Barr's Net Worth?". May 29, 2018.
  18. ↑ Acuna, Kirsten (September 25, 2012). "The Highest-Paid Actors On TV This Fall". Business Insider. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Salaries of TV's Top Talent Revealed". October 4, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  20. ↑ Schneider, Michael (February 13, 2012). "The Real Story Behind House's Cancellation". TV Guide. Archived from the original on January 30, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Goldberg, Lesley (November 17, 2016). "Robert De Niro's Making How Much?! TV Is Becoming an ATM for Top Talent". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  22. ↑ Balloni, Matthew (May 1, 2013). "'Two and a Half Men': Jon Cryer Gets a Raise, Ashton Kutcher Doesn't". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Report: 'Will & Grace' to return in '06". Today. April 26, 2005.
  24. ↑ "THese Are The Richest Self-Made Women Under 40". Forbes. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Ellen Pompeo Reveal's Why She Stayed on Grey's Anatomy".
  26. ↑ You Know Julia Louis-Dreyfus Could Be a Billionaire in Her Lifetime? You Do Now. 23 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "How Much Were The Modern Family Cast Paid For The First Episode & The Final One". Screen Rant. June 27, 2021.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Britney Spears signs onto 'X-Factor': Highest paid stars on TV". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  29. ↑ Burgos, Jenzia (September 20, 2021). "Ariana Grande Is the Highest-Paid Coach in 'Voice' History—Here's Her Salary & Net Worth". Yahoo!. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  30. ↑ Wallenstein, Andrew (May 30, 2017). "Paying Katy Perry Top Dollar Doesn't Make Sense for 'American Idol'". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  31. ↑ Elliott, Hannah (May 16, 2012). "The Real American Idol: How J.Lo Got Her Mojo Back". Forbes. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  32. ↑ Aguilera sources:
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Maloney, Devon (July 24, 2012). "Mariah Carey's $18 Million 'Idol' Deal: How Does it Measure Up to Stars' TV Paydays?". Spin. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Maglio, Tony; Waxman, Sharon (March 25, 2016). "'Voice' Judge Shakeup: Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys to Join, Pharrell Williams to Exit Next Season (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  35. ↑ Rushfield, Richard=Idol Terror - Is Seacrest Out? An Ankler Special Report. "The Ankler: Idol Terror - is Seacrest Out? An Ankler Special Report". The Ankler. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  36. ↑ Buchanan, Kyle (September 19, 2012). "How Much Will Shakira Make for The Voice?". Vulture. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  37. ↑ Gerencer, Tommy (November 28, 2016). "How Much Money Do The Voice Coaches Make?". MoneyNation. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  38. ↑ Soghomonian, Talia (June 1, 2013). "Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey quit 'American Idol'". NME. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  39. ↑ "TV Personalities". CBC News. July 25, 2007. Archived from the original on September 8, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  40. ↑ "TVs Highest Paid Star? Judge Judy (by a mile)". newser.com. August 22, 2013.
  41. ↑ "Barbara Walters". Forbes.com. June 14, 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  42. ↑ "Spotlights Monologues extended". Toronto Star. January 30, 2001. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012.
  43. ↑ Starr, Michael (May 2, 2002). "Stays for Another 'Day'". Fox News. Archived from the original on August 15, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  44. ↑ Durden, Douglas (September 14, 2006). "'Today' gives new host a very warm welcome". Richmond Times.[dead link]
  45. ↑ "Vieira chosen as Couric's 'Today' successor". NBC. April 7, 2006. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  46. ↑ Carter, Bill (December 20, 2001). "Katie Couric Signs NBC Contract Said to Be Largest in TV News". The New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
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