List of highest-paid American television stars explained

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
- style="text-align:center;"	Jennifer Aniston	The Morning Show	Alex Levy	$2 million	$	2019–	^[1] ^[2]
Reese Witherspoon	Bradley Jackson
Charlie Sheen	Two and a Half Men	Charlie Harper	$1.8-2 million	$	2010–11	^[3]
Ray Romano	Everybody Loves Raymond	Raymond Barone	$1.725 million	$	2003–05	^[4]
Kelsey Grammer	Frasier	Frasier Crane	$1.6 million	$	2002–04	^[5]
Chris Pratt	The Terminal List	James Reece	$1.4 million	$	2022–	^[6]
Tim Allen	Home Improvement	Tim Taylor	$1.25 million	$	1998–99
Jerry Seinfeld	Seinfeld	Jerry Seinfeld	$1 million	$	1997–98	^[7]
Helen Hunt	Mad About You	Jamie Buchman	$1 million	$	1998–99	^[8]
Paul Reiser		Paul Buchman
Jennifer Aniston	Friends	Rachel Green	$1 million	$	2002–04	^[9]
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	$	2006–07	^[10]
Kaley Cuoco	The Big Bang Theory	Penny	$1 million	$	2015–17	^[11]
Johnny Galecki		Leonard Hofstadter
Jim Parsons		Sheldon Cooper
Nicole Kidman	Big Little Lies	Celeste Wright	$1 million	$	2019	^[12]
Reese Witherspoon		Madeline Martha Mackenzie
Jeff Bridges	The Old Man	Dan Chase	$1 million	$	2021–
Sarah Jessica Parker	And Just Like That	Carrie Bradshaw	$1 million	$	2021-	^[13]
Simon Helberg	The Big Bang Theory	Howard Wolowitz	$900,000	$	2017-19	^[14]
Kunal Nayyar		Raj Koothrapali
Roseanne Barr	Roseanne	Roseanne Conner	$875,000	$	1996-97	^[15]
John Goodman	Roseanne/The Conners	Dan Conner	$860,000	$	1996-97; 2019-	^[16]
Ashton Kutcher	Two and a Half Men	Walden Schmidt	$755,000	$	2014
Drew Carey	The Drew Carey Show	Drew Carey	$750,000	$	2001–04
David Hyde Pierce	Frasier	Niles Crane	$750,000	$	2004	^[17]
Lauren Graham		Lorelai Gilmore	$750,000	$	2016	^[18]
Alexis Bledel		Rory Gilmore
Bryan Cranston	Your Honor	Michael Desiato	$750,000	$	2019–2020
Hugh Laurie	House	Dr. Gregory House	$700,000	$	2011–12	^[19]
Andrew Lincoln	The Walking Dead	Rick Grimes	$650,000	$	2017–18	^[20]
Kate Winslet	Mare of Easttown	Mare Sheehan	$650,000	$	2019–2020
Jon Cryer	Two and a Half Men	Alan Harper	$620,000	$	2013–15	^[21]
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	Seinfeld	Elaine Benes	$600,000	$	1997–98
Jason Alexander		George Costanza
Michael Richards		Cosmo Kramer
Eric McCormack	Will & Grace	Will Truman	$600,000	$	2005–06	^[22]
Debra Messing		Grace Adler
Megan Mullally		Karen Walker
Sean Hayes		Jack McFarland
Steve Martin	Only Murders in the Building	Charles-Haden Savage	$600,000	$	2020–
Martin Short		Oliver Putnam
Gillian Anderson	The First Lady	Eleanor Roosevelt	$600,000	$	2021–
Viola Davis		Michelle Obama
Michelle Pfeiffer		Betty Ford
Pedro Pascal	The Last of Us	Joel Miller	$600,000	$	2021–
Ellen Pompeo	Grey's Anatomy	Meredith Grey	$575,000	$	2005–	^[23]
Alec Baldwin	Dr. Death	Robert Henderson	$575,000	$	2020–2021
Norman Reedus	The Walking Dead	Daryl Dixon	$550,000	$	2017–18
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	Veep	Selina Meyer	$500,000	$	2019	^[24]
Sofía Vergara	Modern Family	Gloria Pritchett	$500,000	$	2009–2020	^[25]

Television hosts

Network primetime salaries per season

Name	Program	Role	Salary	Year
Simon Cowell	The X Factor	Judge	$75 million	2012–13	^[26]
Ariana Grande	The Voice	Coach	$25 million	2021		style">Web site: Burgos. Jenzia. Ariana Grande Is the Highest-Paid Coach in 'Voice' History—Here's Her Salary & Net Worth. Yahoo!. November 10, 2021. September 20, 2021.
Katy Perry	American Idol	Judge		2017–18	^[27]
Jennifer Lopez		Judge	$20 million	2011–12	^[28]
Christina Aguilera	The Voice	Coach		2011–16	^[29]
Mariah Carey	American Idol	Judge	$18 million	2012–13	^[30]
Ryan Seacrest	American Idol	Host	$15 million	2013–16
Britney Spears	The X Factor	Judge		2012
Miley Cyrus	The Voice	Coach	$13 million	2016–17	^[31]
Adam Levine				2016–18
Blake Shelton				2016–18
Kelly Clarkson			$12 million	2018	^[32]
Shakira				2013	^[33]
Gwen Stefani				2017	^[34]
Nicki Minaj	American Idol	Judge		2012–13	^[35]

Daytime annual salaries

Name	Program	Role	Salary	Year
Ellen DeGeneres	The Ellen DeGeneres Show	Host	$50 million	2017	^[36]
Judith Sheindlin	Judge Judy	Judge	$47 million	2013	^[37]
Barbara Walters	The View	Host	$13 million	2007	^[38]
Bob Barker	The Price Is Right	Game show host	$10 million	2001	^[39]

News presenters

Name	Program	Role	Salary	Year
Matt Lauer	Today	Anchor	$21 million		^[40]
Meredith Vieira	Today	Anchor	$15 million		^[41] ^[42]
Katie Couric	CBS Evening News	News anchor	$15 million		^[43]

Notes and References

1. https://www.wmagazine.com/story/reese-witherspoon-jennifer-aniston-the-morning-show-apple-tv Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston Finally Give Us a Peek at The Morning Show
2. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apples-bumpy-tv-launch-inside-tech-giants-impending-arrival-hollywood-1247577 Inside Apple's Long, Bumpy Road to Hollywood
3. Web site: The Highest Paid TV Actors Of All Time Per Per Episode - UPROXX. UPROXX. August 5, 2014.
4. Web site: For $50 Mil, Producers Love Raymond. PEOPLE.com.
5. Web site: Kelsey Grammer: NBC's $1.6 Million Man. PEOPLE.com.
6. Web site: Streaming Boom Keeps TV Salaries at Heady Levels: Here's What Kate Winslet, Jason Sudeikis and More Are Earning . Schneider . Michael . Otterson . Joe . . . August 18, 2021 . August 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210818232156/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tv-salaries-2021-kate-winslet-jason-sudeikis-succession-1235043291/ . August 18, 2021 . live .
7. News: Fahey. Mark. Seinfeld's per-line payday. CNBC. May 31, 2015.
8. News: Flint. Joe. Helen Hunt and Paul Riser get a raise. Entertainment Weekly. April 10, 1998. May 10, 2018.
9. News: Carter. Bill. The fame and fat paycheck from Friends--$1.25 million per episode last season. The New York Times. June 11, 2004. August 30, 2018.
10. News: Mahan. Colin. Sopranos actors end pay dispute. TV.com. July 5, 2006. May 10, 2018.
11. Web site: Big Bang Theory Actors Set to Earn $1 Million an Episode.
12. https://www.businessinsider.com/reese-witherspoons-salary-for-big-little-lies-season-2-tripled-thanks-to-apple-2018-1 Apple shelling out millions for TV talent reportedly helped Reese Witherspoon triple her salary on season 2 of HBO's 'Big Little Lies'
13. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a44376203/and-just-like-that-cast-net-worth-salaries/#:~:text=Sarah%20Jessica%20Parker,-Net%20Worth%3A%20%24200&text=She%20made%20~%2450%20million,6%20she%20made%20%24147%20million You Truly Won't Believe How Much Money the Cast of 'And Just Like That...' Is Making
14. Web site: Why the 'Big Bang Theory' Stars Took Surprising Pay Cuts. The Hollywood Reporter. March 29, 2017.
15. Web site: What is Roseanne Barr's Net Worth?. May 29, 2018.
16. Web site: What is Roseanne Barr's Net Worth?. May 29, 2018.
17. Web site: The Highest-Paid Actors On TV This Fall. Acuna. Kirsten. Business Insider. September 25, 2012. September 10, 2014.
18. Web site: Salaries of TV's Top Talent Revealed. October 4, 2016. 27 October 2016.
19. News: The Real Story Behind House's Cancellation. TV Guide. Schneider. Michael. February 13, 2012. October 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20150130063443/https://www.tvguide.com/news/house-cancellation-1043356/. January 30, 2015. live.
20. Web site: Robert De Niro's Making How Much?! TV Is Becoming an ATM for Top Talent. Goldberg. Lesley. November 17, 2016. The Hollywood Reporter. December 15, 2016.
21. Web site: 'Two and a Half Men': Jon Cryer Gets a Raise, Ashton Kutcher Doesn't. Balloni. Matthew. Hollywood Reporter. May 1, 2013. January 11, 2017.
22. Web site: Report: 'Will & Grace' to return in '06. Today.
23. Web site: Ellen Pompeo Reveal's Why She Stayed on Grey's Anatomy.
24. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a44578780/julia-louis-dreyfus-net-worth/Did You Know Julia Louis-Dreyfus Could Be a Billionaire in Her Lifetime? You Do Now
25. Web site: The Highest-Paid Actresses 2020: Small Screen Stars Like Sofia Vergara, Ellen Pompeo and Elisabeth Moss Shine. Forbes.
26. Web site: Britney Spears signs onto 'X-Factor': Highest paid stars on TV. New York Daily News. July 4, 2017.
27. Web site: Wallenstein. Andrew. Paying Katy Perry Top Dollar Doesn't Make Sense for 'American Idol'. Variety. Penske Media Corporation. July 4, 2017. May 30, 2017.
28. Web site: Elliott. Hannah. The Real American Idol: How J.Lo Got Her Mojo Back. Forbes. July 24, 2017. May 16, 2012.
29. Aguilera sources:
    • Web site: Collins. Scott. Will Christina Aguilera return to 'The Voice' with big pay bump?. Los Angeles Times. February 2, 2019. May 13, 2013.
    • Web site: 'The Voice': Christina Aguilera Will Be Back For Season 5. The Huffington Post. February 2, 2019. May 13, 2013.
30. Web site: Maloney. Devon. Mariah Carey's $18 Million 'Idol' Deal: How Does it Measure Up to Stars' TV Paydays?. Spin. July 4, 2017. July 24, 2012.
31. Web site: Maglio. Tony. Waxman. Sharon. 'Voice' Judge Shakeup: Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys to Join, Pharrell Williams to Exit Next Season (Exclusive). TheWrap. July 4, 2017. March 25, 2016.
32. Web site: Rushfield. Ricchard. Idol Terror - Is Seacrest Out? An Ankler Special Report. The Ankler. July 4, 2017.
33. Web site: Buchanan. Kyle. How Much Will Shakira Make for The Voice?. Vulture. February 2, 2019. September 19, 2012.
34. Web site: Gerencer. Tommy. How Much Money Do The Voice Coaches Make?. MoneyNation. July 4, 2017. November 28, 2016.
35. Web site: Soghomonian. Talia. Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey quit 'American Idol'. NME. February 2, 2019. June 1, 2013.
36. News: TV Personalities . CBC News . July 25, 2007 . September 7, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180908054254/https://paywizard.org/salary/vip-check/talk-show-host-salaries . September 8, 2018 . dead .
37. News: TVs Highest Paid Star? Judge Judy (by a mile). newser.com. Aug 22, 2013.
38. News: Barbara Walters. Forbes.com. May 8, 2008. June 14, 2007.
39. News: Spotlights Monologues extended . https://web.archive.org/web/20121022103702/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/425624401.html?dids=425624401:425624401&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+30,+2001&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Spotlights+Monologues+extended&pqatl=google . dead . October 22, 2012 . January 30, 2001 . Toronto Star.
40. News: Stays for Another 'Day' . Fox News . Michael . Starr . May 2, 2002 . August 12, 2013.
41. News: 'Today' gives new host a very warm welcome . Richmond Times . Douglas . Durden . September 14, 2006.
42. News: Vieira chosen as Couric's 'Today' successor. April 7, 2006. September 10, 2014. NBC.
43. News: Katie Couric Signs NBC Contract Said to Be Largest in TV News . The New York Times . Bill . Carter . December 20, 2001 . August 12, 2013.