List of highest-paid American television stars

|+

! Name

! Program

! Role

! Salary

! Inflation Adjusted

! Year

! {{Refh}}

|Sarah Jessica Parker

|Sex and the City

|Carrie Bradshaw

|$3.2 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|3200000|2004|r=-3}}}}

|2001–2004

|{{Cite web |date=2023-06-29 |title=You Truly Won't Believe How Much Money the Cast of 'And Just Like That...' Is Making |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a44376203/and-just-like-that-cast-net-worth-salaries/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |website=Cosmopolitan |language=en-US}}

|Jennifer Aniston

| rowspan="2" |The Morning Show

|Alex Levy

| rowspan="2" | $2 million

| rowspan="2" | ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|2000000|2019|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="2" | 2019–

| rowspan="2" | [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]. W. 25 March 2019.[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/apples-bumpy-tv-launch-inside-tech-giants-impending-arrival-hollywood-1247577 Inside Apple's Long, Bumpy Road to Hollywood]. ‘’The Hollywood Reporter’’. 16 October 2019.

|Reese Witherspoon

|Bradley Jackson

|Charlie Sheen

|Two and a Half Men

|Charlie Harper

|$1.8-2 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1800000|2011|r=-3}}}}

|2010–11

| {{cite web|url=http://uproxx.com/tv/2014/08/where-does-the-cast-of-big-bang-theory-rank-among-the-25-highest-paid-tv-stars-of-all-time/|title=The Highest Paid TV Actors Of All Time Per Per Episode - UPROXX|work=UPROXX|date=August 5, 2014}}

|Ray Romano

|Everybody Loves Raymond

|Raymond Barone

|$1.725 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1700000|2005|r=-3}}}}

| 2003–05

| {{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,626136,00.html|title=For $50 Mil, Producers Love Raymond|work=PEOPLE.com}}

|Kelsey Grammer

|Frasier

|Frasier Crane

|$1.6 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1600000|2004|r=-3}}}}

| 2002–04

| {{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,622082,00.html|title=Kelsey Grammer: NBC's $1.6 Million Man|work=PEOPLE.com}}

|Chris Pratt

|The Terminal List

|James Reece

|$1.4 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1400000|2020|r=-3}}}}

|2022–

| {{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tv-salaries-2021-kate-winslet-jason-sudeikis-succession-1235043291/ |title=Streaming Boom Keeps TV Salaries at Heady Levels: Here's What Kate Winslet, Jason Sudeikis and More Are Earning |last1=Schneider |first1=Michael |last2=Otterson |first2=Joe |work=Variety |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |date=August 18, 2021 |accessdate=August 19, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818232156/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tv-salaries-2021-kate-winslet-jason-sudeikis-succession-1235043291/ |archivedate=August 18, 2021 |url-status=live }}

|Tim Allen

|Home Improvement

|Tim Taylor

|$1.25 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1250000|1999|r=-3}}}}

| 1998–99

|

|Jerry Seinfeld

|Seinfeld

|Jerry Seinfeld

|$1 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|1998|r=-3}}}}

| 1997–98

| {{cite news|last=Fahey|first=Mark|title=Seinfeld's per-line payday|url=https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2015/05/31/seinfelds-per-line-payday.html?client=safari|work=CNBC|date=May 31, 2015}}

|Helen Hunt

| rowspan="2" |Mad About You

|Jamie Buchman

| rowspan="2" | $1 million

| rowspan="2" | ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|1999|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="2" |1998–99

| rowspan="2" |{{cite news|last=Flint|first=Joe|title=Helen Hunt and Paul Riser get a raise|url=https://ew.com/article/1998/04/10/helen-hunt-and-paul-riser-get-raise/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=April 10, 1998|access-date=May 10, 2018}}

|Paul Reiser

|Paul Buchman

|Jennifer Aniston

| rowspan="6" |Friends

|Rachel Green

| rowspan="6" | $1 million

| rowspan="6" |${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|2004|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="6" | 2002–04

| rowspan="6" | {{cite news|last=Carter|first=Bill|title=The fame and fat paycheck from Friends--$1.25 million per episode last season|url=https://www.forbes.com/2004/06/21/cx_dd_0621mondaymatchup_celeb04.html#7615a0735bc7|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 11, 2004|accessdate=August 30, 2018}}

|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

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|2007|r=-3}}}}

| 2006–07

| {{cite news|last=Mahan|first=Colin|title=Sopranos actors end pay dispute|url=http://www.tv.com/news/sopranos-actors-end-pay-dispute-5192/|website=TV.com|date=July 5, 2006|accessdate=May 10, 2018}}

|Kaley Cuoco

| rowspan="3" |The Big Bang Theory

|Penny

| rowspan="3" | $1 million

| rowspan="3" | ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|2016|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="3" | 2015–17

| rowspan="3" | {{Cite web|url=https://people.com/tv/big-bang-theory-actors-set-to-earn-1-million-an-episode/|title=Big Bang Theory Actors Set to Earn $1 Million an Episode}}

|Johnny Galecki

|Leonard Hofstadter

|Jim Parsons

|Sheldon Cooper

|Nicole Kidman

| rowspan="2" |Big Little Lies

|Celeste Wright

| rowspan="2" | $1 million

| rowspan="2" | ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|2019|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="2" | 2019

| rowspan="2" | [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']. Business Insider. 17 January 2018.

|Reese Witherspoon

|Madeline Martha Mackenzie

|Jeff Bridges

|The Old Man

|Dan Chase

|$1 million

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|2020|r=-3}}}}

|2021–

|

|Sarah Jessica Parker

|And Just Like That

| Carrie Bradshaw

| $1 million

| ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1000000|2021|r=-3}}}}

| 2021–

|

|Simon Helberg

| rowspan="2" |The Big Bang Theory

|Howard Wolowitz

| rowspan="2" | $900,000

| rowspan="2" | ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|900000|2018|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="2" | 2017-19

| rowspan="2" | {{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/why-big-bang-theory-stars-took-surprising-pay-cuts-989375/|title = Why the 'Big Bang Theory' Stars Took Surprising Pay Cuts|website = The Hollywood Reporter|date = March 29, 2017}}

|Kunal Nayyar

|Raj Koothrapali

|Roseanne Barr

| Roseanne

|Roseanne Conner

|$875,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|875000|1996|r=-3}}}}

|1996-97

| {{Cite web|url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a19662519/roseanne-barr-net-worth/|title=What is Roseanne Barr's Net Worth?|date=May 29, 2018}}

|John Goodman

| Roseanne/The Conners

|Dan Conner

|$860,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|875000|1996|r=-3}}}}

|1996-97; 2019-

| {{Cite web|url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a19662519/roseanne-barr-net-worth/|title=What is Roseanne Barr's Net Worth?|date=May 29, 2018}}

|Ashton Kutcher

| Two and a Half Men

|Walden Schmidt

|$755,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|755000|2016|r=-3}}}}

|2014

|

|Drew Carey

|The Drew Carey Show

|Drew Carey

|$750,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|750000|2004|r=-3}}}}

| 2001–04

|

|David Hyde Pierce

|Frasier

|Niles Crane

|$750,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|750000|2004|r=-3}}}}

| 2004

|{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/highest-paid-tv-actors-2012-9?op=1|title=The Highest-Paid Actors On TV This Fall|last=Acuna|first=Kirsten|work=Business Insider|date=September 25, 2012|accessdate=September 10, 2014}}

|Lauren Graham

| rowspan="2" |Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

|Lorelai Gilmore

| rowspan="2" |$750,000

| rowspan="2" |${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|750000|2016|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="2" |2016

| rowspan="2" |{{cite web|title=Salaries of TV's Top Talent Revealed|date=October 4, 2016|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/highest-paid-tv-actors-salaries-1201874142/|accessdate=27 October 2016}}

|Alexis Bledel

|Rory Gilmore

| Bryan Cranston

| Your Honor

| Michael Desiato

| $750,000

| ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|750000|2020|r=-3}}}}

| 2019–2020

|

|Hugh Laurie

|House

|Dr. Gregory House

|$700,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|700000|2012|r=-3}}}}

|2011–12

|{{cite news|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/house-cancellation-1043356/|title=The Real Story Behind House's Cancellation|work=TV Guide|last=Schneider|first=Michael|date=February 13, 2012|access-date=October 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130063443/https://www.tvguide.com/news/house-cancellation-1043356/|archive-date=January 30, 2015|url-status=live}}

|Andrew Lincoln

|The Walking Dead

|Rick Grimes

|$650,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|650000|2018|r=-3}}}}

|2017–18

|{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2017-hollywood-salaries-revealed-movie-stars-makeup-artists-1043252|title=Robert De Niro's Making How Much?! TV Is Becoming an ATM for Top Talent|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|date=November 17, 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=December 15, 2016}}

| Kate Winslet

| Mare of Easttown

| Mare Sheehan

| $650,000

| ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|650000|2020|r=-3}}}}

| 2019–2020

|

|Jon Cryer

|Two and a Half Men

|Alan Harper

| $620,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|620000|2015|r=-3}}}}

| 2013–15

|{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/two-a-men-jon-cryer-449110|title='Two and a Half Men': Jon Cryer Gets a Raise, Ashton Kutcher Doesn't|last=Balloni|first=Matthew|work=Hollywood Reporter|date=May 1, 2013|accessdate=January 11, 2017}}

|Julia Louis-Dreyfus

| rowspan="3" |Seinfeld

|Elaine Benes

| rowspan="3" |$600,000

| rowspan="3" |${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600000|1998|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="3" |1997–98

| rowspan="3" |

|Jason Alexander

|George Costanza

|Michael Richards

|Cosmo Kramer

|Eric McCormack

| rowspan="4" |Will & Grace

|Will Truman

| rowspan="4" |$600,000

| rowspan="4" |${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600000|2006|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="4" |2005–06

| rowspan="4" |{{Cite web|url=https://www.today.com/today/amp/wbna7640753|title = Report: 'Will & Grace' to return in '06|website = Today}}

|Debra Messing

|Grace Adler

|Megan Mullally

|Karen Walker

|Sean Hayes

|Jack McFarland

| Steve Martin

| rowspan="2" | Only Murders in the Building

| Charles-Haden Savage

| rowspan="2" | $600,000

| rowspan="2" | ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600000|2020|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="2" | 2020–

| rowspan="6" |

| Martin Short

| Oliver Putnam

| Gillian Anderson

| rowspan="3" | The First Lady

| Eleanor Roosevelt

| rowspan="3" | $600,000

| rowspan="3" |${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600000|2020|r=-3}}}}

| rowspan="3" | 2021–

| Viola Davis

| Michelle Obama

| Michelle Pfeiffer

| Betty Ford

| Pedro Pascal

| The Last of Us

| Joel Miller

| $600,000

| ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600000|2020|r=-3}}}}

| 2021–

|Ellen Pompeo

|Grey's Anatomy

|Meredith Grey

|$575,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|575000|2019|r=-3}}}}

|2005–

|{{cite web|url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/ellen-pompeo-reveals-decided-stay-greys-anatomy-72187271 |title=Ellen Pompeo Reveal's Why She Stayed on Grey's Anatomy}}

| Alec Baldwin

| Dr. Death

| Robert Henderson

| $575,000

| ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|575000|2020|r=-3}}}}

| 2020–2021

|

|Norman Reedus

|The Walking Dead

|Daryl Dixon

|$550,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|550000|2018|r=-3}}}}

|2017–18

|

|Julia Louis-Dreyfus

| rowspan=“2” |Veep

|Selina Meyer

| rowspan=“2”| $500,000

| rowspan=“2”| ${{formatnum:

{{Inflation|US|608997|2019|r=-3}}}}

|rowspan=“2” | 2019

|rowspan=“2” |

[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]. 23 July 2023.

|Sofía Vergara

|Modern Family

|Gloria Pritchett

|$500,000

|${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|500000|2019|r=-3}}}}

|2009–2020

|{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2020/10/02/the-highest-paid-actresses-2020-small-screen-stars-like-sofia-vergara-ellen-pompeo-and-elisabeth-moss-shine/?sh=4abe10e22598|title = The Highest-Paid Actresses 2020: Small Screen Stars Like Sofia Vergara, Ellen Pompeo and Elisabeth Moss Shine|website = Forbes}}

! Name

! Program

! Role

! Salary

! Year

! {{abbr|Ref.|References}}

|The X Factor

|Judge

|$75 million

|2012–13

|align="center"|{{cite web|title=Britney Spears signs onto 'X-Factor': Highest paid stars on TV|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/highest-paid-stars-television-gallery-1.1078129?pmSlide=1.1078119|website=New York Daily News|accessdate=July 4, 2017}}

|The Voice

|Coach

|rowspan=2|$25 million

|2021

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Burgos|first1=Jenzia|title=Ariana Grande Is the Highest-Paid Coach in 'Voice' History—Here's Her Salary & Net Worth|url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/ariana-grande-highest-paid-coach-230007598.html|website=Yahoo!|accessdate=November 10, 2021|date=September 20, 2021}}

|rowspan=2|American Idol

|Judge

|2017–18

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Wallenstein|first1=Andrew|title=Paying Katy Perry Top Dollar Doesn't Make Sense for 'American Idol'|url=https://variety.com/2017/music/opinion/katy-perry-american-idol-deal-paycheck-doesnt-make-sense-1202447659/|website=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|accessdate=July 4, 2017|date=May 30, 2017}}

|Judge

|rowspan=2|$20 million

|2011–12

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Elliott|first1=Hannah|title=The Real American Idol: How J.Lo Got Her Mojo Back|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2012/05/16/the-real-american-idol-how-j-lo-got-her-mojo-back/#af0ec986a176|website=Forbes|accessdate=July 24, 2017|date=May 16, 2012}}

|The Voice

|Coach

|2011–16

|align="center"|Aguilera sources:

• {{cite web|last1=Collins|first1=Scott|title=Will Christina Aguilera return to 'The Voice' with big pay bump?|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-xpm-2013-may-13-la-et-st-christina-aguilera-return-voice-nbc-pay-20130513-story.html|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=February 2, 2019|date=May 13, 2013}}
• {{cite web|title='The Voice': Christina Aguilera Will Be Back For Season 5|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/13/the-voice-christina-aguilera-season-5_n_3269351.html|website=The Huffington Post|accessdate=February 2, 2019|date=May 13, 2013}}

| American Idol

|Judge

|$18 million

|2012–13

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Maloney|first1=Devon|title=Mariah Carey's $18 Million 'Idol' Deal: How Does it Measure Up to Stars' TV Paydays?|url=http://www.spin.com/2012/07/mariah-careys-18-million-idol-deal-how-does-it-measure-stars-tv-paydays/|website=Spin|accessdate=July 4, 2017|date=July 24, 2012}}

|American Idol

|Host

|rowspan=2|$15 million

|2013–16

|align="center"|

|The X Factor

|Judge

|2012

|align="center"|

|rowspan=6|The Voice

|rowspan=6|Coach

|rowspan=3|$13 million

|2016–17

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Maglio|first1=Tony|last2=Waxman|first2=Sharon|title='Voice' Judge Shakeup: Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys to Join, Pharrell Williams to Exit Next Season (Exclusive)|url=http://www.thewrap.com/miley-cyrus-alicia-keys-pharrell-williams-blake-shelton-the-voice-nbc/|website=TheWrap|accessdate=July 4, 2017|date=March 25, 2016}}

|2016–18

|align="center"|

|2016–18

|align="center"|

|rowspan=4|$12 million

|2018

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Rushfield|first1=Ricchard|title=Idol Terror - Is Seacrest Out? An Ankler Special Report|url=http://mailchi.mp/theankler/is-seacrest-out|website=The Ankler|accessdate=July 4, 2017}}

|2013

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Buchanan|first1=Kyle|title=How Much Will Shakira Make for The Voice?|url=https://www.vulture.com/2012/09/how-much-will-shakira-make-for-the-voice.html|website=Vulture|accessdate=February 2, 2019|date=September 19, 2012}}

|2017

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Gerencer|first1=Tommy|title=How Much Money Do The Voice Coaches Make?|url=http://moneynation.com/how-much-money-do-the-voice-coaches-make/|website=MoneyNation|accessdate=July 4, 2017|date=November 28, 2016}}

|American Idol

|Judge

|2012–13

|align="center"|{{cite web|last1=Soghomonian|first1=Talia|title=Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey quit 'American Idol'|url=https://www.nme.com/news/tv/nicki-minaj-and-mariah-carey-quit-american-idol-881126|website=NME|accessdate=February 2, 2019|date=June 1, 2013}}

! Name

! Program

! Role

! Salary

! Year

! {{abbr|Ref.|References}}

|The Ellen DeGeneres Show

|Host

|$50 million

|2017

|align="center"| {{cite news | url=https://paywizard.org/salary/vip-check/talk-show-host-salaries | work=CBC News | title=TV Personalities | date=July 25, 2007 | access-date=September 7, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908054254/https://paywizard.org/salary/vip-check/talk-show-host-salaries | archive-date=September 8, 2018 | url-status=dead }}

|Judge Judy

|Judge

|$47 million

|2013

|align="center"| {{Cite news

|title=TVs Highest Paid Star? Judge Judy (by a mile)

|publisher=newser.com

|url=http://www.newser.com/story/173000/tvs-highest-paid-star-judge-judy-by-a-mile.html

|date= Aug 22, 2013}}

|The View

|Host

|$13 million

|2007

|align="center"|{{Cite news

|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/53/07celebrities_Barbara-Walters_O4HQ.html

|title=Barbara Walters

|work=Forbes.com

|accessdate=May 8, 2008

|date=June 14, 2007}}

|The Price Is Right

|Game show host

|$10 million

|2001

|align="center"|{{cite news| url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/425624401.html?dids=425624401:425624401&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+30%2C+2001&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Spotlights+Monologues+extended&pqatl=google | archive-url=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 | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 22, 2012 | title=Spotlights Monologues extended | date=January 30, 2001 | work=Toronto Star}}

! Name

! Program

! Role

! Salary

! Year

! {{abbr|Ref.|References}}

|Today

|Anchor

|$21 million

|

|{{cite news| url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2002/05/02/matt-lauer-stays-for-another-day/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815072506/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2002/05/02/matt-lauer-stays-for-another-day/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 15, 2013 | work=Fox News | title= Stays for Another 'Day' | first=Michael | last=Starr | date=May 2, 2002 |accessdate=August 12, 2013}}

|Today

|Anchor

|$15 million

|

|{{cite news| url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/timesdispatch/access/1128258421.html?dids=1128258421:1128258421&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+14%2C+2006&author=Douglas+Durden&pub=Richmond+Times+-+Dispatch&desc=%27Today%27+gives+new+host+a+very+warm+welcome&pqatl=google | work=Richmond Times | title='Today' gives new host a very warm welcome | first=Douglas | last=Durden | date=September 14, 2006}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite news|url=http://www.today.com/id/12185893|title=Vieira chosen as Couric's 'Today' successor|date=April 7, 2006|accessdate=September 10, 2014|publisher=NBC}}

|CBS Evening News

|News anchor

|$15 million

|

|{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/20/business/katie-couric-signs-nbc-contract-said-to-be-largest-in-tv-news.html |work=The New York Times |title=Katie Couric Signs NBC Contract Said to Be Largest in TV News | first=Bill | last=Carter | date=December 20, 2001 |accessdate=August 12, 2013}}