Top 25 Highest-Paid TV Actors

Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Sympathizer’ - $2 million per episode

Robert Downey Jr. has taken his star power from the big screen to television, and The Sympathizer proves it. Right from the start, he signed on for a huge $2 million per episode, making him one of the highest paid actors in TV. Unlike others who worked their way up across seasons, Downey entered the project already at the top, thanks to his years as Marvel’s biggest star and his steady box office success. Add in his film career, producing projects, and endorsements, and it’s no surprise his fortune keeps growing. Today, his net worth is estimated at around $300 million.

Jennifer Aniston in 'The Morning Show' - $2 million per episode

Jennifer Aniston has always been a TV favourite, and The Morning Show proved just how much star power she still carries. From day one, she was signed on at a jaw-dropping $2 million per episode, making her one of the highest paid actors on television. Of course, this wasn’t her first big payday, her time on Friends already made her a household name, with $1 million per episode in the final seasons and steady royalties that still bring in millions. Add in movies, endorsements, and producing work, and it’s no surprise that Aniston’s net worth now sits at an impressive $320 million.

Ray Romano in 'Everybody Loves Raymond' - $1.75 million per episode

Ray Romano’s rise on Everybody Loves Raymond is nothing short of impressive. He began with a modest salary when the show first aired, but as it grew into one of TV’s most loved sitcoms, so did his paycheck. By Season 5, he was earning around $800,000 an episode, and in the final seasons, that figure shot up to a jaw-dropping $1.75 million per episode, putting him among the highest-paid actors on television. Add in reruns, syndication, and other projects, and Romano has built an incredible fortune over the years. Today, the comedian-turned-actor enjoys a net worth estimated at $200 million.

Kelsey Grammer in 'Frasier'- 1.6 million per episode

‘Frasier’ made Kelsey Grammer a household name, but it also made him one of the highest-paid actors in television history. At the peak of the hit sitcom’s success, Grammer was taking home a staggering $1.6 million per episode during the final two seasons, pulling in nearly $38 million a season and close to $76 million overall. Decades later, the role of Dr. Frasier Crane continues to define Grammer’s career, with much of his estimated net worth of $80 million tied to the success of the show.

Kevin Costner in ‘Yellowstone’ - $1.4 million per episode

Kevin Costner struck gold with Yellowstone, both on screen and in his bank account. When the series first premiered in 2018, he was already earning around $500,000 per episode. But as the ranch drama grew into one of TV’s biggest hits, so did Costner’s paycheck. By Season 4, his earnings jumped to around $1.2 million per episode, and by Season 5, he was raking in close to $1.4 million each week the show aired. That kind of money puts plus decades of blockbuster films behind him, Costner’s net worth now sits at an estimated massive $250 million.

Chris Pratt in 'Terminal List’ - $1.4 million per episode

When Chris Pratt jumped back to television with Amazon’s The Terminal List, he landed one of the biggest paydays in streaming. Pratt earned about $1.4 million per episode, which put him right alongside TV’s highest-paid stars. With eight episodes in the first season, his take-home topped $11 million and eventually contributed to his net worth of $100 million.

Charlie Sheen in 'Two and a Half Men' - $1.25 million per episode

At the peak of TV’s sitcom boom, Charlie Sheen was cashing checks that shocked even Hollywood insiders. As the face of Two and a Half Men, Sheen raked in $1.25 million per episode, a sum that climbed to nearly $2 million once syndication points were included. That translated to roughly $48 million a year, making him the undisputed king of network TV salaries.

Tim Allen in 'Home Improvement' - $1.25 million per episode

Tim Allen’s launch into sitcom superstardom came with a paycheck to match. In the eighth and final season of Home Improvement, he earned a staggering $1.25 million per episode, making him one of the highest-paid TV actors of the 1990s. The show could have gone on for a ninth season, but negotiations hit a roadblock. Even so, Home Improvement secured Allen’s place in TV history, and that massive salary helped him build his current estimated net worth of $100 million.

Jerry Seinfeld in 'Seinfeld' - $1 million per episode

Jerry Seinfeld almost broke records in television history when he became the first actor to earn $1 million per episode during the final season of Seinfeld. NBC, eager to extend the cultural juggernaut, even offered Seinfeld an unprecedented $5 million per episode to continue into a tenth season, but he declined. However, that didn’t stop him from reaching a net worth today estimated at around $1 billion.

Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon in 'Big Little Lies' - $1 million per episode

Both Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon scored massive paydays with Big Little Lies. By Season 2, each was earning an estimated $1 million per episode. By the show’s second season, both actresses were earning about a whopping $1 million per episode, taking Nicole’s net worth to an estimated $250 million and Reece's to an estimated $440 million.

Jeff Bridgers in ‘The Old Man’ - $1 million per episode

Jeff Bridges’ return to television was never going to be small, and The Old Man proved it. The veteran actor signed on not just as the lead but also as an executive producer, pulling in a cool $1 million per episode. That kind of money put him right up there with TV’s most elite earners, showing how much value FX placed on his star power. Over the seven-episode run, Bridges reportedly earned around $7 million from the show, contributing to his estimated net worth of between $80 and $100 million.

Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser in ‘Mad About You’ - $1 million each per episode

Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser made TV history with Mad About You, and their paychecks grew right alongside the show’s success. In the early years, they earned about $250,000 an episode, but as the series became a hit, the duo struck a record-breaking deal in 1998 to pull in $1 million each per episode during the final season. That leap put them among television’s highest earners of the decade and added up to a comfortable net worth of roughly $75 million each.

Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso’ - $1 million per episode

Jason Sudeikis turned Ted Lasso into one of TV’s biggest success stories, and his paycheck shows it. In the early seasons, he was taking home around $250,000 to $300,000 per episode, with some reports saying a little higher. But once the feel-good comedy became a global hit, he renegotiated and landed a huge $1 million per episode for Season 3. That raise put him right up there with the highest-paid actors on television, taking his net worth to an estimated $20 million.

The Cast of 'Big Bang Theory' - $900,000 each per episode

By the final season of The Big Bang Theory, the show’s main ensemble was raking in massive payouts. Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kaley Cuoco, and Kunal Nayyar were each earning about $900,000 per episode, down from $1 million after agreeing to a collective 10% pay cut to elevate the pay for Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik, who were then pulling in $500,000 per episode each.

Roseanne Barr on 'Roseanne' - $875,000 per episode

Roseanne Barr became one of the highest-paid stars on television during the run of her hit 'Roseanne'. By the show’s final season in the late 1990s, she was earning about $875,000 per episode. While the show focused on the struggles of a working-class family, Barr’s earnings told another story. And, soon she became one of the richest women in television with a net worth of $80 million.

James Gandolfini on 'The Sopranos’ - $800,000 per episode

When The Sopranos began, James Gandolfini was earning about $2.5 million a season, but as the mob drama stated to pick up the rankings, so did his salary. By Season 3, Gandolfini was earning $400,000 per episode, and by Season 4, he struck gold with $800,000 per episode, nearly $10 million for the year.

Drew Carey in 'The Drew Carey Show' - $750,000 per episode

By the early 2000s, Carey was earning approximately $750,000 per episode, which totaled nearly $20 million for a single season, making him one of the richest sitcom stars of his era. Even though his show didn’t grab the same headlines as Friends or Frasier, those massive paychecks helped build his fortune, now estimated at around $165 million.

Alexis Bledel in 'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' - $750,000 per episode

Alexis Bledel made a nostalgic return to Stars Hollow with Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and Netflix rewarded her accordingly. For the revival mini-series, she earned approximately $750,000 per episode, same as her on-screen mom, Lauren Graham. With just four episodes, that meant she took home roughly $3 million during production. That salary didn’t catapult her into millionaire status on its own, and Alexis Bledel’s net worth is estimated at $6 million, shared with her husband.

Bryan Cranston on 'Your Honor' - $750,000 per episode

Bryan Cranston proved once again that he’s TV royalty when he signed on for Showtime’s legal drama Your Honor. The Breaking Bad legend reportedly pulled in about $750,000 per episode, placing him among the top earners on television. With a 10-episode season, that adds up to roughly $7.5 million; he has built a fortune now estimated at around $40 million.

Ashton Kutcher in 'Two and a Half Men' - $700,000 per episode

Even after replacing Charlie Sheen, Ashton Kutcher didn’t just step into a hit sitcom; he snagged a headline-making payday. In the latter seasons of Two and a Half Men, Kutcher reportedly earned $700,000 per episode, making him the highest-paid sitcom actor on television at that time.

Hugh Laurie in 'House' - $700,000 per episode

Casting Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House was a gamble that paid off bigger than anyone expected. Producers wanted someone who could deliver biting sarcasm, intelligence, and just the right touch of vulnerability, and Laurie nailed it. By the final seasons of House, Laurie was earning $700,000 per episode, helping him accumulate $45 million net worth.

Kate Winslet in ‘Mare of Easttown’ - $650,000 per episode

Kate Winslet has proven time and again that she’s worth every penny, and 'Mare of Easttown' was the latest reminder. She stepped into the series already pulling in about $650,000 per episode, instantly ranking among TV’s highest earners. The show’s huge success only strengthened her status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. Between her films, selective TV projects, and producing credits, Kate has built an incredible career and a net worth of around $65 million today.

Cast of 'Game of Thrones ' - $500,000 per episode

Few shows in history justified sky-high paychecks the way Game of Thrones did. By its seventh and eighth seasons, the HBO juggernaut was drawing more than 10 million viewers per episode. To secure key cast members like Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, HBO raised their salaries to about $500,000 per episode by Season 7 and even higher, reaching $1.2 million each in the final season.

Angela Bassett in ‘9-1-1’ - $450,000 per episode

Angela Bassett is proving that talent and star power really do pay off. When 9-1-1 first launched, her salary wasn’t the big story, but by Season 5, she sealed a game-changing deal, earning over $450,000 an episode. That move made her the highest-paid actor on network TV at the time, and it showed just how much she brings to the hit series, both on screen as Athena and behind the camera as an executive producer. With a career full of iconic roles and now one of TV’s biggest paychecks, her net worth stands at around $25 million today.

Tom Selleck in ‘Blue Bloods’ - $200,000 per episode

Tom Selleck has been a TV favourite for decades, and Blue Bloods only added to his legacy. For most of the series, he earned about $200,000 per episode, which put him among the highest paid actors in network dramas. Even when he and the cast agreed to a small pay cut to keep the show going, Selleck was still pulling in an impressive paycheck. Combined with his earlier success and steady film roles, he’s built a career that continues to pay off but still he seems to be worried about going dry. Today, Selleck’s long run in Hollywood has helped him reach a net worth of around $45 million.