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Judge Judy’s salary for 2016 was reportedly $47 million. Photo courtesy of Deadline.
While the majority of actors are not making millions a year, a look into the salaries of a few superstars is enough to get us all wanting to pull a Gerald Butler. It’s well known that the actor studied law at the University of Glasgow, but he ultimately abandoned the profession for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
- Related: 7 Lawyers Turned Famous TV Stars
Recently, Variety’s Michael Schneider and Cynthia Littleton compiled data of some of the top TV actors from 2016. Netflix’s Gilmore Girls’ leads topped the drama list while CBS’ The Big Bang Theory’s three stars led the comedy section with $1 million/per episode.
Judge Judith Sheindlin, aka Judge Judy, was the highest paid star on the reality/host/news list. Her reported salary was a whopping $47 million/a year. While Judge Judy may make her fortune by bridging law with entertainment, former lawyer Megyn Kelley made a big pay day from transitioning from law to news. She reportedly brought in $10-12 million from conservative outlet, Fox News. Not a bad career move for the Albany Law School grad.
Drama
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| ACTOR / SHOW / NETWORK | ESTIMATED PER EPISODE |
| Lauren Graham Gilmore Girls (NETFLIX) | $750,000 |
| Alexis Bledel Gilmore Girls (NETFLIX) | $750,000 |
| Mark Harmon NCIS (CBS) | $525,000 |
| Kevin Spacey House of Cards (NETFLIX) | $500,000 |
| Peter Dinklage Game of Thrones (HBO) | $500,000 |
| Lena Headey Game of Thrones (HBO) | $500,000 |
| Kit Harington Game of Thrones (HBO) | $500,000 |
| Emilia Clarke Game of Thrones (HBO) | $500,000 |
| Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Game of Thrones (HBO) | $500,000 |
| Claire Danes Homeland (SHOWTIME) | $450,000 |
| Mariska Hargitay Law & Order: SVU (NBC) | $450,000 |
| Ellen Pompeo Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) | $400,000 |
| Joel Kinnaman Altered Carbon (NETFLIX) | $350,000 |
| Reese Witherspoon Big Little Lies (HBO) | $350,000 |
| Nicole Kidman Big Little Lies (HBO) | $350,000 |
| Kiefer Sutherland Designated Survivor (ABC) | $300,000 |
| Michael Weatherly Bull (CBS) | $300,000 |
| Naomi Watts Gypsy (NETFLIX) | $275,000 |
| Sarah Jessica Parker Divorce (HBO) | $275,000 |
| Hugh Laurie Chance (HULU) | $275,000 |
| Daniel Craig Purity (SHOWTIME) | $250,000 |
| Clive Owen The Knick (CINEMAX) | $250,000 |
| Viola Davis How to Get Away With Murder (ABC) | $250,000 |
| James Spader The Blacklist (NBC) | $250,000 |
| Billy Bob Thornton Goliath (AMAZON) | $250,000 |
| Kerry Washington Scandal (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Aaron Paul The Path (HULU) | $225,000 |
| Tom Selleck Blue Bloods (CBS) | $200,000 |
| Angie Harmon Rizzoli & Isles (TNT) | $185,000 |
| Wentworth Miller Prison Break (FOX) | $175,000 |
| Dominic Purcell Prison Break (FOX) | $175,000 |
| Sarah Wayne Callies Prison Break (FOX) | $175,000 |
| Michelle Monaghan The Path (HULU) | $175,000 |
| Main cast Westworld (HBO) | $175,000 |
| Taraji P. Henson Empire (FOX) | $175,000 |
| Terrence Howard Empire (FOX) | $175,000 |
| Keri Russell The Americans (FX) | $175,000 |
| Jensen Ackles Supernatural (THE CW) | $175,000 |
| Rob Lowe Code Black (CBS) | $175,000 |
| Mandy Patinkin Homeland (SHOWTIME) | $150,000 |
| Scott Bakula NCIS: New Orleans (CBS) | $130,000 |
| Tea Leoni Madam Secretary (CBS) | $130,000 |
| Jennifer Jason Leigh Antarctica (NETFLIX) | $125,000 |
| Geena Davis The Exorcist (FOX) | $100,000 |
| Kyle Chandler Bloodline (NETFLIX) | $100,000 |
| Sam Heughan Outlander (STARZ) | $100,000 |
| Caitriona Balfe Outlander (STARZ) | $100,000 |
| Michael Sheen Masters of Sex (SHOWTIME) | $100,000 |
| Lizzy Caplan Masters of Sex (SHOWTIME) | $100,000 |
| Abigail Spencer Timeless (NBC) | $75,000 |
| Lyon kids Empire (FOX) | $20,000 |
Source: Compiled by Michael Schneider and Cynthia Littleton. Numbers are estimates.
Based on industry sources, and may include producing fees and/or profit participation.
Reality/Host/News
| ACTOR / SHOW / NETWORK | ESTIMATED PER YEAR |
| Judy Sheindlin Judge Judy (SYNDICATED) | $47M |
| Matt Lauer Today (NBC) | $22M-$25M |
| Ellen DeGeneres Ellen (SYNDICATED) | $20M |
| Bill O’Reilly The O’Reilly Factor (FNC) | $18M-$20M |
| Kelly Ripa Live With Kelly (SYNDICATED) | $16M-$20M |
| Miley Cyrus The Voice (NBC) | $13M-$15M |
| Adam Levine The Voice (NBC) | $13M-$15M |
| Jimmy Fallon The Tonight Show (NBC) | $13M-$15M |
| Jimmy Kimmel Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) | $13M-$15M |
| Pat Sajak Wheel of Fortune (SYNDICATED) | $12M |
| Conan O’Brien Conan (IBS) | $12M |
| Robin Roberts Good Morning America (ABC) | $10M-$14M |
| Megyn Kelly The Kelly File (FNC) | $10M-$12M |
| Shepard Smith Shepard Smith Reporting (FNC) | $10M |
| Chelsea Handler Chelsea (NETFLIX) | $10M |
| George Stephanopoulos GMA (ABC) | $10M |
| Anderson Cooper Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN) | $9M-$11M |
| David Muir World News Tonight (ABC) | $7M |
| Rachel Maddow Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC) | $7M |
| Andy Cohen Watch What Happens Live (BRAVO) | $4M-$5M |
| Jeff Probst Survivor (CBS) | $4M* |
| Alec Baldwin Match Game (ABC) | $3M* |
| Steve Harvey Celebrity Family Feud (ABC) | $150,000+ |
| ‘Shark Tank’ sharks Shark Tank (ABC) | $50,000+ |
*PER SEASON +PER EPISODE
Source: Compiled by Michael Schneider and Cynthia Littleton. Numbers are estimates.
Based on industry sources, and may include producing fees and/or profit participation.
Comedy
| ACTOR / SHOW / NETWORK | ESTIMATED PER EPISODE |
| Jim Parsons The Big Bang Theory (CBS) | $1,000,000 |
| Kaley Cuoco The Big Bang Theory (cBs) | $1,000,000 |
| Johnny Galecki The Big Bang Theory (CBS) | $1,000,000 |
| Dwayne Johnson Bailers (HBO) | $400,000 |
| Drew Barrymore Santa Clarita Diet (NETFLIX) | $350,000 |
| Emma Stone Maniac (NETFLIX) | $350,000 |
| Jonah Hill Maniac (NETFLIX) | $350,000 |
| Nancy Cartwright The Simpsons (FOX) | $315,000 |
| Dan Castellaneta The Simpsons (FOX) | $315,000 |
| Julie Kavner The Simpsons (Fox) | $315,000 |
| Yeardley Smith The Simpsons (FOX) | $315,000 |
| Jeffrey Tambor Transparent (AMAZON) | $275,000 |
| Julia Louis-Dreyfus Veep (HBO) | $250,000 |
| Tim Allen Last Man Standing (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Patricia Heaton The Middle (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Julie Bowen Modern Family (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Ty Burrell Modern Family (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Jesse Tyler Ferguson Modern Family (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Eric Stonestreet Modern Family (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Sofia Vergara Modern Family (ABC) | $250,000 |
| Ted Danson The Good Place (NBC) | $225,000 |
| Kevin James Kevin Can Wait (CBs) | $200,000 |
| Matt LeBlanc Man With a Plan (CBS) | $200,000 |
| Mindy Kaling The Mindy Project (HULU) | $140,000 |
| Zooey Deschanel New Girl (FOX) | $130,000 |
| Kristen Bell The Good Place (NBC) | $125,000 |
| America Ferrera Superstore (NBC) | $125,000 |
| Pfefferman family Transparent (AMAZON) | $100,000 |
| Anthony Anderson Black-ish (ABC) | $100,000 |
| Andre Braugher Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX) | $100,000 |
| Jeff Garlin The Goldbergs (ABC) | $90,000 |
| Tracee Ellis Ross Black-ish (ABC) | $80,000 |
| Gina Rodriguez Jane the Virgin (THE CW) | $60,000 |
