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Great Payday to Be a Television Star


Lead actors and actresses on a TV series can expect a big payday.  While the economy is in a recession , the average for a new series was between $ 75,000 and $ 125,000 per episode; besides, $200,000 where the heights have reached in the past.

Ever since DVR and online viewing came into play, ratings have dwindled significantly; therefore, this resulted broadcasting networks in cost-cutting.  Although, the wages aren't as high as they have been in the past,  if a show is on the rise from ratings-then the wages are expected to increase.

For instance, "The Big Bang Theory" cast - Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco - all make equal to or under $60,000 per episode.  According to Nielsen rankings among viewers 18 to 49 the show has risen to the top.  One network executive exclaims, "I think they'll give an extra year to their studio, Warner Bros., in exchange for each of them getting $150,000 to $200,000 an episode.  They'll get bumps from there and could get up to $300,000 an episode.  If it's a hit show, you start paying."


Listed below are the top earners, by category:

Drama (per episode)

Hugh Laurie
(House) $400,000+
Christopher Meloni & Mariska Hargitay
(Law & Order: SVU) $395,000 (each)
David Caruso
(CSI: Miami) $375,000
Marg Helgenberger
(CSI) $375,000
Mark Harmon
(NCIS) $375,000
Laurence Fishburne
(CSI) $350,000
Kyra Sedgwick
(The Closer) $350,000
Denis Leary
(Rescue Me) $350,000
Gary Sinise
(CSI: NY ) $275,000
Patrick Dempsey
(Grey's Anatomy) $250,000
David Boreanaz
(Bones) $200,000
Jeffrey Donovan
(Burn Notice) $200,000
Julianna Margulies
(The Good Wife ) $175,000
Dana Delany
(Body of Proof ) $150,000
Lauren Graham
(Parenthood) $150,000
Jada Pinkett Smith
(HawthoRNe) $150,000
Jimmy Smits
(Outlaw) $150,000
LL Cool J
(NCIS: Los Angeles) $125,000
Chris O'Donnell
(NCIS: Los Angeles) $125,000
Mark Feuerstein
(Royal Pains) $125,000
Jason Lee
(Memphis Beat) $125,000
Joe Mantegna
(Criminal Minds) $125,000
Tom Selleck
(Blue Bloods) $125,000
Michael Weatherly
(NCIS) $125,000
Matt Bomer
(White Collar) $100,000
Nathan Fillion
(Castle) $100,000
Thomas Gibson
(Criminal Minds) $100,000
Jon Hamm
(Mad Men) $100,000
Cole Hauser
(Chase) $100,000
Alex O'Loughlin
(Hawaii Five-0) $100,000
Timothy Olyphant
(Justified ) $100,000
Scott Caan
(Hawaii Five-0) $80,000
Angie Harmon
(Rizzoli & Isles) $75,000
Anna Paquin
(True Blood) $75,000
Blair Underwood
(The Event) $75,000
Zachary Levi
(Chuck) $60,000
Ian Somerhalder
(The Vampire Diaries) $40,000
Shailene Woodley
(The Secret Life of the American Teenager) $40,000
Ashley Tisdale
(Hellcats) $30,000

Late Night/Talk Syndication (per year)

Oprah Winfrey $315 million
Judge Judy Sheindlin $45 million
David Letterman
(The Late Show) $28 million
Jay Leno
(The Tonight Show) $25 million
Conan O'Brien
(The Conan O'Brien Show) $10 million
Ellen DeGeneres
(The Ellen DeGeneres Show) $8 million
Jimmy Kimmel
(Jimmy Kimmel Live) $6 million
Chelsea Handler
(Chelsea Lately) $3.5 million
George Lopez
(Lopez Tonight) $3.5 million

Comedy (per episode)

Charlie Sheen
(Two and a Half Men) $1.25 million
Jon Cryer
(Two and a Half Men) $550,000
Marcia Cross
(Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Teri Hatcher
(Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Felicity Huffman
(Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Eva Longoria Parker
(Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Dan Castellaneta
(The Simpsons) $400,000
Julie Kavner
(The Simpsons) $400,000
Tina Fey
(30 Rock) $350,000
Jeremy Piven
(Entourage) $350,000
Steve Carell
(The Office) $297,000
Angus T. Jones
(Two and a Half Men) $250,000
David Duchovny
(Californication) $200,000
Kevin Dillon
(Entourage) $200,000
Adrian Grenier
(Entourage) $200,000
Miranda Cosgrove
(iCarly) $180,000
Edie Falco
(Nurse Jackie) $175,000
William Shatner
($#*! My Dad Says) $150,000
David Spade
(Rules of Engagement) $150,000
Ed O'Neill
(Modern Family) $100,000
Patrick Warburton
(Rules of Engagement) $85,000
Betty White
(Hot in Cleveland) $75,000
Kaley Cuoco
(The Big Bang Theory) $60,000
Johnny Galecki
(The Big Bang Theory) $60,000
Ty Burrell
(Modern Family) $50,000
Jane Lynch
(Glee) $50,000
Jim Parsons
(The Big Bang Theory) $40,000
Matthew Morrison
(Glee) $30,000
Selena Gomez
(Wizards of Waverly Place) $30,000
Dylan and Cole Sprouse
(The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) $20,000 (each)
Rico Rodriguez
(Modern Family) $15,000

News (per year)

Matt Lauer
(Today) $16 million +
Katie Couric
(CBS) $15 million
Brian Williams
(NBC) $12.5 million
Diane Sawyer
(ABC) $12 million
Meredith Vieira
(Today) $11 million
Bill O'Reilly
(Fox News) $10 million
George Stephanopoulos
(ABC) $8 million
Keith Olbermann
(MSNBC) $7 million
Shepard Smith
(Fox News) $7 million
Wolf Blitzer
(CNN) $3 million
Christiane Amanpour
(ABC) $2 million
Lawrence O'Donnell
(MSNBC) $2 million
Eliot Spitzer
(CNN) $500,000

Reality (per year)

Ryan Seacrest
(American Idol) $15 million
Joel McHale
(The Soup) $2 million
Piers Morgan
(America's Got Talent) $2 million
Kate Gosselin
(Kate Plus 8) $250,000 per episode
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
(Jersey Shore) $30,000 per episode

Source used http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/who-are-tvs-top-earners--1459

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