Forbes has released its list of the highest paid actors on television, with The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons topping the male list ahead of co-stars Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar with earnings of $25.5 million over the past year. And while Kaley Cuoco’s $1 million-per-episode deal may be the highest on television for any actress, her earnings pale in comparison with that of Sofia Vergara, with the Modern Family star pulling in a whopping $43 million thanks to the ABC show and her various endorsements.
Actors
1. Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) – $25.5 million
2. Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory) – $24 million
3. Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) – $22.5 million
4. Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) – $22 million
5. Mark Harmon (NCIS) – $20 million
6. Ty Burrell (Modern Family) – $12.5 million
7. Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) – $12 million (tie)
7. Nathan Fillion (Castle) – $12 million (tie)
9. Ray Romano (Vinyl) – $12 million
10. Ed O’Neil (Modern Family) – $11.5 million
11. Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) – $11 million
12. Kevin Spacey (House of Cards) – $10.5 million
13. Michael Weatherly (NCIS) – $10 million
14. David Duchovny (The X-Files) – $10 million
15. Justin Chambers (Grey’s Anatomy) – $9.5 million
Actresses
1. Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) – $43 million
2. Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory) – $24.5 million
3. Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project) – $15 million
4. Ellen Pompeo (Grey’s Anatomy) – $14.5 million (tie)
4. Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU) – $14.5 million (tie)
6. Kerry Washington (Scandal) – $13.5 million
7. Stana Katic (Castle) – $12 million
8. Priyanka Chopra (Quantico) – $11 million
9. Julianna Marguiles (The Good Wife) – $10.5 million
10. Julie Bowen (Modern Family) – $10 million
11. Pauly Perrette (NCIS) – $9.5 million
12. Patricia Heaton (The Middle) – $8.5 million
13. Emily Deschanel (Bones) – $7.5 million
14. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) – $7.5 million
15. Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) – $7 million
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Originally published September 26, 2016. Updated April 16, 2018.
