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How Much Money Saturday Night Live Cast Members Earn Per Episode?

tp-admin Published On Mon Jan 31 2022   Modified On Mon Jan 31 2022
How Much Money Saturday Night Live Cast Members Earn Per Episode?

Saturday Night Live is a late-night live television show that features sketch comedies, monologues as well as several musical performances. The late-night show has won more than 36 Emmy Awards, 3 Writers Guild Awards, and a Peabody Award.   

SNL is considered one of the greatest television shows of all time. Many top-notch celebrities, including Robert Downey Jr., Tina Fay, Jimmy Fallon, Andy Samberg, and others, have started their careers from the show. 

Who Are The Current Saturday Night Live Cast Members? 

The show brings new faces every season, and in 2019, artists like Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman made into the Saturday Night Live cast as Featured Players. 

Some of the Repertory players are: 

1. Pete Davidson: Pete Davidson is an American comedian cum actor who joined the SNL crew in 2014. 

The same year other current SNL members, including Michael Che and Colin Jost, joined the SNL team. 

He is still actively present in Saturday Night Live. As of 2019, he is estimated to have a net worth of $4 million.    

2. Kenan Thompson: The three times Primetime Emmy nominees debuted in the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in 2003.  

Kenan Thompson has a net worth of $11 million in 2019.  

Read more: Jessica Olsson Age, Height, Body Measurement, Bio, Wiki, Parents, Husband, Children

3. Aidy Bryant: She is an American comedian and actress best known for being a part of SNL.

Aidy Bryant became an official member of the cast in 2012 with Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong, and others. 

In 2019, she has a net worth of $4 million.    

4. Mikey Day: Mikey Day is an American actor, writer, comedian, and producer estimated to have a net worth of $3 million.   

5. Heidi Gardner: Heidi Gardner has been a cast member of Saturday Night Live since 2017. She is an American comedian, actor, and voice actress.     

As of 2019, Gardner is estimated to have a net worth of around $3 million. 

Here Is How Much SNL Cast Members Earn Per Season?  

According to Celebrity Net Worth, SNL casts makes an average salary at the range of $7 thousand to $15 thousand.    

The source further disclosed: 

In an average, there are 21 episodes in a season. First-year cast members make $7,000 per episode or $147,000 per season. Second-year cast members make $8,000 per episode or $168,000 per season. If a cast member makes it to their fifth season, they make $15,000 per episode or $315,000 per season.

As a matter of fact, the actual salary of the cast members is not revealed.  As discussed above, the longer they perform and stay in the show, they make more money.    

If you can acquire more screen time, you can get a higher payroll. Therefore, those who have been on the show for the longest time can earn up to $25 thousand per episode or around $525 thousand per season. 

On the other hand, the pay raise every year depending on the quality of work. The good incentive is not only the signing factor, but there is also no denying that SNL members are no short on popularity. 

Trivia: Alec Baldwin charges $1,400 every time for impersonating Donald Trump. 

Salary Increment Timeline

Saturday Night Live is an American late-night live television sketch comedy developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol.

The longest-running TV show SNL has been one of the most viewed shows often regarded as the springboard for not only comedians also for lots of actors to build their careers. 

The show was premiered in 1975 with the very first cast members like Chevy Chase, Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd. At the time, they had a salary of $750 per episode. 

Years Salary 
Season 1 to 5$750 per episode 
Season 6 to 10$2 thousand per episode 
Season 11 to 15 $4 thousand per episode 
Season 16 to 20 $5 thousand per episode 
Season 21 to 25 $6 thousand per episode 
Season 26 to 30 $7 thousand per episode 
Season 31 to 35 $8 thousand per episode 

Long-time members like Billy Crystal and Martin Short earned more than $25 thousand per episode back in the mid-80s.

Likewise, Will Ferrell made around $17 thousand per episode in 2001, making $350 thousand per season. With the earnings, he also became the highest-paid SNL cast member of all time. 

Interesting Fact: Celebrities who make guest appearances on SNL are paid around $5 thousand, Justin Timberlake disclosed.