How Much Did The Cast Of The Big Bang Theory Make?

The Big Bang Theory morphed into a universal sitcom hit from its pilot episode in 2007.

Its characters, amusing storylines, and brilliant writing about the world of science turned into a show with every theme for any audience. With twelve successful seasons, the show’s huge following turned it into a financial success.

Fans could not get enough of the brilliant yet socially challenged physicists, their lovable, ditzy neighbor, and the hilarious misadventures that ensued. It shattered viewership records, consistently ranking among the top-watched shows in the world.

The Big Bang Theory ranked as CBS’s highest-rated show by its third season, along with a then-series-high 12.83 million viewers. Unsurprisingly, the success of The Big Bang Theory also translated into sizable salaries for its cast.

Leading the pack were Johnny Galecki (Leonard Hofstadter), Jim Parsons (Sheldon Cooper), Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Simon Helberg (Howard Wolowitz), and Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali).

Later additions to the main cast included the hilarious Melissa Rauch (Bernadette) and the beloved Mayim Bialik (Amy).

For the first three seasons, Galecki, Parsons, and Cuoco, the show’s three main stars, received up to $60,000 per episode.

Their salaries were increased consistently from the second season to the twelfth and final season.

A prequel series, Young Sheldon, based on Parsons’ character Sheldon Cooper, premiered in 2017, with Parsons reprising his role as the narrator, adult Sheldon.

Another spin-off is in development. Today, let’s break down exactly how much the cast of The Big Bang Theory made during their time on the blockbuster sitcom.

8John Ross Bowie

Salary Per Episode – $50,000

John Ross Bowie’s portrayal of Barry Kripke, Sheldon’s perpetually irritated rival, was a recurring source of laughs on The Big Bang Theory.

His distinctively slurred speech and deadpan delivery made Kripke the lovable thorn in the side of our favorite physicists.

Although he might not have been a lead, Bowie’s comedic timing made him an unforgettable part of the show’s fabric.

Bowie was already a seasoned character actor before his recurring role in The Big Bang Theory. He cut his teeth on shows like Reno 911! and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

His film credits include roles in comedies like He’s Just Not That Into You and Between Two Ferns: The Movie.

His ability to make even minimal dialogue hilarious makes him a go-to for comedic supporting roles, and Bowie earned an estimated $50,000 per episode on The Big Bang Theory.

While not in the same league as the show’s leads, it is a healthy paycheck that reflects his unique contributions, and John Ross Bowie has an estimated net worth of $3 million.

7Melissa Rauch

Salary Per Episode – $425,000

Melissa Rauch played Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, a recurring character who joined the main cast of The Big Bang Theory in season three.

Initially cast as Howard’s love interest, her character was slowly fleshed out over time, and Bernadette went on to marry and start a family with Howard.

By the end of the show, Rauch was making over $425,000 per episode.

Interestingly, Rauch and her co-star, Mayim Bialik, negotiated for fairer compensation, with the main cast members voluntarily sacrificing $100,000 of their own salaries to ensure equitable pay for supporting cast members like Rauch.

Despite not quite catching up with their co-stars, Rauch and her fellow supporting actors still made some very respectable salaries by the end of the show’s run.

Melissa Rauch has had quite an exciting career in Hollywood. Before landing her role on The Big Bang Theory, she had a handful of small roles in independent films and TV shows.

Alongside her work on the sitcom, Rauch has also appeared in films like I Love You, Man and The Bronze, among others.

She has also lent her voice to various animated TV shows, including American Dad! and Batman and Harley Quinn.

Today, Melissa Rauch has an estimated net worth of $20 million, thanks to her successful tenure on The Big Bang Theory.

6Mayim Bialik

Salary Per Episode – $425,000

Mayim Bialik brought her unique blend of intelligence and quirkiness to The Big Bang Theory as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, Sheldon Cooper’s surprisingly perfect match.

Introduced in season three, Amy quickly evolved into a core member of the group.

Her socially awkward yet adorable personality and her complex relationship with Sheldon provided some of the show’s most memorable storylines.

Despite being a secondary character, Bialik still managed to earn a decent salary from the start, but her pay increased over time as her character got more screen time.

Alongside Melissa Rauch, Bialik went from making $45,000 as a recurring character to roughly $425,000 per episode by the end of the show’s run.

Apart from her work on the popular sitcom, Mayim Bialik has a fascinating background in academia. In addition to her acting career, Bialik is also a neuroscientist, having earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Her scientific background has come in handy for the recurring role she plays on The Big Bang Theory, adding a touch of authenticity to her portrayal of a neurobiologist.

Mayim Bialik has an estimated net worth of $25 million.

5Kunal Nayyar

Salary Per Episode – $1,000,000

As Raj Koothrappali, Kunal Nayyar delivered some of the most sidesplitting moments in The Big Bang Theory.

With his crippling shyness, selective mutism around women, and hilarious over-reliance on his wealthy parents, Raj was a lovable study in delightful contradictions.

His friendship with Howard was a fan-favorite highlight. Nayyar, along with the show’s main cast, appeared in all 279 episodes.

Nayyar started on a more modest salary of $45,000 per episode; the show’s success and Raj’s consistent screen time quickly propelled his earning power. By season two, his paycheck had tripled.

By the eighth and ninth seasons, Nayyar’s salary was increased to $600,000 per episode, finally hitting that one-million mark in the show’s final season when the main cast negotiated for salary increases all around.

Apart from his work on The Big Bang Theory, Kunal Nayyar has also appeared in films like Ice Age: Continental Drift and Sweetness In The Belly.

Additionally, he is a writer, having penned the book Yes, My Accent Is Real And Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You in 2015.

Forbes listed him as the world’s third-highest-paid television actor in 2015 and 2018, with earnings of $20 million and $23.5 million, respectively.

Today, Nayyar’s net worth is estimated to be $45 million.

4Simon Helberg

Salary Per Episode – $1,000,000

Simon Helberg’s portrayal of Howard Wolowitz – the mama’s boy, wannabe ladies’ man, and engineer-turned-astronaut – was comedic gold.

With his cringy pick-up lines, outlandish fashion choices, and hilariously overbearing mother, Howard was a constant source of awkward amusement.

Before joining The Big Bang Theory, Helberg cut his comedic teeth on shows like MADtv and had a memorable role in the cult classic film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

His distinct ability to blend deadpan humor, physical comedy, and surprisingly touching moments quickly made Howard a fan favorite.

Helberg’s salary mirrored that of his onscreen best friend, Kunal Nayyar, starting modestly at $45,000 in the pilot season and eventually reaching $1 million per episode.

His $1 million per episode salary translated into around $22 million per year in earnings.

Forbes placed him third on the world’s highest-paid TV actors list in 2018, and his revenues rose to $23.5 million that year.

Helberg is currently worth an estimated $55 million.

3Kaley Cuoco

Salary Per Episode – $1,000,000

Kaley Cuoco played the role of Penny — the girl who lived next door to Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment, and quickly became their friend and confidant.

Cuoco was an integral part of The Big Bang Theory’s success, with many fans arguing that she was the show’s main character.

Her warmth, down-to-earth humor, and genuine friendship with the guys next door provided a relatable entrypoint for audiences.

Penny was the bridge between the geeky world of science and the everyday experiences of the non-physicist viewer. As a core member of the original Big Bang cast, Cuoco’s salary mirrored that of her co-stars Parsons and Galecki.

Their united negotiation front led to the $1 million per episode paycheck in the later seasons, making Cuoco the second-highest-paid actress in the world at the time.

Kaley Cuoco has an estimated net worth of $110 million. After The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco also appeared in films like Hop, Authors Anonymous, and To Be Fat Like Me.

She also established her own production company, Yes, Norman Productions, and starred in (as well as executive produced) the HBO Max comedic thriller The Flight Attendant.

She has voiced the title role in the animated series Harley Quinn since 2019.

2Johnny Galecki

Salary Per Episode – $1,000,000

Johnny Galecki’s time as Leonard Hofstadter, the lovestruck experimental physicist, was a cornerstone of The Big Bang Theory.

With his nerdy charm, pining for Penny, and friendship with Sheldon, Leonard was the relatable everyman amid the show’s scientific eccentricities.

Over the show’s twelve seasons, Galecki’s career and relationship with Penny (Kaley Cuoco) grew and evolved alongside the rest of the cast.

Galecki’s salary was increased to $1 million per episode in the final four seasons, putting him on par with co-stars Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco as the highest-paid actors on television.

Unlike some of his co-stars, Galecki was already a well-known face before joining the show.

He rose to fame as a child actor on the hit sitcom Roseanne, and appeared in popular films like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Thanks to his success on The Big Bang Theory, Galecki has amassed an estimated net worth of $100 million — a figure that continues to grow due to a backend equity deal that he and his fellow cast members negotiated.

In 2018, Forbes listed Galecki as the world’s second-highest-paid male TV actor, behind only Jim Parsons, with earnings of $25 million that year.

1Jim Parsons

Salary Per Episode – $1,000,000

Jim Parsons ate the role of Sheldon Cooper and left no crumbs. The role launched him to global stardom, making him one of television’s most iconic characters.

Sheldon’s trademark catchphrases, rigid routines, and cluelessness made him both hilarious and surprisingly relatable. Parsons, Galecki and Cuoco started at $60,000 per episode.

Their salaries steadily increased, ultimately reaching the $1 million per episode mark in season eight. This, along with profit-sharing deals, led to incredible earnings over the show’s run.

They took a ten percent pay cut in the final seasons, to help the show’s supporting cast secure raises. Over the twelve seasons, each main cast member earned well over $163 million.

Apart from his work on The Big Bang Theory, Parsons has also had success in film, appearing in movies like Hidden Figures and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, to name a few.

He also voiced the lead character in the animated film Home. Jim Parsons has an estimated net worth of $160 million.

In 2018, Forbes estimated his annual salary to be $26.5 million, making him the world’s highest-paid television actor.

That same year, it was reported that Parsons had turned down a $50 million contract for two more seasons of The Big Bang Theory.

In addition to his acting work, he has ventured into producing, serving as an executive producer and narrator for Young Sheldon — a prequel to The Big Bang Theory.