Salaries Revealed: The 15 Highest Paid Reality TV Stars
Jul. 2 2018, Updated 7:55 p.m. ET
They're famous for being famous. It's no secret that reality TV show stars are now raking in more money than ever before — but which celebs are bringing home the biggest bucks and which are struggling through life as mere millionaires? Topping the list are the Kardashian-Jenner clan — Kim, Kylie, Kendall, Khloe, Kris and Kourtney's combined earnings last year came in at an astonishing $122.5 million. Click through RadarOnline.com's gallery for the highest paid people in reality TV.
Kim Kardashian: $51 million. The KUWTK star has made some excellent financial decisions since rising to fame over a decade ago. Kardashian tapped into tech to boost her annual paycheck. About 41% of her yearly income comes from the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood mobile game, which is said to have generated a whopping $71.8 million in 2015.
Kylie Jenner: $18 million. She's the second highest paid out of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, demanding a hefty sum for social media endorsements while also raking in the cash via her Kylie Jenner app as well as the Kendall & Kylie game.
Kendall Jenner: $17 million. Most of Kylie's money comes from custom deals from high-paying companies like Clavin Klein, Estée Lauder and Topshop.
Khloe Kardashian: $15 million. It's hard to keep up with the Kardashian salaries. Just a few years ago Khloe was bringing home a sad salary of $10 million, but now the youngest Kardashian sister is raking in $5 million more than before thanks to various business ventures, a book, and lots of social media endorsements.
Kourtney Kardashian: $10 million. She's the lowest paid on the Kardashian-Jenner totem pole, but the mom-of-three still brings in the dough peddling products and cashing healthy checks from Kardashian Beauty and KUWTK.
Kris Jenner: $11.5 million. Aside from her salary from her starring role on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, she's also the momager of all five sister, which means she banks off her children's massive earnings.
Bethenny Frankel: $8.5 million. The Kardashian-Jenner klan aren't the only people earning a pretty penny from reality TV fame. Frankel got her start to stardom as one of the original stars of The Real Housewives of New York City, but thanks to her business saavy ways she's out-earned all her fellow Housewives in the money-making department.
Ellen DeGeneres: $75 million. Reality TV pays big, especially if you host your own show. DeGeneres earns her multi-million dollar paycheck hosting The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Ryan Seacrest: $55 million. Aside from the hefty sum he raked in from American Idol, the talk show host also brings in cash from his new gig as the permanent co-host of ABC's Live With Kelly.
Matt Lauer: $25 million. The Today Show host proves morning show star salaries also aren't too shabby.
Pat Sajak: $15 million. Starting 35 years ago as the Wheel of Fortune host, Sajak proves there's still money to be made on game shows.
Kandi Burruss: $1.8 million. While the Real Housewives of Atlanta star's income pales in comparison to the earnings of the Kardashians, the mother-of-two still makes more than her fellow RHOA co-stars. In addition to her Bravo money, she fronts her own businesses, including Bedroom Kandi.
Simon Cowell: $95 million. Having judged TV talent shows since 2001, the music mogul has a net worth of $550 million. From starring as a judge on shows like Britain’s Got Talent, America’s Got Talent and The X Factor UK, Cowell is doing quite well for himself.
Blake Shelton: $13 million. The country crooner has been a coach on The Voice since the very beginning, and his earnings have only gone up since then. Shelton has won five times on the hit singing competition show with Jermaine Paul, Cassadee Pope, Danielle Bradbery, Craig Wayne Boyd, and Sundance Head.
Alex Trebek: $10 million. The Canadian-American TV personality has been the host of Jeopardy since it began airing in syndication in 1984 and has a net worth of $50 million. Trabek has also hosted a number of other game shows, including The Wizard of Odds, Double Dare, High Rollers, Battlestars, Classic Concentration and To Tell the Truth.