Actor, composer Lin-Manuel Miranda is seen on stage during "Hamilton" GRAMMY performance for The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage) — Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Lin-Manuel Miranda's Net Worth: How The 'Hamilton' Creator Earned Some Serious Benjamins

The writer/director/singer/actor is certainly working "Non-Stop"

Author:
Jessica Sager
Updated:
Apr 24, 2023

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a singer, director, songwriter, producer, composer and actor. He knew what he wanted to do from a young age, but he had no idea the stratospheric heights he would reach with Hamilton and In the Heights.

"I think the reality is that when I look at musicals, whether film or stage, there is so much that needs to go right for a musical number to really lift off and give you goosebumps. It’s the hardest art form in a lot of ways because it’s several art forms mashed together, but when it really works, there’s no more amazing feeling," the Hamilton creator previously told Parade. "And so I was very lucky that I went to a public school that had amazing art and music classes. I got a daily dose of it. So once I got cast in the 6th-grade play and got a taste of it, there was no going back for me. Bye Bye Birdie was pretty much the beginning of the end."

Miranda came from humble beginnings and didn't get to see the types of live shows that he'd later go on to create, but he was still able to watch them at home thanks to a device that sounds super-vintage now: A good old VCR.

"I grew up surrounded by film musicals. That’s what we could afford. We couldn’t afford Broadway musicals," he said, adding, "I’m of the age where the Disney movies were in the white VHS boxes that were a little too big for your VHS shelf back in their own special corner. I had that white puffy VHS box."

Now, well, it's safe to say he's probably upgraded at the very least to a sweet Blu-Ray player. Here's Lin-Manuel Miranda's net worth and how he earned it.

What is Lin-Manuel Miranda's Net Worth in 2023?

Miranda's net worth is estimated at $80 million, but that's probably a bit low, since he's been working constantly over the last few years, often behind the scenes on big projects like on Encanto, Moana and the forthcoming Little Mermaid adaptation.

How did Lin-Manuel Miranda become famous?

Miranda wrote the script and music for In the Heights when he was a sophomore at Wesleyan University, where it was performed for the very first time in April 2000. The show broke box-office records for the student-run '92 Theater at Wesleyan, and Miranda made a lucky connection at the time that would change his life and career forever.

"I was approached by John Buffalo Mailer (son of Norman), a senior at the time," Miranda recalled. "He loved the show and said, 'My friends and I are starting a production company when we graduate, and we want to help you bring it to New York.' I said, 'That sounds awesome,' went to the cast party and promptly forgot about his offer." In the meantime, Miranda worked as a teacher and wrote jingles for commercials to make ends meet.

In 2002, Miranda met Thomas Kail through Mailer; Mailer and Kail formed Back House Productions with Anthony Veneziale and Neil Stewart. Kail spoke to Miranda about potentially directing In the Heights, and that planted a seed in Miranda's mind once more to rework the play.

"Over the next year, while I teach seventh grade English at my old high school by day, Back House hosts at least five readings of Heights in its various, pupating stages," Miranda wrote of the period. "Producer Jill Furman comes to a reading, enjoys herself and joins us on the journey. Rent producer Kevin McCollum comes to a reading in June 2003. He digs the music, he digs the bodega and he wants more. His producing partner, Jeffrey Seller, concurs, and the hard work begins."

Miranda, Kail and the rest of their team brought In the Heights to Connecticut and then off-Broadway in 2005 and 2007, and by 2008, the show debuted on The Great White Way. In the Heights won four Tony Awards in 2008, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations.

Touring productions started in 2009. In the Heights became profitable within 10 months and won a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album. The show closed on Broadway in 2011.

How much did Lin-Manuel Miranda make off the In the Heights film?

While we don't know exactly how much, Miranda took home from the adaptation of his first Broadway success, we can assume it was several million. While the film underperformed at the box office, and Miranda likely earned no money on the back end, he was paid up front for the rights to his musical. He was also a producer and an actor on the project, both of which would have earned him separate paychecks.

How much does Lin-Manuel Miranda make from Hamilton?

Miranda is the sole writer of Hamilton, which means he received a seven percent cut of the show's box office grosses before it recouped its expenses, then 7.5% afterward forever. On average, according to The Hollywood Reporter, that amounts to approximately a whopping $160,000 per week in royalties. He also received an actor's salary for his titular role as Hamilton in the show and gets three percent of the net profits in addition to his royalties. According to the New York Times, while starring in the show on Broadway, Miranda made about $6.4 million per year. He also takes royalties from all other performances of the show including several US and international tours, and residencies in London, Chicago, Germany, Australia, and Los Angeles. So that's quite a nice chunk of change.

What's more, the Hamilton soundtrack generated millions in sales to date, and as both a performer and the sole writer on the tracks, that is a lot of $10 bills for Miranda.

How much did Lin-Manuel Miranda make off the Hamilton film?

The theatrical release of the Hamilton film was initially set for October 2021, but went right to Disney+ in July 2020 during the pandemic; Miranda is a producer on the project. A behind-the-scenes documentary on the play, Hamilton In-Depth With Kelley Carter, dropped the same day. Disney reportedly paid $75 million for the rights to the Hamilton film adaptation, making it one of the biggest film acquisition deals of all time. It's unclear how much of that money went straight to Miranda, but a large chunk for sure.

How much did Lin-Manuel Miranda make from Encanto?

In addition to writing the music and lyrics for his own productions, Miranda shares his talents with other major motion pictures as well. He was a story writer for Disney's Encanto and wrote the original songs for the film. Billboard estimated in 2022 that he'd already made $4.7 million in royalties in addition to whatever he was paid up front.

How much did Lin-Manuel Miranda make from The Little Mermaid?

Miranda is attached to the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid as both a songwriter and a producer. While we don't have final numbers for the film, the budget is estimated to be around $150 million. That means Miranda was likely paid several million for his involvement, and depending on his contract terms and how the movie does in theaters, he could earn more on the back end.

How much money does Lin-Manuel Miranda make for songwriting?

Since Hamilton, Miranda has written music for plenty of films including Moana and Vivo. In 2016, it was revealed that Miranda wrote the cantina song for Star Wars: The Force Awakens (and later for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, too!). While his rate depends on how many songs he provides for each movie, you can bet he is making in the high six-figures/low seven figures for each project.

Does Lin-Manuel Miranda own real estate?

Yes! When Miranda graduated college, he moved to a co-op with friends at 5000 Broadway in New York City. It would later inspire the name of his production company.

After winning his first Tony Award in 2008, Miranda purchased a three-bedroom, two-bathroom co-op in the Inwood neighborhood of New York City. He listed the 1,125-square-foot property in 2018 for $949,000 and sold for $960,000.

Today, Miranda, his wife Vanessa Nadal, purchased two units in another co-op, this time at 141 Cabrini Boulevard in New York City. Their building, Castle Village, is a high-rise with spectacular views of the Hudson River, though specifics of their units remain under wraps.

Despite his riches, Miranda lives pretty simply, and according to The New York Times, he still rides the subway!

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