Countless comedians have gotten their start on Saturday Night Live. Since October 1975, the show has been entertaining millions of fans with its hilarious comedy sketches and has been creating legendary comedians we love today. The cast members may have come and gone over the years, but there are a few who have stayed for at least a decade.
All of them earn thousands of dollars for each episode they are in and they make more the longer they stay on the show. Each season usually has about 20 episodes, so some of the cast members earn more than a half a million dollars every year. From Pete Davidson to Keenan Thompson, here are 10 of the highest paid cast members on Saturday Night Live.
10 Heidi Gardner - $8,000 Per Episode
Heidi Gardner is a comedian, actress, and writer who’s been a Saturday Night Live cast member the past four years. Since she’s a newer cast member, she doesn’t make as much as her co-stars right now. According to Tuko, “Gardner joined the SNL show in 2017 during its 43rd season. Heidi earns roughly $8,000 per episode on the show. Besides the Saturday Night Live show, she has featured in Mike Tyson Mysteries, Life of The Party, and Otherhood, among other major works.”
9 Alex Moffat - $8,000 to $15,000 Per Episode
Alex Moffat is a comedian and actor who joined SNL a year before Heidi Gardner. We’re not sure exactly how much he makes, but he either makes the same as Heidi or a little bit more. According to Tuko, “Alex featured on the show in 2016 before he became one of the main characters in 2018. He is likely to be earning between $8,000 - $15,000 given the time he has spent on the show. Alex Moffat, who portrays Eric Trump on the show, has also featured in other films including Uncle John, Rachel, and Holidate.”
8 Mikey Day - $15,000 Per Episode
Mikey Day is not only a comedian and an actor, he’s also a writer and a producer. He started out as a writer before he realized his talents in acting. “Mikey joined the show in its fifth season as a writer and became a cast member in 2016. Mikey earns $15,000 per episode on the show. Besides the SNL show, Mikey has written other major works including Home Alone reboot, Brother Nature, and Maya and Marty,” according to Tuko. Last year, he was in the Netflix movie, Hubie Halloween, which was produced and written by fellow SNL alum, Adam Sandler.
7 Pete Davidson - $15,000 Per Episode
Pete Davidson is one of the main cast members and is one of the youngest ones to ever be on the show. He joined SNL in 2014 a couple months before his 21st birthday. He’s a comedian, actor, writer, and producer. According to Tuko, “He has also featured in other shows including The King of Staten Island, Big Time Adolescents, and Trainwreck, among others. Pete Davidson SNL salary is $15,000 per episode or $315,000 per year.”
6 Michael Che - $15,000 Per Episode
Michael Che was very successful as a comedian, actor, and writer even before he was on Saturday Night Live. He joined the show as a writer in 2013 and he became a cast member about a year later. According to Tuko, “Che made his full debut on September 11, 2014, when he replaced Cecily Strong's position as a weekend update co-anchor during its 40th season. So, how much does Michael Che earn from the SNL show? Michael pockets $15,000 per episode.”
5 Cecily Strong - $25,000 Per Episode
Cecily Strong was a huge fan of SNL growing up and the show inspired her to pursue her dream of being an actress. Her dreams came true and she joined her favorite show when she was 26-years-old. According to Tuko, “Strong has been active on the show since she made her debut on September 15, 2012. Her other notable works include Years of Living Dangerously, Loafty, among other works. Cecily makes over $25,000 per episode on SNL, given the time she has spent on the show.”
4 Kyle Mooney - $25,000 Per Episode
Kyle Mooney is a comedian, actor, and writer who started his television career in 2007. After a few years, he auditioned for SNL in 2012, but he wasn’t chosen as a cast member until 2013. “The actors' salary is based on how many years they have been in the show. They mostly get either $25,000 for each episode or $525,000 every year. Given that he has been on the show for approximately 7 years, he is one of the highest-paid cast members. His salary is in the middle to high-end of this spectrum,” according to Tuko. He has also starred in the movies Zoolander and Brigsby Bear.
3 Kate McKinnon - $25,000 Per Episode
Kate McKinnon is a comedian, actress, and writer who’s been on the comedy show for years. “The Emmy winning cast member has been with SNL for 8 years. Given the time she has spent on SNL, she is among the highest-paid cast members. Her salary per episode is estimated at $25,000 per episode,” according to Tuko. On top of her huge salary, Kate does brand endorsements on the side to make even more money.
2 Colin Jost - $25,000 Per Episode
Colin Jost has been a part of Saturday Night Live for more than a decade and he started out as a writer for the show in 2005. It wasn’t until 2014 that he switched from behind the scenes to in front of the camera and became a cast member. “Colin Jost's salary from SNL is $25,000 per episode or $525,000 per season. He is married to Scarlet Johansson, one of the world's highest-paid actresses,” according to Tuko. Between both of their salaries, they have millions of dollars to spend.
1 Kenan Thompson - $25,000 Per Episode
Kenan Thompson has been on SNL for almost two decades and is the only one to ever be on the show that long. He’s the most successful cast member that’s on the show right now and earns at least $25,000 per episode. According to Showbiz CheatSheet, “Not only is Kenan Thompson a fan-favorite of the current SNL cast, but he stands as the longest-serving cast member in history. He’s been on the show since 2003, and he doesn’t show any signs of wanting to leave anytime soon. His net worth is also the highest of any current cast member, estimated at a cool $9 million.”