Jay Leno – $15 Million Per Year
Jay Leno has established himself as a host of one of the longest-running programs, The Tonight Show. Before earning his millionaire stature, he graduated with a degree in speech therapy and soon worked for McDonald’s. His humor carved a path to stand-up comedy gigs, eventually opening the gates of Hollywood. Jay also graced the big screen while appearing in films like Good Times and American Hot Wax.
Leno then replaced Johnny Carson as the host of NBC’s Tonight Show. Jay earned $320 million in salary during his time as host of The Tonight Show. He also performed hundreds of standup shows concurrently and shared for an interview that he lived off of his standup money while saving his NBC paychecks. With over 200 live performances in a year, there is no doubt that he is one of the wealthiest comedians to date.