The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (2024)

There’s no comedy that defined the decade more than Modern Family. In the 11 years since the show premiered, it’s become a bonafide success, with 14 Emmys and millions of fans. The Modern Family cast salary for 2020 isn’t too bad either.

Before Modern Family, cast members Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell and others were far from the household names we know them as now. But a lot has changed in 11 seasons. Modern Family, which will air its series finale on April 8, has changed many of its cast members lives. The show has done a lot for TV too, as one of the first primetime sitcoms to feature a gay couple (Cam and Mitch) in its main cast. The sitcom has also explored adoption, relationships with age differences and other non-nuclear families to highlight how there’s no one definition for a family.

Of course, the money hasn’t been bad either. In its heyday, drew in an average of 12 million households each week. That, of course, is reflected in the cast’s paychecks, which are nothing to scoff at. Find out how much the Modern Family cast makes for its final season (and who the highest paid cast member is) ahead.

The Modern Family season 11 and series finale airs on ABC on April 8 at 9 p.m. ET.

Sofia Vergara

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (1)

Image: ABC/Bonnie Osborne.

Salary: $500,000 per episode

Vergara stars as Gloria Delgado, Jay’s second and much younger wife from Colombia. Since season 1, Vergara has been one of Modern Family’s most notable breakouts. She’s since starred in a movie with Reese Witherspoon and released her own clothing line, Sofia Jeans. Variety reported in 2017 that Vergara was one of five cast members who signed a new deal to be paid $500,000 per episode (which results in $11 million per season, depending on how many episodes there are.) The raise was from the actors’ previous salary which was $350,000 per episode. The deal was for season 9 and 10, so Vergara could make even more money for season 11, the final season, but that’s unknown. In 2018, Forbes named Vergara as the highest paid actress on TV with a $42.5 million net worth.

Julie Bowen

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (2)

Image: ABC/Bruno Calvo.

Salary: $500,000 per episode

Bowen plays Claire Dunphy, Phil’s type-A wife and Jay’s daughter. Per Variety, Bowen was also included in the same deal as Vergara, which would pay the actresses $500,000 per episode for season 9 and 10. Like Vergara, she could also make even more money for season 11, but that’s unknown. Forbes also named her the fifth highest paid actress on TV at No. 5 with a $12.5 million net worth in 2018. In 2011 and 2012, Bowen won the Best Supporting Actress Comedy Emmy.

Ty Burrell

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (3)

Image: ABC/Evans Ward.

Salary: $500,000 per episode

Burrell is a fan-favorite among Modern Family fans for his role as fun-loving dad Phil Dunphy. Variety reports that he was also one of the five cast members included in the new $500,000-per-episode deal for season 9 and 10. Like Bowen and Vergara, his salary for season 11 is unknown, but it’s at least the same (or higher) as what he made the past two seasons. In 2017, Forbes reported that he was the sixth highest paid actor on TV with a net worth of $13.5 million. He won the Best Supporting Actor Comedy Emmy in 2011 and 2014.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (4)

Image: ABC/Bonnie Osborne.

Salary: $500,000 per episode

Ferguson stars as Claire’s brother and Cameron’s husband Mitchell. He’s also included in the five cast members who were paid $500,000 per episode for season 9 and 10, according to Variety. His season 11 salary is unknown, but it’s either the same or even more than what he made for the past two seasons. In 2017, Forbes ranked Ferguson was No. 10 in its highest paid TV actors roundup, with a net worth of $10 million.

Eric Stonestreet

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (5)

Image: ABC/Bonnie Osborne.

Salary: $500,000 per episode

Stonestreet plays Cameron Tucker, Mitchell’s theatrical husband. He was the final actor included in the five cast members who signed deals to receive $500,000 per episode in 2017, according to Variety. The deal was for season 9 and 10, so it’s unclear if Stonestreet makes the same amount for season 11, the show’s final season, or if he and his costars received yet another bump. Stonestreet was also included in Forbes’ list of the highest paid TV actors in 2017w with a net worth of $11 million. In 2012, he won the Best Supporting Actor Comedy Emmy.

Ed O’Neill

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (6)

Image: ABC/Bruno Calvo.

Salary: >$500,000 per episode

O’Neill is the patriarch of the Modern Family cast as Jay Pritchett, Gloria’s much older husband and Claire and Mitchell’s father. Variety reported that O’Neill has earned a higher salary than the rest of the Modern Family cast since season 1 because of his recognizable career. (He was best known for his role in Married With Children, which ran from 1987 to 1997.) Variety didn’t report how much he makes per episode for the final three seasons (previous reports claim he made $500,000 per episode when the rest of the cast made $350,000), but the magazine did note that O’Neill has a “larger profit stake” because of his career, so it’s likely that his salary for the final season is more than the $500,000 the other cast members are making.

Rico Rodriguez

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (7)

Image: ABC/Richard Cartwright.

Salary: $125,000 per episode

Rodriguez stars as Manny, Gloria’s son and Jay’s stepson. Variety reports that he and the other actors who play the show’s children are included in a second tier, which is less than the adults. Like the five cast members mentioned earlier, Variety reported in 2017 that Rodriguez and the other young actors received pay raises for the show’s final seasons. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Rodriguez signed a deal to receive $125,000 per episode in 2018, which was a lot more than the previous $75,000-per-episode rate he made before.

Nolan Gould

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (8)

Image: ABC/Tony Rivetti.

Salary: $125,000 per episode

Gould stars as Luke Dunphy, Claire and Phil’s youngest child and their only son. Variety reports that Gould is included with Rodriguez in Modern Family‘s child bracket, which means that the two actors likely make the same salary. Because of this, it’s assumed that Gould also makes $125,000 per episode, starting in 2018, which is almost double the $75,000-per-episode rate he made for previous seasons.

Sarah Hyland

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (9)

Image: ABC/Tony Rivetti.

Salary: $125,000 per episode

Hyland stars as Phil and Claire’s eldest daughter, Haley Dunphy, who welcomed children of her own in the season 10 finale. Variety reports that Hyland is included with Gould and Rodriguez in the show’s children bracket, which means she likely makes the same $125,000-per-episode rate as her on-screen cousin and brother. The salary is certainly a raise from the $75,000 per episode the Modern Family kids were making for the previous seasons.

Ariel Winter

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (10)

Image: ABC/Tony Rivetti.

Salary: $125,000 per episode

Winter stars as Alex Dunphy, Claire and Phil’s middle child and Haley and Luke’s brainy sister. Variety also included her with the other Modern Family children who received raises in 2018. This means that, like her young costars, she also likely makes $125,000 per episode for the past three seasons. Though the salary is less than what the parents of the show make, it’s still more than the $75,000 per episode the younger costars reportedly made for previous seasons.

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The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect (2024)

FAQs

The Highest Paid Actor on ‘Modern Family’ Isn’t Who You’d Expect? ›

O'Neill is the patriarch of the Modern Family cast as Jay Pritchett, Gloria's much older husband and Claire and Mitchell's father. Variety reported that O'Neill has earned a higher salary than the rest of the Modern Family cast since season 1 because of his recognizable career.

Who is the richest actor on Modern Family? ›

1 Sofia Vergara - $180 Million

She has landed a ton of work since breaking out, and her $180 million net worth comfortably places her at the top of this list.

How much was Sofia Vergara paid for each episode of Modern Family? ›

How Much Did Vergara Make on Modern Family? Believe it or not, Vergara earned just $30,000 per episode during the first three seasons, but her salary got some major boosts over time. By season six, she was making over $190,000 for each episode (roughly $4 million per season).

How much did Claire Dunphy get paid for Modern Family? ›

The 52-year-old actress - who was previously married to real estate investor Scott Phillips and has Oliver, 15, and 13-year-old twins John and Gustav with him - reportedly receives $500,000 per episode for her role as Claire Dunphy in the ABC sitcom 'Modern Family' but is careful with money and will not be "buying an ...

How much was Sarah Hyland paid per episode of Modern Family? ›

During the first season of Modern Family, Sarah Hyland was paid $30,000 salary per episode. Ariel Sarah Hyland was $140,000 per episode during the fourth and fifth seasons of Modern Family. For the final season of Modern Family, Sarah Hyland earned a $250,000 salary per episode.

Is Jay Pritchett a Millionaire? ›

He owns a successful, many employee business. He belongs to an exclusive country club and has a modern, well appointed home in Southern California. Probably 25–50 million.

Why is Jay so rich in Modern Family? ›

Jay is currently the owner of Pritchett's Closets & Blinds. He hired his daughter, Claire, to work for him ("First Days"). From being the owner of the closet company, it seems that it's given him a lot of money. He seems to be the wealthiest person in his family and has a large house.

How much did Alex Dunphy get paid? ›

Ariel Winter plays Alex Dunphy on Modern Family. She and the other young stars are said to earn roughly $100,000 per episode.

How much was Lily paid in Modern Family? ›

How Much Aubrey Made Playing Lily On Modern Family? For several seasons, Aubrey's salary per episode was $35,000.

Do Modern Family actors still get paid? ›

'Modern Family'

Some of the highest-paid TV actors in history, Sofia Vergara, Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ty Burrell each earned $500,000 per episode, according to a 2019 Variety report.

How much did Phil Dunphy get paid for Modern Family? ›

In all, Phil is a big kid and Ty really brought life to the character. According to Variety, Ty was earning around $350,000 an episode a couple of years ago but by the time the final season rolled around, he signed a major payday earning $500,000 an episode.

How much money did Eric Stonestreet make on Modern Family? ›

Eric Stonestreet matches his fellow actors at the rate of $500,000 per episode, but he also has a ton of other acting credits to his name, everything from “Bad Teacher” to “Monk” to “American Horror Story.”

How much was Luke paid in Modern Family? ›

For many seasons, Nolan his fellow "kid" cast members earned $75,000 per episode of "Modern Family." From the 2018 season onward, Gould's salary per episode was increased to $125,000.

How much money did Ariel Winter make from Modern Family? ›

Ariel Winter's salary was $110,000 per episode during the fourth and fifth seasons of Modern Family. For the final season of Modern Family, Ariel Winter earned $200,000 salary per episode.

Who is the highest-paid actor? ›

Hollywood's highest-paid actors in 2022
  • Tom Cruise - 100M.
  • Will Smith - 35M.
  • Leonardo DiCaprio - 30M.
  • Brad Pitt - 30M.
  • Dwayne Johnson - 22,5M.
  • Chris Hemsworth - 20M.
  • Vin Diesel - 20M.
  • Tom Hardy - 20M.
Feb 17, 2023

How old was Haley Dunphy in season 1? ›

Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy

Her character, however, was only 16 in the first season and later celebrated her 21st birthday in Season 6, making the age gap between her and her character one of the most significant in the series.

Why did Modern Family stop? ›

According to the actress, everyone involved in the show wished for that not to be the case with Modern Family, opting to end the show when it felt right.

What is Joe Pritchett's net worth? ›

15 Jeremy Maguire (Joe Pritchett) - $150,000

It's a little crazy that Modern Family has been going on for so long that characters that literally started the series as babies have still been able to accrue respectable net worths.

Who was supposed to play Jay Pritchett? ›

Craig T. Nelson was originally slated to play Jay Pritchett. Negotiations began with the Coach actor, but, according to Greenberg, his reps began playing hardball.

Why doesn t Jay like Phil? ›

Jay (Ed O'Neil) has been known to hold a grudge against Phil ever since the show began. He believed Phil was never good enough for his baby girl Claire and regretted her marrying him. Despite having a cordial relationship on the surface, Jay never truly accepted Phil as one of his own.

Did Gloria marry Jay for his money? ›

Claire often called Gloria a gold digger for marrying her wealthy father, but Gloria proved time and time again she was with Jay because she loved him, not because of his money.

What is the iconic line in Modern Family? ›

When life gives you lemonade, make lemons. Life will be all like, 'What?!'

What happened to the first Lily on Modern Family? ›

Aubrey replaces Jaden and Ella Hiller, the identical twin girls who played Lily for the Emmy-winning sitcom's first two seasons. The reason for the re-casting, a show source tells PEOPLE, is because the Hiller twins didn't enjoy acting. When they were required to be in scenes, they became agitated and unhappy.

How much is Haley Dunphy worth? ›

Sarah Hyland is an American actress and model who has a net worth of $14 million. Although Sarah Hyland is probably best known for portraying the character Haley Dunphy in the successful sitcom "Modern Family," she is an experienced actress with many other credits under her belt.

Who is Ty Burrell wife? ›

Did they switch Lily on Modern Family? ›

According to the show's Fandom page, Lily's character was portrayed by twins, Ella and Jaden Hiller, for the first two seasons. But from season three onward, Lily was portrayed by Aubrey Anderson-Emmons.

Why did Lily leave Modern Family? ›

For the part of Lily Tucker-Pritchett on "Modern Family," the replacement did not come from performance or contract disputes, but actually due to a pair of twins' lack of happiness.

How many times did they replace Lily on Modern Family? ›

Ella and Jaden Hiller are two twin American actresses who played Lily Tucker-Pritchett on Modern Family in seasons 1 and 2. They were replaced by Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as of season 3, because the kids did not want to continue.

Why was Sofia Vergara paid the most in Modern Family? ›

Vergara was a highly in demand actress during her time on Modern Family, so it's safe to say that she was paid very well for her work in these movies.

How much do Modern Family actors make on reruns? ›

While the exact amount isn't actually known, cast members have revealed that the reruns pay them 6% of their original salaries. If a star made a mere $150,000 per episode across all 20 seasons, that would come in around $200,000 per year in royalties.

Does Modern Family cast get paid for reruns? ›

'Modern Family' Royalties

All the main stars of “Modern Family” — Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill, Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara — score about $500,000 per episode, which will pay off in a big way when their residuals start rolling in after the show concludes.

How much would Jay be worth in Modern Family? ›

10 Ed O'Neill (Jay Pritchett) - $65 Million.

What happens to Sal in Modern Family? ›

She got married in 2013 to a guy named Tony, whom she met three months prior, and Cam and Mitch served as best men. Sal later divorced Tony and dated another guy named Eddie.

Who is the highest paid sitcom actor per episode? ›

The 10 Highest-Paid Sitcom Stars Of All Time
  • Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show; $750,000 per episode) ...
  • Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld; $1 million per episode) ...
  • Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, and Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory; $1 million per episode) ...
  • Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso; $1 million per episode)
Mar 18, 2022

Who is the highest paid TV actress? ›

1. Sofia Vergara. Colombian actress Sofia Vergara has a net worth of $50 million and is the highest-paid TV actress in 2023.

Is Nolan Gould still in Mensa? ›

Gould is a member of Mensa, and, as of 2012, had accelerated four grades in school. He stated on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that he has an IQ of 150.

When did Modern Family end? ›

Modern Family is an American sitcom television series created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). It ran for 11 seasons, from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020.

How old was Luke when Modern Family ended? ›

At the end of the series Modern Family, Luke Dunphy is 18 years old. The show began in 2009 and ended in 2020, with Luke's age steadily progressing throughout the show's eleven seasons. In the final episode, entitled “Finale Part 2”, Luke is shown graduating high school, implying that he is 18 years old.

How much older is Alex than Luke Modern Family? ›

She was born on September 16, 1996. Her older sister Haley is three years older and her brother Luke is two years younger. Claire says that during her pregnancy with Alex, she had a "pregnancy brain", implying that the brainy Alex was strongly competing with her for resources ("When a Tree Falls").

Was Luke Cook in Modern Family? ›

Modern Family (TV Series 2009–2020) - Luke Cook as Cliff - IMDb.

Why did Ariel leave Modern Family? ›

"I've always just wanted to live a normal life, just have a normal existence and I never really felt like I could do that in L.A.. Everywhere I went, someone's taking my picture. I'm just not that person. Fame and all that is not something I'm interested in. I just wanted to live as normal a life as I could."

How old was Ariel Winter when filming Modern Family? ›

Winter (center) was just 11 when she debuted in "Modern Family" as Alex Dunphy, the brilliant middle child.

Did Ariel Winter quit Modern Family? ›

It was an emotional ending for Modern Family, given that the cast enjoyed 11 seasons and 250 episodes. Despite the ending, Ariel Winter took it all just fine. At the time, she was excited to work on different projects and in addition, she got great closure with her Alex character on the series.

Who is the lowest paid actor? ›

Top 10 Lowest Paid Actors in Hollywood
  1. 1 1. Johnny Depp.
  2. 2 Shia LaBeouf. ...
  3. 3 Nicolas Cage. ...
  4. 4 Robert Downey Jr. ...
  5. 5 The Rock. ...
  6. 6 Michael Cera. ...
  7. 7 Ashton Kutcher. ...
  8. 8 James McAvoy. ...
May 29, 2013

How does Sofia Vergara make so much money? ›

With her licensing agreements, Vergara actually gets a royalty fee, plus a percentage of the total revenue if a certain number of products are sold. Per Forbes, this was the case during her collaboration with Ninja, a coffee-maker brand that wound up with a cool $197 million in revenue during the partnership.

Who is the highest paid actor 2023? ›

1. Tom Cruise. Tom Crusie is an American actor, and producer best known for his work in Mission: Impossible, and Top Gun Jerry Maguire has been identified as the 2023 highest-paid actor. As per sources, his earnings have reportedly reached around $100 million.

Who was replaced in Modern Family? ›

Career. Anderson-Emmons joined the cast of Modern Family in its third season in 2011, when she replaced Ella and Jaden Hiller in the role of Lily Tucker-Pritchett, a Vietnamese-born child adopted by a gay American couple. Her role has been praised for raising cultural diversity awareness.

Was Claire replaced in Modern Family? ›

Julie Bowen was an accomplished TV actress prior to playing Claire on Modern Family Season 1 thanks to Ed and Boston Legal. Claire shifted over the years from housewife to working mom to now grandmother of a couple of twins.

Who is Claire's husband in real life from Modern Family? ›

Bowen married Scott Phillips, a real estate investor and software developer, on September 9, 2004. They have three sons, the first born in April 2007, and twins born in May 2009, with whom she was visibly pregnant when shooting the pilot for Modern Family.

How much was each Modern Family actor paid? ›

'Modern Family'

Some of the highest-paid TV actors in history, Sofia Vergara, Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ty Burrell each earned $500,000 per episode, according to a 2019 Variety report.

How rich is Lily from Modern Family? ›

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons Net Worth and salary per episode: Aubrey Anderson-Emmons is an American child actress who has a net worth of $6 million. Aubrey Anderson-Emmons was born in Santa Monica, California in June 2007. She is best known for her role as Lily Tucker-Pritchett on the television series Modern Family.

Does Modern Family cast get royalties? ›

'Modern Family' Royalties

All the main stars of “Modern Family” — Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill, Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara — score about $500,000 per episode, which will pay off in a big way when their residuals start rolling in after the show concludes.

How much is Jay's house worth in Modern Family? ›

Gloria & Jay Pritchett's house

According to Zillow.com Gloria and Jay's house in Brentwood is currently worth more than $8 million. This 6,359 square foot (590 square meters) single family home has 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and a pool.

Why did Lily change in Modern Family? ›

Aubrey replaces Jaden and Ella Hiller, the identical twin girls who played Lily for the Emmy-winning sitcom's first two seasons. The reason for the re-casting, a show source tells PEOPLE, is because the Hiller twins didn't enjoy acting. When they were required to be in scenes, they became agitated and unhappy.

Is Lily from Modern Family disabled? ›

She is also legally blind.

Who is the highest-paid TV actress? ›

1. Sofia Vergara. Colombian actress Sofia Vergara has a net worth of $50 million and is the highest-paid TV actress in 2023.

Who is the highest-paid sitcom actor per episode? ›

The 10 Highest-Paid Sitcom Stars Of All Time
  • Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show; $750,000 per episode) ...
  • Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld; $1 million per episode) ...
  • Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, and Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory; $1 million per episode) ...
  • Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso; $1 million per episode)
Mar 18, 2022

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