TV stars still make good money, but they make a bit less of it now than in recent years—studios have lowered the starting salary for a series star from a consistent $150,000 to $200,000 to between $75,000 and $125,000. Established stars, however, rake in much bigger bucks. Yahoo breaks down the leaders, via TV Guide numbers:
- Drama: Hugh Laurie picks up $400,000 per episode of House, while Law and Order: SVU duo Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay each get $395,000.