The 20 Richest 'SNL' Cast Members, Ranked By Net Worth

Saturday Night Live is not only one of the longest-running TV shows still around, but it’s produced some of the most famous comedians and actors of the last five decades. It’s a proven formula: Talented actor + a season or so on SNL = more success in film and television.

While SNL cast members don’t make chump change, their salaries are paltry in comparison to what they can make when they reach even greater heights of fame. Here are the 20 richest SNL cast members, some of whom you may not even remember were on the show, ranked by their reported net worth.

Related: How Much Do 'SNL' Cast Members Make?

20 Richest SNL Cast Members of All Time

20. Chevy Chase: $50 million

Chevy Chase was a part of the original Saturday Night Live cast back in 1975. Although he was there for the start of Weekend Update and so much more, he only lasted until halfway through the second season before leaving to pursue a career in film. He later returned to host the show, but was reportedly banned in 1997 for allegedly being abusive to some of the cast members. (That said, he's made cameos in the years since.)

Related: Fans Gush Over Throwback Photo of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Chevy Chase: 'The Three Young Amigos'

19. Christopher Guest: $60 million

Christopher Guest was on Season 10 of SNL from 1984-85. However, he’s best known for starring in and later directing a series of famous “mockumentaries,” such as the 2000 cult favorite Best in Show. He’s also married to actress Jamie Lee Curtis.

Related: All About Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest's Family

18. Billy Crystal: $60 million

Billy Crystal was another one-season cast member, in 1985. He made a pretty big splash, though, with his parody of Fernando Lamas as a talk show host. Crystal obviously went on to an uber-successful film career, starring in movies like Throw Momma from the Train (1987), When Harry Met Sally… (1989) and City Slickers (1991).

17. Chris Rock: $60 million

Chris Rock was an SNL cast member from 1990-93, performing alongside fellow greats such as Chris Farley, Adam Sandler and David Spade. After his three-year stint, he focused more on his standup career and made some of the most successful standup specials of all time. He’s also acted in movies and hosted the Academy Awards twice.

Related: The 42 Best Stand-up Comedy Specials on Netflix

16. David Spade: $70 million

David Spade was a writer and cast member on SNL from 1990-96. After his success there, he went on to star in seven seasons of the show Just Shoot Me! (1997-2003) and Rules of Engagement (2007-2013). He’s also lent his voice to many animated films and acted in others, such as Tommy Boy (1995) and Joe Dirt (2001).

15. Tracy Morgan: $70 million

Tracy Morgan graced the SNL cast from 1996-2003. His time there overlapped with comedian and actress Tina Fey’s, which worked out for him when Fey cast him as a parody of himself in her show 30 Rock, for which he earned an Emmy nomination.

14. Jimmy Fallon: $70 million

Jimmy Fallon featured on SNL from 1998-2004, acting as co-host of Weekend Update. Afterward, he starred in a couple movies—Taxi (2004) and Fever Pitch (2005)—before finding his ultimate success (at least so far) as a late-night talk show host.

13. Tina Fey: $75 million

Tina Fey was a cast member and head writer on SNL from 2000-06, but started writing for the show in 1997. Aside from her incredible run as a cast member, her later return to portray vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in 2008 is what cemented Fey as an SNL legend.

In 2004, Fey famously wrote and starred in the comedy Mean Girls and then created the hit show 30 Rock (2006-2013). She’s acted in and worked on various other shows and movies and even wrote a memoir.

Related: This Isn't a Regular Guide, It's Your Cool Guide to the 'Mean Girls' Musical Movie

12. Harry Shearer: $85 million

Harry Shearer had two short stints on SNL, from 1979-80 and 1984-85. He unfortunately didn’t get along with show creator Lorne Michaels, but found success elsewhere as the co-creator and co-star of This Is Spinal Tap (1984). Fans may also know him as the voice actor for Mr. Burns and Ned Flanders in The Simpsons.

11. Dennis Miller: $100 million

Dennis Miller, who was on SNL from 1985-91, is remembered as a long-running host of the segment Weekend Update. After his departure, he wrote and hosted the HBO late-night talk show Dennis Miller Live (1994-2002), which earned five Emmy Awards.

10. Will Ferrell: $160 million

Will Ferrell appeared on SNL as a regular from 1995-2002 and is one of the most iconic cast members of all time. After leaving the show, he starred in a string of supremely popular 2000s comedies including Elf (2003), Anchorman (2004), Talladega Nights (2006) and Step Brothers (2008). He recently appeared in the hit 2023 film Barbie.

Related: Will There Be a 'Barbie' Movie Sequel? Here's Everything We Know About 'Barbie 2'

9. Bill Murray: $180 million

Bill Murray was a writer and cast member on SNL from 1977-80, winning an Emmy Award for his writing. Today, Murray is known for his roles in classic films like Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981) and Ghostbusters (1984).

8. Ben Stiller: $200 million

Ben Stiller’s time on SNL was so brief and unremarkable that he’s not even remembered for it. He appeared as a cast member from March to April of 1989, for four episodes, and quit because he wanted to make pre-taped short films rather than perform live sketches.

Clearly, Stiller’s career wasn’t hurt by this blip on his resumé. He went on to star in movies such as There’s Something About Mary (1998), Zoolander (2001), Tropic Thunder (2008) and many others. He's also an accomplished director, with his most recent project being Severance on Apple TV+.

Related: Is ‘Severance’ Coming Back for Season 2? Everything You Need to Know

7. Mike Myers: $200 million

Mike Myers was an SNL cast member from 1989-95. During this time he wrote and starred in the film comedy Wayne’s World (1992), as well as its sequel, but is best known for his portrayal of the titular character in the Austin Powers movies (and, of course, as Dr. Evil).

6. Eddie Murphy: $200 million

Looking back, it may be hard to believe that Eddie Murphy was only on SNL for four years, from 1980-84. He was 19 years old when he was cast and, along with Joe Piscopo, enjoyed great popularity during his time on the show.

Murphy went on to become a beloved film star, with credits such as Beverly Hills Cop (1984), The Nutty Professor (1996) and Dr. Dolittle (1998).

5. Dan Aykroyd: $250 million

Dan Aykroyd is one of the original SNL cast members, acting on the show from 1975-79. He left the program with fellow cast member John Belushi due to rampant drug problems on set. However, Aykroyd didn’t entirely leave SNL behind—he would later team up with Belushi in The Blues Brothers (1980), with Eddie Murphy in Trading Places (1983) and with Bill Murray in Ghostbusters (1984), which he cowrote.

Related: Dan Aykroyd Returning for 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire'

4. Julia Louis-Dreyfus: $250 million

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was an SNL cast member from 1982-85, acting alongside famous alums such as Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal and Martin Short. However, it was at the end of the ‘80s with the start of Seinfeld that she became a household name. Louis-Dreyfus starred as Elaine Benes in the critically acclaimed sitcom for nine years.

Related: Jerry Seinfeld Teases More 'Seinfeld,' Promises 'Something Is Going to Happen'

3. Robert Downey Jr.: $300 million

Like Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr.’s time on SNL was almost entirely forgettable. He spent one season as a cast member, from 1985-86, and it probably would have been forgotten had Rolling Stone not ranked him as the show’s worst cast member (he was apparently “unfunny” and a “flop.”)

Regardless, Downey Jr.’s not losing any sleep over it. The man is Iron Man, after all, starring as the superhero in the film series of the same name, and playing other famous characters such as Sherlock Holmes.

2. Adam Sandler: $440 million

Adam Sandler was an SNL cast member from 1991-95 and also wrote for the show. And it didn’t take long for him to turn his TV comedy into movie material. He’s starred in countless hits, from 1995’s Billy Madison to 2019’s Murder Mystery, and has had a hand in creating a good chunk of his projects through his Happy Madison production company. He’s even proven his worth as more than just a Hollywood clown, as he won an Independent Spirit Awards for his role in Uncut Gems (2019).

Related: Big Daddy, Indeed! All About Adam Sandler's Kids, Sadie and Sunny

1. Lorne Michaels: $500 million

You might not think of Lorne Michaels as a cast member, but he’s been there from the start. The creator and producer of Saturday Night Live has even appeared in some sketches.

In addition to SNL, Michaels has produced other award-winning shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers and 30 Rock.

Next, Everything to Know About Season 49 of ‘Saturday Night Live,' Including Who Is Hosting Each Week