How much do Saturday Night Live cast members earn per episode? Details explored

Saturday Night Live does not need any introduction. 

The show where live comedy sketches delighted viewers began in 1975. 

Saturday Night Live, or SNL, was developed by Lorne Michaels. 

Its first host was George Carlin. 

The show features comedy sketches where they present parodies based upon the latest happenings in politics and pop culture. 

SNL has received many awards through the years. 

Some of these include Primetime Emmys, Writer Guild of America Awards, and Peacock Awards. 

The show also made it to the 100 Best TV Shows of All Time list in Times magazine in 2007. 

Lorne Micheal also talked about the show’s popularity in an interview with Variety in 2015. 

He stated:

“ I think we get the baby-boomers and high numbers of people between 18 and 34. We are still the No. 1-rated show on the air (at that time). I think people understand the show after this many years. They know there’s going to be something for them.” 

The host of the show is a celebrity guest that begins with a monologue and a sketch.

The show has featured various celebrities that include singers, actors, and television stars. 

These celebrities appeared with the regular cast members for sketches. 

The question that often comes to viewers' minds is how much do the cast members get paid for their appearance on the show? 

The cast members usually start at a low salary, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth. 

That changes when the cast members prove their mettle after appearing several seasons. 

Saturday Night Live: More about cast members' pay per episode

First-year cast members receive $3000 per episode, according to an article in Celebrity Net Worth. 

Pete Davidson, who worked as a cast member on SNL from 2014 to 2022, made a joke about his earnings. 

He was asked about his biggest indulgence after his first SNL paycheck in an interview with New York Magazine in 2024.

He replied:

“ Do you guys know what they pay us? It’s like three grand an episode. I think I got dinner.” 

In the same interview Julia Louis Dreyfus discussed her initial SNL pay.

Julia had been a cast member of Saturday Night Live between the years 1982 and 1985.

She stated (via NY magazine):

“ I bought a pair of shoes that were out of my budget. I am going to tell you, they were $75.” 

This confession speaks about the meager pay she was given during her first season. 

Jason Sudeikis, who was one of the cast members for nine seasons, stated:

“ I mean, you don’t make enough money to make big purchases, so I think New York rent was probably the biggest purchase I made after writing my first year on SNL.” 

According to Celebrity Net Worth, second- and third-year cast members make $4000 per season. 

However, their pay scale rises when a cast member appears in the fourth and fifth seasons.

 A fourth-season cast member earns $7,000 per episode, and a fifth-season cast member’s earnings can go up to $15,000 per episode. 

One of the most paid cast members of the show, according to the aforementioned publication, is Kenan Thompson. 

Thompson also talked about the first-year salaries on SNL in an interview with Variety in 2024. 

He stated:

“ It’s pretty notorious that it’s more so about having the job than getting paid for the job. You gotta pay your dues a little bit, yeah.”

Stay tuned for more such updates.