From dramas such as Law and Order: SVU to comedies like The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family, women are ruling the world of television. In recent years, female roles on television have gotten increasingly better in an industry that’s unjustifiably known to favor the roles of men. More and more shows are beginning to cast strong, ambitious, and hilarious actresses in career-defining roles. Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), and Jessica Lange (American Horror Story) are only a few of the many women that have commanded the television screen in recent years. The top 10 highest-paid television actresses of 2014 earned a total of $140 million between June 2013 to June 2014. Read on to see the list of the top five highest-paid TV actresses of 2014.
5. Alyson Hannigan – $9.5 million
Alyson Hannigan is best known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the American Pie film series, and most recently for her role as Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Hannigan earned a reported $340,000 per episode during the ninth and final season of HIMYM–which concluded in March–and will return to TV in the fall to star in the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon sitcom More Time With Family.
4. (TIE) Julianna Margulies/Ellen Pompeo/Cobie Smulders – $10 million
Three of television’s best actresses get to share the fourth spot on this year’s list. Canadian-native Cobie Smulders earned a reported $340,000 per episode for the final season of How I Met Your Mother where she spent nine seasons playing Robin Scherbatsky. Ellen Pompeo continues to rake in millions for her role as Meredith Grey on the long-running ABC drama Grey’s Anatomy, while 2014 Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies makes the majority of her annual salary producing and starring in The Good Wife.
3. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting – $11 million
At only 28 years old, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting is the youngest television actress in the top five. Cuoco-Sweeting takes in a reported $350,000 an episode for her role as Penny on the hit CBS comedy The Big Bang Theory and profits considerably from the show’s syndication. Not only will her newly negotiated contract increase her per episode earnings, but the actress also has an endorsement deal with Priceline and a movie set for release in 2015 co-starring comedian Kevin Hart.
2. Mariska Hargitay – $13 million
For the second year in a row, Mariska Hargitay takes the number two spot on the list of the highest-paid TV actresses of 2014. Hargitay received a salary increase for her Emmy and Golden Globe-winning role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit–which was renewed for a 16th season–after the show garnered a double-digit increase in viewership this past season. Hargitay also runs her own non-profit, the Joyful Heart Foundation.
1. Sofia Vergara – $37 million
Colombian-born actress Sofia Vergara continues her streak at the top of the list as the highest-paid TV actress for the third year in a row. Not only does Vargara earn a reported $325,000 per episode of the hit ABC sitcom Modern Family, but she also has endorsement deals with Diet Pepsi, CoverGirl, Head & Shoulders, and AT&T, a 12-year contract with K-Mart, her own fragrance, and a number of upcoming movie roles. The actress also co-founded Latin World Entertainment.
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