10 Richest Comedians In The World: Bill Cosby Is 9th

Bill Cosby is one of the richest comedians in the world, with a net worth in the hundreds of millions. But which other comedians make up the top 10 list?

Cosby, whose fortune mostly comes from his earnings from his hit TV show “The Cosby Show,” is far from the only comedian who is earning big from TV show and film projects and business ventures. Read on to see who the wealthiest comedians in the world are, courtesy of Celebrity Net Worth.

10. David Letterman

Despite being at the bottom of the top 10 list, legendary TV host David Letterman has an impressive net worth of $400 million, according to the outlet. He hosted “Late Night with David Letterman,” which premiered in 1982, before moving on to “The Late Show With David Letterman.”

9. Bill Cosby

Cosby is a controversial comedian on the list as he was freed from prison last month after serving just two years of his three- to 10-year prison sentence for sexual assault. The comedian is coming home to a massive fortune of $400 million, though Celebrity Net Worth noted that he may pay millions of dollars in damages and legal fees.

8. Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler takes the eighth spot in the list of richest comedians in the world with an estimated net worth of $420 million. Sandler has written, produced and starred in many successful movies, including “Grown Ups” “50 First Dates” and “Hotel Transylvania.”

7. Jay Leno

Most famous for hosting NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” from 1992 to 2014, Jay Leno has an estimated net worth of $450 million. Near the end of his stint on the show, the comedian was earning an annual salary of $15 million.

6. Byron Allen

The sixth richest comedian in the world is Byron Allen with an estimated net worth of $450 million. Allen is the head of Entertainment Studios, which, according to Celebrity Net Worth, is the largest independent producer and distributor of first-run syndicated programming in the world. His companies produce more than 30 programs that generate $100 million in revenue per year.

5. Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres, the host of her own syndicated television talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” has an estimated net worth of $500 million. The 63-year-old comedian reportedly earns about $50 million annually for hosting the TV show, which comes out to about $287,356 per episode, Parade said.

4. Trey Parker

Another notable comedian on the list is writer, producer, director, composer, animator and actor Trey Parker, who is the co-creator of the global-hit animated series "South Park." He has an estimated net worth of $500 million as of 2021.

3. Matt Groening

Holding the third spot on the list is Matt Groening, who created “The Simpsons.” The show has helped him build a fortune of $600 million.

2. Matt Stone

Matt Stone, the co-creator of “South Park" alongside Parker, is worth an estimated $700 million.

1. Jerry Seinfeld

Topping the list of richest comedians in the world is Jerry Seinfeld, who is most famous for starring in the sitcom “Seinfeld,” where he plays a semi-fictionalized version of himself. The show reportedly gave the comedian a salary of $1 million per episode toward the end of its era — equivalent to about $1.6 million today, as per Audacy. He is currently worth an estimated $950 million.