Ellen Pompeo Net Worth: ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Signs $20 Million Deal

“Grey’s Anatomy” star Ellen Pompeo definitely won’t be returning to waitressing any time soon. The Boston native had a modest upbringing, but now she is earning about $20 million a year, which will make her already impressive net worth even larger.

Pompeo is currently starring as Meredith Grey in the fourteenth season of “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is still dominating the ratings, averaging over 12 million viewers per week. Celebrity Net Worth reports the actress was making $350,000 an episode and had a net worth of $40 million prior to signing a new contract at the end of 2017. Her new salary will greatly add to that.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Wednesday that Pompeo signed a new deal for “Grey’s Anatomy” Seasons 15 and 16, should ABC renew the drama (it’s the second highest rated show on the network, so it’s pretty likely). The contract, which is worth about $20 million per year, kicks in during the show’s current season.

Pompeo’s $350,000 per episode fee increases to $500,000. The ABC drama averages about 24 episodes per season, bringing her salary to about $12 million a year. That’s not all, though.

Pompeo scored a seven-figure signing bonus (the exact amount was not disclosed), and she has two backend equity points, meaning she gets a percentage of what the show makes. The backend points are estimated to bring in another $6 to $7 million.

“Grey’s Anatomy” won’t be the only show she makes money from this year. Pompeo is a producer on the still untitled “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff about firefighters, set to debut on March 22. She’ll get a producer’s fee as well as backend points. Her production company, Calamity Jane, will also get put pilot commitments (agreements that the pilots will either be aired or pay a fee to avoid airing them) and office space on Disney’s Burbank lot.

Clearly, Pompeo knows how to negotiate. However, in her THR cover story, she said that she initially felt nervous asking for so much.

“I’d call Shonda and say, ‘Am I being greedy?’ But CAA compiled a list of stats for me, and ‘Grey’s’ has generated nearly $3 billion for Disney,” the 48-year-old explained. “When your face and your voice have been part of something that’s generated $3 billion for one of the biggest corporations in the world, you start to feel like, ‘OK, maybe I do deserve a piece of this.’”

Still, this deal won’t make her the highest paid actress on TV. “Modern Family” star Sofía Vergara brings in $41.5 million each year and “Big Bang Theory” actress Kaley Cuoco earns $26 million. Still, Pompeo holds the title for highest paid dramatic actress on TV.

Watch Pompeo earn the big bucks when “Grey’s Anatomy” returns Thursday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.