America’s Got Talent recently soared through its 18th season on NBC. As always, the featured performers seem to get more electrifying, spectacular, and positively emotional season by season. In fact, season 18 was so awesome, that the golden buzzer rang during the season’s first episode.
Since then, there have been more amazing moments from various performing acts that’ll keep even the most casual fan of the show talking long after the spectacular season finale.
Through all the excitement of this past season, the mesmerizing dog tricks act Adrian Stoica and Hurricane were named the winners. In second place was magician Anna DeGuzman, followed by the dance group Murmuration placing third.
But aside from the acts that perform on the show, there are the judges. We all know Simon Cowell. Joining him are actress Sofia Vergara, TV host Heidi Klum, and comedian Howie Mandel. This group of people with different entertainment backgrounds helps determine who passes through the audition and makes it to the live performance rounds. But how much do these people make on the show?
How much do the judges make on America’s Got Talent?
It was reported numerous times that the judges for America’s Got Talent have different paychecks during their time on the show, and it makes sense since the judges tend to change after a few seasons. For example, Cowell only joined America’s Got Talent in season 11. Meanwhile, Mandel has been on the show since season 5 and Vergara is the newest judge in season 18’s lineup since she first appeared in season 15.
The judges of America’s Got Talent season 18 earn a salary starting from $70,000 per episode, with reports that one judge in particular may be the wealthiest judge on the show.
How much does Simon Cowell take home for being an AGT judge?
Hello Magazine reported that Cowell earned around $95 million for his appearance in America’s Got Talent in 2022. And there is a chance that it could have increased in 2023, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet.
The Sony Music executive has been used to the big bucks for what seems like forever though, especially back when he was one of the original judges and producers of the legendary reality singing competition, American Idol. In addition to that success, he was the creator of The X Factor, another reality TV competition that laid the foundation for what fans know and love from America’s Got Talent. That track record certainly would equal eight, or even nine-figure paydays by now.
Sofia Vergara gets paid how much for being a judge on AGT?
Sofia Vergara, the former Modern Family actress earned $10 million per season, as originally reported by Forbes back in 2020. However, during her time on Modern Family, she was paid per episode.
According to Parade, reports had Vergara collecting at least a half-million per episode of Modern Family by the time the show ended, making her the highest-paid actress on television for a while. That was a huge jump from when she started the series making a “measly” $30,000 to $65,000 per episode, and rightly so since that sitcom grew to become a mega-hit by the series finale. With what she made working on Modern Family, she’s arguably worth the same (if not more) as a current AGT judge.
What does Heidi Klum get paid to be an AGT judge?
Following Vergara is supermodel and actress Heidi Klum, who has been a part of the show since season eight, but took a break in season 14 and parts of season 15. Soaps.com reported that Klum earned around $100,000 per episode, giving her a total of $2.5 to 3 million per season.
Like Cowell, she’s got longevity on America’s Got Talent but also has been involved with other successful reality shows of her own, such as hosting and enjoying her role as executive producer of Project Runway. Oh, and she’s also making bank by hosting Germany’s Next Top Model.
And how about Howie Mandel’s salary judging AGT?
Finally, there is the ever-popular Howie Mandel, who’s no stranger to hosting or judging a show. He’s been on AGT for quite some time now, taking one of the judges’ seats ever since his season-five debut in 2010.
Celebrity Net Worth reported in 2023 that this long-time America’s Got Talent judge and former Deal or No Deal host earns around $70,000 per episode, making him the lowest-earning judge on the show. That might not be such a big deal though since he co-hosts the Howie Mandel Does Stuff Podcast with his daughter, Jackelyn Shultz as well as a recent stint as host of the Netflix gameshow Bullsh*t the Game Show.
The judges of America’s Got Talent earn a pretty high salary just for, well, judging. But they’re what helps make the show interesting as they decide who makes it through to the next round. While the differing salaries for each judge is certainly an interesting factoid, Mandel still being in the show to this day shows that he’s happy with his current paycheck.
Season 18 of America’s Got Talent ended with the great news that a 19th season is on the horizon, set to air during the summer of 2024. The full cast from the previous seasons are also rumored to make return appearances.
