How Much Does Jimmy Kimmel Make Per Episode

The Shocking Truth About Jimmy Kimmel’s Paycheck (It’s Weirder Than You Think)

Let’s get this out of the way: Jimmy Kimmel isn’t exactly scraping pennies off the Hollywood sidewalk. The guy who makes fun of Matt Damon nightly pulls in a salary that could probably buy a small, moderately decorated island. But how much does he actually earn per episode? Buckle up, because the math is about to get as silly as his monologue.

According to reports, Kimmel signed a contract extension in 2019 worth a reported $15 million per year. That’s roughly $288,000 every single week. When you break it down, the man is making about $60,000 per episode. Yes, you read that correctly—for roughly 41 minutes of work (plus the pre-show grinding), he pockets more than most people earn in a full year.

But here’s the funny part: Jimmy doesn’t just host the show. He’s also an executive producer. So while you’re watching him fake-nap through a celebrity interview, he’s also earning a producer’s cut. It’s like getting paid to eat the cake and also getting paid to bake it. Talk about having your schlubby charm and eating it too.

The “Matt Damon Factor” (Or Why He Can’t Stop Winning)

You know that running gag where Kimmel pretends to hate Matt Damon? It’s the most lucrative grudge in Hollywood history. When Damon appears on the show (which he does, often), it boosts ratings by about 12%. More viewers mean more ad revenue, which means Jimmy’s bosses at ABC are happy, which means his contract gets even fatter. So effectively, Matt Damon’s face is a pay raise generator for Kimmel.

Here’s a twist: Kimmel’s salary per episode actually dropped in 2023 compared to earlier in his career. Wait, don’t cry for him. He still makes $15 million a year, but back in 2017, he was pulling in $20 million. Inflation is a beast, even for guys who wake up at 4 AM to interview celebrities about their avocado toast habits.

But let’s be real: $60,000 per episode is ridiculous. For context, that’s about $1,460 per minute of airtime. Next time you see Jimmy pause for a laugh, just remember: that three-second silence just earned him $73. He’s literally being paid to think about whether to make a poop joke or not.

Jimmy Kimmel net worth and salary: How much does ABC late-night host

The Real Cost of Being a Late-Night Host

Before you pack your bags for Hollywood, consider this: Kimmel’s day is brutal. He’s at the office by 6:30 AM for meetings, writes jokes until noon, tapes monologues by 3 PM, and then edits until 7 PM. By the time he gets home, his kids are asleep and his wife has already watched the Showtime drama he was supposed to watch with her. That $60,000 per episode comes with a price: no free evenings.

And let’s not forget the wardrobe. Kimmel famously wears the same dark suit jacket every night to avoid clashing with graphics. But each of those jackets costs about $3,000. He owns probably 15 of them. That’s $45,000 in jackets—almost a full episode’s salary, just sitting in his closet, probably smelling like bad opinion and green room coffee.

Plus, there’s the permanent guilt taxa. Kimmel has admitted he hates flying private because it feels wasteful, but he does it to get to vacation spots faster. So he pays for the plane, pays for therapy to deal with the guilt, and then pays for a comedian to write a joke about it. It’s an expensive cycle of self-awareness.

What Would You Do With $60,000 Per Day?

Let’s play a game: if you earned Jimmy’s per-episode rate, you could buy a brand-new Honda Civic every single day. You could fill your garage with Hondas, then hire a guy to just move them around like a weird car slide puzzle. Or you could buy exactly 6,000 avocado toasts per episode. That’s 18,000 slices of sourdough every week. Your brunch would be legendary.

How Much Money Does Jimmy Kimmel Make? How Much Does ABC Pay? - YouTube

But here’s the kicker: Kimmel doesn’t even keep most of it. After taxes, agent fees (10%), manager fees (5%), lawyer fees (because everyone sues you), and paying his staff of 80+ people, he probably takes home about $22,000 per episode. Still a fortune, but suddenly you understand why he still flies economy on American Airlines for short trips.

The Surprising Truth You Won’t Believe

Here’s a fact that will blow your mind: Kimmel makes less per episode than Stephen Colbert. Colbert reportedly earns $20 million a year, meaning his per-episode rate is around $80,000. But does Colbert have to fake-cry during interviews with adorable dogs? No. So really, Kimmel’s lower salary is a discount for emotional labor.

Another fun surprise: Kimmel’s show costs ABC about $2 million per episode to produce. That includes his salary, the band, the set, the writers, the catering, and the giant jar of pickles he keeps in his office (true story—he has a pickle obsession). So for every dollar you earn, ABC spends about 3 cents on Jimmy’s smirk and 97 cents on everything else. It’s a good reminder that you’re not just paying for the host; you’re paying for the man who gets paid to take a nap on a couch while a guest sings about their cat.

So, how much does Jimmy Kimmel make per episode? About $60,000. But if you factor in his producer credits, pickle budget, and the sheer joy of watching Matt Damon squirm, the real number is: enough to make you laugh, enough to make you groan, and definitely enough to buy a very nice cheese board. Now go binge his clips—it’s cheaper than therapy, and someone else is paying for the suit.