Funny business? The 21 comedians in our round-up are laughing all the way to the bank, having built massive fortunes from their comedy careers. 

From blockbuster movie stars to the masterminds behind some of TV's most beloved sitcoms, these entertainers have transformed laughs into lucrative empires. Read on to discover the richest comedians in the world – and see if your favourite funny person made the cut.

All dollar amounts in US dollars, with wealth estimates sourced from Celebrity Net Worth unless otherwise stated.

Comedian and ventriloquist Terry Fator found fame after winning America’s Got Talent in 2007. His blend of puppetry, celebrity impressions, and singing led to a record-breaking $100 million (£74m) residency at The Mirage in Las Vegas in 2009, which was extended due to its success and ran until 2019.

Other career highlights include voicing a character on the Disney Channel show Mickey Mouse and launching his comedy show Who's the Dummy Now? in New York in 2020. He reportedly earns up to $20 million (£15m) per year, contributing to his estimated $160 million (£120m) fortune.

Stefan Raab is one of Germany's most iconic entertainers. He began his career in the early 1990s, hosting comedy shows on the VIVA music channel. However, he became a household name as the host of the late-night German comedy show TV total, which aired from 1999 to 2015.

Raab has also found success in the music world. He released his first single, a parody track titled Ma Baker, in 1994. Other ventures include representing Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2000 and collaborating with German pop star Nena. His diverse projects have earned him an estimated net worth of $160 million (£120m).

American comedian Drew Carey started out performing stand-up in Cleveland in the 1980s. He rose to fame as the star of The Drew Carey Show, which ran from 1995 to 2004. At the height of its success, Carey was one of the highest-paid TV stars in the world, earning the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $1 million (£740k) per episode.

In 2007, he began hosting the game show The Price Is Right. He earns $12.5 million (£9m) annually from the gig, placing him among the highest-paid TV hosts. Further boosting his estimated $165 million (£123m) fortune is a 7.5% ownership stake in MLS team Seattle Sounders FC.

British comedian Ricky Gervais scored his big break with the UK comedy series The Office in 2001, which he co-created and starred in. The show became a global phenomenon, spawning a successful US spin-off and numerous other international adaptations. Gervais reportedly holds a 10% stake in The Office and earns millions annually from syndication revenue.

Beyond that, he’s boosted his bank balance by starring in films, creating acclaimed shows like Extras and After Life, and through stand-up comedy. Netflix reportedly paid him $20 million (£15m) for a comedy special in 2018. In total, he’s worth an estimated $170 million (£125m).

Bill Murray began his comedy career on the National Lampoon Radio Hour before breaking out on Saturday Night Live in the 1970s. He went on to become one of America's best-loved movie stars, with Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, and Groundhog Day among his most iconic roles.

Murray regularly commands multimillion-dollar paydays for his film work, with Ghostbusters being his most profitable gig. Thanks to a lucrative backend profit deal, he earned $125 million from the first two films in the franchise – around $310 million (£233m) in today's money. Overall, his estimated net worth stands at $180 million (£135m).

Steve Harvey began his career performing stand-up in the 1980s. He became a household name starring in the sitcom The Steve Harvey Show, which aired from 1996 to 2002. Today, he's best known for hosting the game show Family Feud and the radio series The Steve Harvey Morning Show.

Harvey reportedly earns an average of $45 million (£34m) per year, with $10 million (£7m) coming from Family Feud and $20 million (£15m) from his radio work. Entrepreneurial ventures, TV production, and bestselling books also contribute to his estimated $200 million (£150m) fortune.

Stand-up comedian Ray Romano rose to fame in the mid-1990s as the creator and star of the hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. At his peak, he earned the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $2.3 million (£1.7m) per episode, making him one of the highest-paid actors in TV history. He reportedly banked $155 million (£117m) pre-tax from the show and continues to earn millions annually from syndication.

Beyond sitcom success, Romano voiced Manny in the Ice Age franchise and returned to his stand-up roots with a Netflix special in 2019. His estimated net worth today is $200 million (£150m). 

Conan O’Brien began his comedy career as a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. He gained icon status as host of the talk show Late Night with Conan O’Brien, which aired from 1993 to 2009. Additionally, he's hosted The Tonight Show and Conan on TBS, earning an annual salary of $12 million (£9m) for the latter role.

In 2022, O'Brien sold his Team Coco podcast network to SiriusXM for $150 million (£113m), significantly contributing to his estimated $200 million (£150m) fortune.

Canadian comedy legend Dan Aykroyd started out with Toronto’s Second City comedy troupe before rising to fame on Saturday Night Live in the 1970s. He became a movie star thanks to iconic roles in The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters. Like his Ghostbusters co-star Bill Murray, Aykroyd earned an inflation-adjusted $310 million (£233m) pre-tax from the first two films in the franchise.

Beyond comedy and film, the business-savvy star launched Crystal Head Vodka in 2007, which generates $80 million (£60m) in annual revenues. His estimated fortune stands at $250 million (£188m).

Seth MacFarlane began his career as an animator at Hanna-Barbera before skyrocketing to fame as the creator of the animated sitcom Family Guy. He went on to create three more hit shows: American Dad, The Cleveland Show and The Orville. Beyond TV, MacFarlane achieved silver screen success with films like the Ted franchise.

In 2009, MacFarlane negotiated a five-year, $100 million (£75m) deal with Fox – then the largest contract in TV history. He later left Fox for Universal, signing a five-year, $200 million (£150m) deal in 2020. These salaries exclude merchandise and DVD royalties for his animation empire, which reportedly earns him upward of $20 million (£15m) per year. His estimated net worth today is $300 million (£226m).

David Letterman began his career as a weatherman and comedy writer before becoming one of the most iconic figures in late-night television. After launching Late Night with David Letterman in 1982, he hosted The Late Show on CBS from 1993 to 2015, producing over 6,000 episodes. At his peak, he reportedly earned up to $50 million (£38m) annually, pre-tax.

Since 2018, Letterman has hosted the Netflix talk show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, featuring high-profile public figures like Barack Obama and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His decades-spanning career has earned him an estimated net worth of $400 million (£300m).

Kevin Hart started out in stand-up comedy and has since become one of the richest entertainers in the world. He's known for hit comedy tours like Laugh at My Pain and What Now? and has also made a name for himself in film with box office smashes like Jumanji and Ride Along under his belt.

Hart reportedly earns up to $60 million (£45m) annually from his various projects. Further boosting his fortune is his media company, HartBeat, which was valued at $650 million (£490m) in 2022. In total, his estimated net worth is $400 million (£300m).

Larry David began his stand-up career way back in the 1970s, before turning his attention to writing with a brief stint on Saturday Night Live. In 1989, he teamed up with Jerry Seinfeld to create what would ultimately become Seinfeld. The wildly successful show consisted of 180 episodes that aired between 1989 and 1998. David penned 62 of the episodes, picking up two Emmy Awards along the way.

In 1999, he began work on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Originally intended as a one-off, the show ran until 2024. However, David has Seinfeld syndication deals to thank for the bulk of his fortune, which is estimated today at $400 million (£300m).

Adam Sandler rose to fame on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, quickly becoming a fan-favourite cast member. He then launched a blockbuster film career, with standout roles in the likes of Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, and Big Daddy. One of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, he often commands upwards of $25 million (£20m) per project.

Sandler's also achieved streaming success. In 2014, his company Happy Madison Productions signed a $250 million (£188m) content creation deal with Netflix. The contract was later extended thanks to the popularity of releases such as Murder Mystery. His estimated fortune today is $440 million (£330m).

Jay Leno started out as a stand-up comedian before rising to stardom as the host of The Tonight Show, a role he held from 1992 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2014. At the peak of his hosting career, Leno earned $30 million (£23m) per year, ultimately banking $320 million (£241m) pre-tax from The Tonight Show.

Leno famously never spent a penny of his Tonight Show salary. Instead, he banked it and lived off his stand-up comedy earnings. He still performs up to 200 comedy shows a year. In total, his estimated net worth stands at $450 million (£338m). 

Ellen DeGeneres began as a stand-up comedian before rising to fame as the creator and star of the popular 1990s sitcom Ellen. However, she’s best known as the host of the talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which aired from 2003 to 2022. At her peak, she earned $60 million (£45m) annually from the show alone.

Also contributing to her fortune are film roles such as voicing Dory in Finding Nemo and its sequel, authoring books, and a sprawling real estate empire. Her estimated net worth is a mammoth $450 million (£338m). 

Matt Groening began his career self-publishing the comic strip Life in Hell, but rose to global fame as the creator of The Simpsons. Since its debut in 1989, the iconic series has become a cultural phenomenon, holding the title of the longest-running primetime TV show in history. Groening is also behind other successful shows like Futurama and Netflix’s Disenchantment.

Through syndication, merchandise, licensing, and his production company Bongo Comics, Groening has built a sprawling multimedia empire. The Simpsons alone has generated billions in revenue, and a sequel to 2007's The Simpsons Movie has recently been announced. His estimated net worth stands at a massive $600 million (£450m). 

Byron Allen began his career as a stand-up comedian, making his debut on The Tonight Show at just 18. He holds the record as the youngest comedian ever to perform on the show. He later founded Entertainment Studios in 1993, which has since grown into a media empire, producing dozens of syndicated TV shows and owning networks including The Weather Channel.

Allen owns 100% of his company and operates with a unique revenue model: offering shows to networks for free in exchange for advertising time, which he sells directly. His estimated net worth stands at $1 billion (£740m).

Jerry Seinfeld began his comedy career in stand-up before skyrocketing to fame as the co-creator and star of Seinfeld, one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. The show has generated billions in revenue, with Seinfeld personally earning an estimated $800 million+ (£600m) from salary, royalties, and streaming deals.

Seinfeld further profits from his Netflix comedy specials and touring. Outside of comedy, he’s an avid car enthusiast, with a collection reportedly valued at up to $100 million (£74m). According to Forbes, his net worth stands at a staggering $1.1 billion (£816m).

Trey Parker achieved fame and fortune as the co-creator of South Park, which launched in 1997 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Alongside Matt Stone, he also co-created the Tony Award-winning musical The Book of Mormon and co-wrote hit films like Team America: World Police and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.

In 2021, Parker and Stone signed a landmark $900 million (£675m) content deal with ViacomCBS. This year, they inked a new contract worth a jaw-dropping $1.5 billion (£1.2bn), with streamer Paramount+ securing the rights to South Park for the next five years. The deal made Parker a member of the billionaire club, with a net worth of $1.2 billion (£890m), according to Forbes.

As mentioned, Matt Stone rose to fame as the co-creator of South Park alongside long-time collaborator Trey Parker. Together, they also created acclaimed projects like The Book of Mormon and Team America: World Police. The duo share a 50/50 revenue split on their collaborative projects.

Like Parker, Stone is worth a staggering $1.2 billion (£890m), making him the joint richest comedian in the world. 

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