Suit Up! Breaking Down The How I Met Your Mother Cast's Salary Per Episode

Quick Links

• Cristin Milioti (Tracy McConnell/The Mother)

• Wayne Brady (James Stinson)

• Alyson Hannigan (Lily Aldrin)

• Cobie Smulders (Robin Scherbatsky)

• Jason Segel (Marshall Eriksen)

• Josh Radnor (Ted Mosby)

• Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson)

Highlights

• How I Met Your Mother was a successful sitcom from 2005 to 2014, with associated high production costs.
• Lead actors on the How I Met Your Mother cast earned $225,000 per episode, with one notable exception.
• Cast member Cristin Milioti earned around $25,000 per episode for playing the titular Mother.

Television history is punctuated by memorable sitcoms such as CBS' How I Met Your Mother.

How I Met Your Mother aired on CBS from 2005 to 2014 and followed the narrative of Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) in the future, recounting his adventures in New York City with his best friends to his children, focusing on his quest to find the titular "Mother."

The series' blend of humor, relatable situations, and a central mystery surrounding the titular mother kept viewers hooked for years.

The show's success was evident in its impressive viewership numbers, with the finale drawing in over 12.9 million viewers. Its final season, which aired in 2014, cost $2 million per episode to make, highlighting the show's high production values.

Central to the show's narrative were its five main characters — Ted Mosby (Radnor), Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan), Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders), and Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris).

Each member of the How I Met Your Mother cast earned $225,000 per episode — with the exception of Harris, who commanded a $400,000 paycheck.

This allocation meant that $1.3 million of each episode's budget went towards compensating the core actors.

Let's take a look at the salaries of the How I Met Your Mother cast.

2:05

Bada Bucks: The Sopranos Cast, Ranked By Net Worth

7 Cristin Milioti (Tracy McConnell/The Mother)

Salary Per Episode - $25,000

Cristin Milioti's portrayal of Tracy McConnell, the long-awaited "Mother" in How I Met Your Mother, was a highlight of the show's final season.

Though her time on the series was relatively brief, Milioti's peculiar charm made Tracy an instant fan favorite.

Her salary for the show has yet to be officially confirmed, but reliable sources estimate Milioti earned around $25,000 per episode for How I Met Your Mother.

Milioti has an estimated net worth of $4 million; her involvement in the sitcom likely boosted her net worth.

6 Wayne Brady (James Stinson)

Salary Per Episode - $30,000

Wayne Brady injected a dose of dynamic energy into How I Met Your Mother as James Stinson, Barney's charismatic and womanizing older brother.

The versatile comedian and Emmy-winning host's appearances were always a highlight, with his character's playboy-ish ways and over-the-top personality meshing hilariously with Barney's.

Brady reportedly took home $30,000 per episode on How I Met Your Mother. He appeared in 14 episodes, which means he earned around $420,000 for his time on the show.

This is quite impressive, given his guest-star status. Wayne Brady has an estimated net worth of $12 million.

The Mad Men Cast, Ranked By Salary Per Episode

5 Alyson Hannigan (Lily Aldrin)

Salary Per Episode - $225,000

As Lily Aldrin, the kindergarten teacher turned art consultant, Alyson Hannigan brought humor and a touch of scheming charm to How I Met Your Mother.

Her natural comedic timing and heartfelt portrayal of Lily's friendship with the gang were a core part of the show's appeal. Lily's on-screen chemistry with Jason Segel (Marshall) made them one of TV's most beloved couples.

Like her fellow main cast members, Hannigan reportedly earned $225,000 per episode during the sitcom's later seasons.

Hannigan's earnings from HIMYM, along with her paycheck from earlier roles in projects like Buffy The Vampire Slayer and the American Pie franchise, have contributed to her estimated net worth of $40 million.

4 Cobie Smulders (Robin Scherbatsky)

Salary Per Episode - $225,000

Amid the laughter of How I Met Your Mother, Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) offered a grounded presence, her witty pragmatism and occasional glimpses of inner turmoil adding depth to the show's dynamics.

Robin balanced lighthearted charm with her complexities, embodying both the quick wit of a former newscaster and the complexities of a New York City resident.

For her portrayal, Smulders earned $225,000 per episode during the final seasons of How I Met Your Mother. Smolders' success on HIMYM is reflected in her estimated net worth of $25 million.

Her time on the show was undoubtedly a major boost to her net worth; Smulders' burgeoning career in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Agent Maria Hill demonstrates her continued popularity in show business.

2:03

Deadpool 3: Will Deadpool & Wolverine Mint Billions At The Box Office?

3 Jason Segel (Marshall Eriksen)

Salary Per Episode - $225,000

Jason Segel's appealing portrayal of Marshall Eriksen in How I Met Your Mother remains a fan favorite.

The Knocked Up actor's hilarious awkwardness and relatable vulnerability were some of the main highlights of the sitcom's humor.

Segel earned a well-deserved $225,000 per episode in the show's final seasons.

Though How I Met Your Mother is arguably his most recognizable television role, Segel's net worth of an estimated $50 million reflects his multifaceted career.

He is a successful screenwriter, producer, and film actor, with hits like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Muppets proving his comedic flair extends far beyond MacLaren's Pub.

Segel has also gained prominence with roles in blockbuster movies like This Is 40 and Sex Tape.

2 Josh Radnor (Ted Mosby)

Salary Per Episode - $225,000

Josh Radnor's Ted Mosby was the heart of How I Met Your Mother.

As the architect and hopeless romantic around whom the entire story revolved, Radnor navigated Ted's ups and downs in love and friendship with charm and humor.

Although Radnor was the show's main character, he earned the same per-episode salary as his main co-stars in the final season: $225,000.

Radnor's estimated net worth of approximately $30 million underscores his success beyond How I Met Your Mother, despite the sitcom being his most notable role to date.

Procedural Paydays: Investigating The 9-1-1 Cast's Per Episode Salaries

1 Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson)

Salary Per Episode - $400,000

Neil Patrick Harris' role as Barney Stinson, the high-fiving, suit-wearing ladies' man in How I Met Your Mother, is a beloved icon of modern sitcoms, inspiring countless laughs and several witty pickup lines.

Harris' hilarious portrayal, complete with signature catchphrases and a touch of arrogance, turned Barney into a scene-stealing wild card that kept viewers on their toes.

During the show's final season, Harris reportedly commanded a salary of $400,000 per episode, making him the highest earner on the How I Met Your Mother cast, and one of the highest-paid actors on television at the time.

This higher salary likely reflected Harris's established career before HIMYM, including award-winning roles on Broadway and in successful films.

Today, Neil Patrick Harris has an estimated net worth of $50 million.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmoaenYrZuucStZLKnpad6rrvToZyrZZOWwLV7