Pay per viewer: TVs highest paid stars - Los Angeles Times
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Pay per viewer: TVs highest paid stars

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Are TV stars worth their big paychecks? The Times looks at a number of big-earners and how they fare in the ratings.

(Lily Mihalik)
Chelsea Handler
Anderson Cooper
David Letterman
Jon Stewart
Bill O'Reilly
Craig Ferguson
Matt Lauer
Judith Sheindlin
Piers Morgan
Maury Povich
Stephen Colbert
Jimmy Kimmel
Simon Cowell
Ellen DeGeneres
Tyra Banks
Tina Fey
Mehmet Oz
Ashton Kutcher
Ryan Seacrest<br />Highest Ratings
Jennifer Lopez<br />Highest Ratings
Ted Danson
Christina Aguilera
 'Snooki' Polizzi
Ty Burell

#1 | Chelsea Handler: 'Chelsea Lately'

(Benjamin Reed / Los Angles Times)

Salary: $12 million | Ratings: 0.718 million
Pay per viewer: $16.70

Image: Benjamin Reed / Los Angeles Times

#2 | 'Anderson Cooper: '360'

(Ali Goldstein / Warner Bros.)

Salary: $6 million | Ratings: 0.443 million
Pay per viewer: $13.54

Image: Ali Goldstein / Warner Bros.

#3 | David Letterman: 'Late Show'

(John Paul Filo / AP)

Salary: $31 million | Ratings: 3.2 million
Pay per viewer: $9.69

Image: John Paul Filo / AP

#4 | Jon Stewart: 'Daily Show'

(Frank Franklin II / AP)

Salary: $14 million | Ratings: 1.7 million
Pay per viewer: $8.24

Image: Frank Franklin II / AP

#5 | Bill O'Reilly: 'O'Reilly Factor'

(Jeff Christensen / AP)

Salary: $16 million | Ratings: 2.8 million
Pay per viewer: $5.71

Image: Jeff Christensen / AP

#6 | Craig Ferguson: 'Late Late Show'

(Monty Brinton / CBS)

Salary: $8.5 million | Ratings: 1.5 million
Pay per viewer: $5.67

Image: Monty Brinton / CBS

#7 | Matt Lauer: 'Today'

(Peter Kramer/NBC)

Salary: $25 million | Ratings: 4.6 million
Pay per viewer: $5.43

Image: Peter Kramer / NBC

#8 | Judith Sheindlin: 'Judge Judy'

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Salary: $45 million | Ratings: 9 million
Pay per viewer: $5

Judith Sheindlin makes the highest salary within surveyed group

Image: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times

#9 | Piers Morgan: 'Piers Morgan'

(CNN)

Salary: $2 million | Ratings: 0.49 million
Pay per viewer: $4.08

Image: CNN

#10 | Maury Povich: 'Maury'

(Universal handout)

Salary: $13 million | Ratings: 3.2 million
Pay per viewer: $4.06

Image: Universal Domestic Television

#11 | Stephen Colbert: 'Colbert Report'

(Jeff Christensen / AP)

Salary: $4.5 million | Ratings: 1.2 million
Pay per viewer: $3.75

Image: Jeff Christensen / AP

#12 | Jimmy Kimmel: 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'

(Carin Baer / ABC )

Salary: $6 million | Ratings: 1.8 million
Pay per viewer: $3.33

Image: Carin Baer / ABC

#13 | Simon Cowell: 'X Factor'

(Nino Munoz / FOX)

Salary: $40 million | Ratings: 12.6 million
Pay per viewer: $3.17

Image: Nino Munoz / FOX

#14 | Ellen Degeneres: 'Ellen'

(Michael Rozman / AP)

Salary: $5 million | Ratings: 2.9 million
Pay per viewer: $1.72

Image: Michael Rozman / AP

#15 | Tyra Banks: 'America's Next Top Model

(Mathieu Young / The CW)

Salary: $4 million | Ratings: 2.4 million | Pay per viewer: $1.67

Image: Mathieu Young / The CW

#16 | Tina Fey: '30 Rock'

(NBC)

Salary: $7.2 million | Ratings: 4.6 million
Pay per viewer: $1.57

Image: NBC

#17 | Mehmet Oz: 'Dr. Oz'

(George Burns / AP)

Salary: $4 million | Ratings: 3.3 million
Pay per viewer: $1.21

Image: George Burns / AP

#18 | Ashton Kutcher: 'Two and a Half Men'

(Richard Cartwright / CBS)

Salary: $17 million | Ratings: 14.7 million
Pay per viewer: $1.16

Image: Richard Cartwright / CBS

#19 | Ryan Seacrest: 'American Idol'

(Mark Davis / Getty Images)

Salary: $15 million | Ratings: 20 million
Pay per viewer: $0.75

'American Idol' stars tied for the highest ratings within the surveyed group

Image: Mark Davis / Getty Images

#20 | Jennifer Lopez: 'American Idol'

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Salary: $12.5 million | Ratings: 20 million
Pay per viewer: $0.63

'American Idol' stars tied for the highest ratings within the surveyed group

Image: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

#21 | Ted Danson: 'CSI'

(Michael Yarish / CBS)

Salary: $5 million | Ratings: 12.6 million
Pay per viewer: $0.40

Image: Michael Yarish / CBS

#22 | Christina Aguilera: 'The Voice'

(Lewis Jacobs / NBC)

Salary: $2.1 million | Ratings: 12.7 million
Pay per viewer: $0.17

Image: Lewis Jacobs / NBC

#23 | 'Snookie' Polizzi: 'Jersey Shore'

(Ian Spanier / MTV )

Salary: $1.2 million | Ratings: 7.6 million
Pay per viewer: $0.16

Image: Ian Spanier / MTV

#24 | Ty Burrell: 'Modern Family'

(Peter “Hopper†Stone / ABC)

Salary: $1.1 million | Ratings: 13.3 million
Pay per viewer: $0.08

Image: Peter "Hopper" Stone / ABC

The Times looked at a select group of top stars and determined a ranking based on annual salary divided by average ratings. These numbers were determined from agency sources and reported figures.
Design and programming by Lily Mihalik. Programming by Armand Emamdjomeh.

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