Salaries of America's favorite TV dads

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Salary.com's TV Dad Salary Analysis shows that the average pay of television's most popular pops has more than doubled in real dollars since the 1950s, with a trend towards more glamorous six-figure jobs.
Back to the story »

Pay
Rank
TV DAD SHOW JOB BASE SALARY
(in 2005 $)
1 Blake Carrington Dynasty (1981-89) CEO Denver-Carrington $856,515
2 J.R. "Jock" Ewing, Sr. Dallas (1978-91) CEO Ewing Oil $838,569
3 Philip Drummond Diff'rent Strokes (1978-86) President $720,600
4 Chase Gioberti Falcon Crest (1981-90) Vineyard Owner $677,487
5 George Jefferson The Jeffersons (1975-85) CEO Jefferson Cleaners $555,702
6 Michael Bluth Arrested Development (2003-present) CEO Real Estate Company $527,205
7 Jed Bartlet West Wing (1999-present) US President $400,000
8 Andy Brown Everwood (2002-present) Neurosurgeon $328,949
9 Sean McNamara Nip/Tuck (2003-present) Plastic Surgeon $274,456
10 Vernon Albright My Little Margie (1952-55) Investment Executive $270,035
11 Walter Findley Maude (1972-78) Appliance Store Owner $245,668
12 Heathcliff Huxtable The Cosby Show (1984-92) Obstetrician $237,932
13 Tim Taylor Home Improvement (1991-99) Host of "Tool Time" $191,526
14 George Baxter Hazel (1961-66) Corporate Lawyer $178,880
15 Frasier Crane Frasier (1993-2004) Radio Psychiatrist $164,644
16 Jason Seaver Growing Pains (1985-92) Psychiatrist $160,466
17 Philip Banks Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-96) Judge $146,000
18 Howard Borden The Bob Newhart Show (1972-78) Airline Pilot $135,818
19 Danny Tanner Full House (1987-95) Morning Show Host $130,000
20 Sandy Cohen The OC (2003-present) Lawyer $113,780
21 Uncle Bill Davis Family Affair (1966-71) Consulting Engineer $111,353
22 Sam Aldrich The Aldrich Family (1949-53) District Attorney $102,504
23 Rob Petrie The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66) Head Comedy Writer (TV) $95,941
24 Tom Corbett The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969-72) Magazine Publisher $95,021
25 Alan Harper Two and a Half Men (2003-present) Chiropractor $87,672
26 Andy Taylor The Andy Griffith Show (1960-68) Sheriff $84,019
27 Tom Scavo Desperate Housewives (2004-present) Regional Sales Manager $83,688
28 Ross Gellar Friends (1994-2004) Professor of Paleontology $81,904
29 Darrin Stephens Bewitched (1964-72) Advertising Executive $70,785
30 Homer Simpson The Simpsons (1989-present) Nuclear Safety Inspector $65,000
31 Henry Mitchell Dennis the Menace (1986-88) Engineer $60,537
32 Frank Costanza Seinfeld (1990-98) Salesman $59,070
33 Steve Douglas My Three Sons (1960-72) Aviation Engineer $53,962
34 Nate Fisher Six Feet Under (2001-05) Funeral Director $53,366
35 Ricky Ricardo I Love Lucy (1951-57) Bandleader $51,931
36 Frank De Fazio Laverne & Shirley (1976-83) Pizza Bowl Manager $51,896
37 Howard Cunningham Happy Days (1974-84) Hardware Store Manager $49,796
38 Tom Bradford Eight is Enough (1977-81) Columnist $49,065
39 Lars "Papa" Hansen Mama (1949-56) Carpenter $48,170
40 Carl Winslow Family Matters (1989-98) Police Officer $48,000
41 Herman Munster The Munsters (1964-66) Undertaker $47,268
42 Chester A Riley The Life of Riley (1953-58) Airplane Riveter $47,049
43 Ray Barone Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005) Sportswriter $46,852
44 Ward Cleaver Leave it to beaver (1957-63) Accountant $46,617
45 Archie Bunker All in the Family (1971-79) Dock Foreman $45,431
46 George Burns Burns and Allen (1950-58) Entertainer $44,386
47 Danny Williams Make Room for Daddy (1953-65) Nightclub Entertainer $44,386
48 Mike Brady Brady Bunch (1969-74) Architect $44,064
49 Elliot Stabler Law & Order: SVU (1999-present) Detective $42,889
50 Andy Sipowicz NYPD Blue (1993-2005) Detective $42,889
51 Steven Keaton Family Ties (1982-89) Public TV Station Manager $40,713
52 Jim Anderson Father Knows Best (1954-60) Insurance Agent $38,790
53 Dan Conner Roseanne (1988-97) Construction Worker $38,202
54 Fred Flintstone The Flintstones (1960-66) Quarry Crane Operator $37,357
55 Gary Ewing Knots Landing (1979-93) Mechanic (first job) $33,529
56 Fred G. Sanford Sanford and Son (1972-77) Junk Dealer $27,950
57 Al Bundy Married with children (1987-97) Shoe Salesman $25,943
58 John Walton, Sr. The Waltons (1972-81) Lumberman $24,128
59 Tony Micelli Who's the Boss? (1984-92) Housekeeper $21,281
60 James Evans, Sr. Good Times (1974-79) Unemployed $0
Back to the story »

graphic


YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS
Television
Comedy
Drama
Andy Griffith
Manage alerts | What is this?