Show Runners

Producers who work in television broadcasting earned mean annual salaries of $80,390 in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Those who were employed by companies that provided cable and other subscription programming made $92,910. But the aforementioned salaries are for television producers at all levels, as well as for those who work in the news sector, so show runners typically have much-higher earnings.

The highest-paid show runners receive what many consider to be astronomical payouts to develop and manage shows for certain production studios. The Observer reports the following estimated earnings for top-tier show runners: Greg Berlanti ($400 million for a four-year contract at Warner Bros.), Ryan Murphy ($300 million for a five-year contract at Netflix), and Shonda Rhimes ($100 million for a four-year contract at Netflix). A second pay tier for lesser-known show runners features payouts in the $10 to $15 million a year range. The lowest tier consists of the $2 to $5 million a year paid to longtime writers who have recently created hit shows, but who do not have extensive experience as show runners. Many top showrunners also receive a percentage of the project’s profits or even an ownership stake in the company.