Net Worth Ranker
What Is Ray Romano’s Net Worth?
Ray Romano, the celebrated American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer, has accumulated a net worth of $200 million. This substantial wealth is primarily derived from his successful television career, most notably his role as Raymond Barone in the hit sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” along with earnings from stand-up comedy, film roles, and voice acting.
Ray Romano’s “Everybody Loves Raymond” Salary and Earnings
Ray Romano’s financial breakthrough came with “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which aired from 1996 to 2005. While his exact salary for the first four seasons remains undisclosed, it is estimated that he earned $300,000 per episode, totalling around $30 million for the first four seasons. Starting in season five, Ray’s salary significantly increased to $800,000 per episode. This amounted to approximately $19 million per season for seasons five, six, and seven, bringing in a total of $57 million over those three seasons alone.
For the final two seasons, Ray’s salary reached a record-breaking $1.75 million per episode. This made him the highest-paid television actor at the time. This amounted to $40 million for season eight and $28 million for the shorter final season, season nine. In total, Ray earned an estimated $155 million in base salary from “Everybody Loves Raymond.” In addition to his base acting and production salaries, Ray also owns part of the backend points on the show, which has allowed him to earn tens of millions more from syndication deals.
Ray Romano’s Early Life and Career Beginnings
Raymond Albert Romano was born on December 21, 1957, in Queens, New York. Growing up in an Italian-American family alongside two brothers, Ray’s family life later proved to be an inspiration for many of his skits and standup comedy routines. Ray graduated from high school in 1975, where he was in the same class as comedian Fran Drescher. Following high school, Ray studied accounting at Queens College in New York.
While studying accounting and working various part-time jobs, Ray decided to pursue stand-up comedy. In 1989, he participated in The Johnny Walker Comedy Search, which marked the beginning of his stand-up career. In 1990, Ray appeared on MTV’s Half-Hour Comedy Hour and regularly on The Comedy Channel. In 1995, Ray booked a recurring role on Comedy Central’s “Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist” and was a contestant on “Star Search” in the stand-up comedy category.
Ray Romano’s Career Breakthrough
Ray Romano’s breakthrough came with his appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Impressed with Ray, David Letterman pushed to have the comedian star in his own sitcom, which eventually became “Everybody Loves Raymond.” David Letterman’s production company was involved with the show’s creation, and it first aired in 1996. During the show’s run, Ray won one Emmy, and the show itself won two. It was one of the most-watched shows on television, and it ran until 2005.
Many of the characters on “Everybody Loves Raymond” are heavily based on Ray Romano’s own family members. In addition, many of his real-life family members have appeared on the show, including his daughter, his brother, and his father. In 2004, Ray was named the highest-paid television actor in history, earning $1.75 million per episode for the final two seasons of “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
Ray Romano’s Film and Television Roles After “Raymond”
After “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Ray Romano starred in films such as “Grilled,” “Paddleton,” and 2019’s “The Irishman.” He also voiced the character of Manny the Mammoth in “Ice Age,” reprising his role for the film’s four sequels. The “Ice Age” film franchise contains some of the highest-grossing animated films in history. Ray also found continued success on television, appearing on shows like “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” “The Price Is Right,” “The Office,” and “The Middle.”
Ray Romano has booked recurring roles on “Men of a Certain Age” and “Parenthood.” In 2020, he had a leading role in the Epix series “Get Shorty.” In 2022, he portrayed Leo Russo in the film “Somewhere in Queens.” Ray also starred in the series “Made for Love” (2021-2022) and “Bupkis” (2023). In 2019, Ray released his first stand-up special in 23 years, “Right Here, Around the Corner,” on Netflix. He was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).
Ray Romano’s Real Estate Holdings
Ray Romano owns a lavish 10,000-square-foot mansion on 1.25 acres in Encino, California. Ray has owned this since the late 1990s. This property is likely worth north of $10 million today. This was his primary residence during the filming of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” since it was only a few minutes from the studio.
In 2004, Ray paid $8.5 million for an oceanfront home on Malibu’s Broad Beach. This home today is easily worth north of $25 million. In August 2023, Ray made this home available to rent for a monthly price of $175,000. Ray also owned a home in Venice, California, for which he paid $2.1 million in 2017. He listed this property for $2.5 million in 2022 and sold it a few months later for $2.3 million.
Ray Romano’s Personal Life and Interests
Ray Romano is a poker enthusiast who has competed in the World Series of Poker numerous times. He is also an avid golfer. In 2012, he finished fifth in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am alongside Steve Bowditch. Ray met his wife while working at a bank, and they got married in 1987. They have four children together. In 2012, Ray announced that his wife had successfully recovered from breast cancer.
