Overview

Joseph David Keery (born April 24, 1992), known professionally in music as Djo, is an American actor and musician. He gained prominence for his role as Steve Harrington in the hit Netflix science fiction series ‘Stranger Things’ (2016–present). His portrayal of the character earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Beyond ‘Stranger Things,’ Keery has showcased his talent in films like the comedy ‘Free Guy’ (2021) and the fifth season of the crime drama series ‘Fargo’ (2023–2024). Before his breakthrough in acting, Keery honed his skills at The Theatre School at DePaul University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting in 2014. Keery is also a musician; in his early twenties, he released music under the name “Cool Cool Cool.” He was a guitarist and drummer for Chicago-based garage and psych-rock band Post Animal. As of 2019, Keery was no longer a touring member of the band, and he later parted ways due to acting commitments. As a solo artist under the moniker Djo, Keery has released two studio albums and will release his third album, *The Crux* in April 2025.

Netflix

Actor

What Is Joe Keery’s Net Worth?

As of 2025, Joe Keery’s estimated net worth is $4 million. This wealth has been primarily accumulated through his successful acting career, most notably his role in the widely popular Netflix series, “Stranger Things,” and supplemented by his involvement in the music industry as a member of the band Post Animal and his solo musical endeavors as Djo.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Joe Keery was born on April 24, 1992, in Newburyport, Massachusetts. His father, David Keery, worked as an architect, and his mother, Nina Keery, was an English professor. He grew up in Newburyport with his four sisters: Caroline, Lizzy, Kate, and Emma. Joe attended River Valley Charter School, a Montessori school where his mother helped establish. During his early years, he spent his summers participating in Theater in the Open, a performing arts camp situated in Maudslay State Park. It wasn’t until high school that Keery began acting, encouraged by his older sister. After graduating from Newburyport High School, he pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University, completing his degree in 2014.

Following his graduation from DePaul, Keery entered the professional world by auditioning for commercials, minor television roles, and film roles, and at the same time, he worked as a waiter to make ends meet. He secured appearances in commercials for major brands such as Domino’s and KFC and also landed guest roles in television shows like “Empire” and “Chicago Fire”. His debut in a feature-length film came in 2015 with Stephen Cone’s indie film, “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party”.

Breakthrough with “Stranger Things”

Keery’s career breakthrough occurred in 2016 when he was cast as Steve Harrington in the Netflix series “Stranger Things.” Originally a recurring character in the first season, Steve’s popularity led to him becoming a main character from the second season onwards. The first season premiered in July 2016, and the second season followed in October 2017. Keery continued to play Steve in the third season, which debuted in July 2019. As a cast member, he received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2017, and the cast was nominated for the same award in 2018.

During his time on “Stranger Things,” Keery also appeared in other film and television projects. In 2016, he had a role in “The Charnel House,” followed by “Molly’s Game” in 2017. In 2018, he took on roles in “After Everything” and “Slice.” In 2019, he was featured in the short film “How to Be Alone” and had a recurring role in the TV show “No Activity.” In 2020, he portrayed Kurt Kunkle in “Spree” and appeared in “Death to 2020.” In 2021, he played a game developer in the film “Free Guy,” which was a commercial success. Keery is continuing to act in new television shows and movies. One of his more recent roles includes Fargo, a TV mini series.

“Stranger Things” Salary Details

The initial salaries for the child actors in “Stranger Things” were $10,000 per episode for the first season, totaling $80,000 for the season. For the second season, their pay was increased to $30,000 per episode, resulting in approximately $270,000 for the season. Starting from the third season, the main child actors earned $250,000 per episode, amounting to around $2 million per season. While specific salary details for Joe Keery for “Stranger Things” haven’t been publicly disclosed, it is reasonable to assume that his salary increased significantly as his role grew more prominent in the later seasons. As one of the more prominent actors in “Stranger Things”, Joe Keery likely earns a significant salary per episode. It can be speculated that the actor’s salary is at least $250,000 per episode, or $2 million per season.

Music Career and Earnings

In addition to his acting career, Keery is also a musician. He is a member of the Chicago-based garage and psych-rock band Post Animal, where he plays guitar. In October 2015, the band released their debut full-length album. They followed it up with their second album, “When I Think Of You In A Castle,” in April 2018. On this album, Keery played guitar and sang backup vocals. Keery stopped touring with the band in 2019, as he feared that the association with “Stranger Things” would affect the band. He released the single “Roddy” under the moniker Djo in July 2019, in an attempt to distance himself from his role in “Stranger Things.” In August 2019, he released “Chateau (Feel Alright),” and in September, he released his debut album as Djo called “Twenty Twenty.” In September 2020, he released a new single entitled “Keep Your Head Up,” which he promoted on Reddit and in a conversation with Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips. He has also since released music under the name “Cool Cool Cool.” Joe Keery’s music career likely contributes to his overall net worth, although the exact amount is not publicly known. However, this income likely is less than his acting income.

Music Career: Album and Single Sales

Post Animal released their debut full-length album in October 2015, followed by “When I Think Of You In A Castle” in April 2018. Joe Keery played guitar and sang backup vocals on this album. While specific sales figures for these albums are not publicly available, album sales would contribute to Joe Keery’s income. In July 2019, Keery released the single “Roddy” under the moniker Djo, followed by “Chateau (Feel Alright)” in August 2019. In September 2019, he released his debut album as Djo called “Twenty Twenty,” and in September 2020, he released “Keep Your Head Up.” While specific sales figures for these singles and albums are not publicly available, they contribute to Joe Keery’s income through sales and streaming royalties.

Real Estate and Assets

There are no publicly available details regarding specific real estate holdings or assets, such as private planes or luxury cars, owned by Joe Keery. Therefore, it is not possible to provide detailed information about these assets.

Personal Life and Habits

Joe Keery has a devoted social media following and has developed a reputation for being down-to-earth and likable. He dated actor Maika Monroe after they met in 2017 at a party in Los Angeles. Keery is not a big drinker or smoker and has cited bread pudding as his biggest vice. These aspects of his personal life contribute to his public persona and influence his overall brand, which affects his net worth.

Joe Keery’s Net Worth Milestones

While it’s challenging to pinpoint exact figures for each year, we can outline the key milestones that have contributed to the growth of Joe Keery’s net worth:

  • 2014: Graduation from DePaul University with a BFA in Acting.
  • 2015: Debut in the indie film “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party.”
  • 2016: Casting as Steve Harrington in “Stranger Things,” marking his breakthrough role.
  • 2017: Won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series as part of the “Stranger Things” cast.
  • 2019: Released his debut single “Roddy” as Djo, marking the start of his solo music career.
  • 2021: Appeared in the commercially successful film “Free Guy.”

These milestones highlight the trajectory of Joe Keery’s career, leading to his current net worth of $4 million. Each successful project and venture has contributed to his financial growth.

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