The Highest Paid Actors On Television Revealed: Guess Who’s Baking All The Doe?

If you think movie stars make all the money — think again…

Most television actors make more money than big screen actors these days, especially if the show has primetime ratings. TV Guide just released they’re annual list of money makers entitled, “TV’s Biggest Salaries.”

In 2011 the biggest change on cable television came from “Two and a Half Men” with the firing of Charlie Sheen. The new-hire, Ashton Kutcher, is now the highest paid actor on TV, making $700,000 an episode on Two and a Half Men. That’s a few hundred thousand less than Charlie’s $1.2 million earnings.

According to Hollywood Reporter and TV Guide: “Tim Allen and Kiefer Sutherland (who return to TV in Last Man Standing and The Confession respectively) will each made $125,000 an episode, TV Guide reports. That’s a major pay cut for Sutherland, who was making $400,000 an episode on 24, as the Huffington Post points out.

Over on the procedurals, Mariska Hargitay earns $350,000 a season of Law & Order: SVU. Ted Danson will bank $225,000 on CSI — less than Laurence Fishburne’s $350,000, whom Danson replaced.

As for news, Scott Pelley will make less than $5 million a year as anchor of the CBS Evening News compared to Katie Couric’s $15 million annual. Keith Olbermann gets $10 million a year and equity in Current TV. Anderson Cooper will make $11 million a year with his syndicated talk show and anchoring on CNN.”

Television Series

Ashton Kutcher – $700,000 per Episode (Two and A Half Men)

Kiefer Sutherland – $225,000 per Episode (The Confession & Touch)

Tim Allen – $225,000 per Episode (Last Man Standing)

Ted Danson – $225,000 per Episode (CSI)

News & Talk Shows

Simon Cowell – $75 million per season (The X Factor)

Regis Philbin – $15 Million per year (leaving “Live! With Regis and Kelly”)

Anderson Cooper – $11 Million per year (CNN)

Keith Olbermann – $10 Million per year plus equity in Current TV Network (Countdown)

Scott Pelley – $5 Million per year (CBS Evening News)

For the complete list of TV’s biggest salaries ranging from drama, comedy, late night and reality, pick up this week’s issue of TV Guide Magazine, on newsstands Thursday, August 11