20 Richest Teen Actors of All Time, Ranked

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Teen stardom has launched some of the biggest careers in entertainment. Many young performers parlayed an early sitcom or franchise breakout into massive paydays, smart business moves, and long running careers that continue to grow. This list looks at teen actors who turned early fame into serious fortunes through salaries, back end deals, endorsements, and companies built off their names.

To keep things clear, each entry focuses on concrete milestones like record per episode pay, headline film salaries, producer credits, and brand ventures that built long term wealth. These are the teen actors who proved that a breakout role can be just the beginning of a much bigger business story.

20. Cole Sprouse

Cole Sprouse became a household name with ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody’ and later found a second act as a lead on ‘Riverdale’. That steady television run brought strong episodic pay, residuals across global reruns, and appearance fees that stacked up over time.

Away from sets he studied archaeology at university and built a professional photography brand that led to magazine shoots and campaigns. Combined with convention appearances and social partnerships, he turned early Disney fame into diversified income streams.

19. Frankie Muniz

Frankie Muniz headlined ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ during peak network comedy years, earning progressively higher per episode salaries across multiple seasons. The show’s long rerun life added residual income that continues to pay.

He branched into feature films with ‘Agent Cody Banks’ while also building wealth through racing and business ownership. Investments in small businesses and later roles kept revenue flowing even after stepping back from acting full time.

18. Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer led ‘Akeelah and the Bee’ as a teen and transitioned smoothly into television with ‘True Jackson VP’, where she earned star level pay and soundtrack income. Hosting and reality projects added steady checks during and after her teen years.

She expanded into producing, publishing, and brand partnerships as her profile grew. Voice work, touring, and live hosting gigs created multiple income pillars that continued long after her Nickelodeon run.

17. Bella Thorne

Bella Thorne rose with ‘Shake It Up’ and moved quickly into a high volume slate of indie films and streaming projects. That constant output meant multiple paydays a year while her music and publishing deals added extra revenue.

She then leaned into entrepreneurship with beauty and tech ventures, premium content platforms, and brand licensing. The combination of acting checks and direct to fan businesses created a sizable portfolio for a former Disney teen lead.

16. Miranda Cosgrove

Miranda Cosgrove’s ‘iCarly’ success produced one of the most discussed per episode pay bumps for a live action kids show. Hit theme music and soundtrack placements layered on additional royalties during the show’s run.

The revival of ‘iCarly’ years later delivered new lead salaries and producer fees. Commercial campaigns, voice roles like ‘Despicable Me’, and touring income during her teen phase cemented a strong financial base.

15. Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff became an early 2000s phenomenon with ‘Lizzie McGuire’, earning top tier TV pay and lucrative tour revenue tied to her music. A hit theatrical spinoff and a steady stream of studio films expanded her earnings beyond television.

She continued to build with book deals, fragrance lines, and later lead roles in ‘Younger’ and ‘How I Met Your Father’. Real estate investments and brand partnerships turned early teen stardom into durable wealth.

14. Jaden Smith

Jaden Smith’s breakout in ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ led to headline paychecks for ‘The Karate Kid’. Those studio scale salaries as a teen placed him among the highest paid young film actors of his moment.

He diversified with music releases, touring, and the Just Water company, which grew into a significant consumer brand. Fashion collaborations and tech projects helped convert early film success into a broader business profile.

13. Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld earned major recognition with ‘True Grit’, which quickly led to lead roles in ‘Pitch Perfect’ entries and ‘Bumblebee’. Those films brought strong upfront pay and performance bonuses attached to box office.

She added steady television income with ‘Dickinson’ and voice leads in ‘Arcane’ and ‘Spider Man Into the Spider Verse’ projects. Music releases, touring, and high end endorsements further boosted her earnings beyond acting alone.

12. Macaulay Culkin

Macaulay Culkin set a new bar for child and teen film salaries with ‘Home Alone’ era hits, negotiating large fees and bonus structures at a very young age. Merchandising and franchise success amplified those early checks.

Later he balanced selective acting with live performance projects and media ventures. Careful management of classic holiday reruns, licensing, and appearances kept revenue flowing decades after his teen peak.

11. Zac Efron

Zac Efron leveraged ‘High School Musical’ into a swift jump to studio comedies and dramas, where he commanded solid mid to high six figure and then seven figure fees. International box office strength kept his quote rising through his twenties.

Fitness content, travel series hosting, and endorsements added additional income. Strategic streaming projects and production credits gave him ownership slices that grow as titles keep performing.

10. Angus T. Jones

Angus T. Jones became one of television’s highest paid teen actors on ‘Two and a Half Men’. His final seasons featured a per episode rate that set records for a sitcom performer of his age, producing blockbuster annual income.

Even after stepping away from the show, residuals from a massive rerun package remained significant. Appearances, speaking engagements, and careful investing helped preserve and grow the wealth from that extraordinary TV contract.

9. Rupert Grint

Rupert Grint’s role in the ‘Harry Potter’ series brought substantial salaries across eight films. As the franchise grew, he benefited from escalators and performance based bonuses tied to global box office.

He later invested in property and broadened his career with television leads and stage work. Those investments, plus ongoing franchise related royalties and appearances, built a strong financial foundation that began in his teen years.

8. Zendaya

Zendaya started with ‘Shake It Up’ and scaled into lead roles on ‘Euphoria’ and major studio films. Her deals evolved to include producer credits, which add backend participation to her upfront pay.

She also built a powerhouse brand portfolio spanning fashion, jewelry, and beauty campaigns. With music income, live events, and production, she transformed early Disney fame into a multifaceted business machine.

7. Emma Watson

Emma Watson earned escalating salaries through the ‘Harry Potter’ films, finishing with large checks by the end of the series. Post franchise roles in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and prestige features added premium payouts.

Beyond acting she focused on investments and sustainable fashion advisory work. Publishing projects, speaking fees, and equity aligned partnerships helped convert teen superstardom into long term financial strength.

6. Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart moved from indie breakouts to global fame with ‘Twilight’, drawing substantial salaries and bonuses across the saga. She leveraged that success into a steady run of studio and auteur projects with strong pay.

Brand ambassadorships for luxury fashion houses added multi year contracts to her income mix. Producer roles and festival circuit visibility kept high value offers coming long after her teen franchise peak.

5. Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘Harry Potter’ contracts became some of the most lucrative teen actor deals ever, pairing large upfront salaries with participation in a record breaking franchise. Stage work on Broadway demonstrated bankable draw that commands strong theatrical pay.

He continued to select distinctive films and series while investing in property and production. Residuals, royalties, and catalog performance from his franchise years remain a durable income stream.

4. Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande began as a teen actor on ‘Victorious’ and ‘Sam and Cat’, earning Nickelodeon series pay and music placements. She then scaled into arena tours, hit albums, and high end endorsements that dramatically expanded her earnings.

Fragrance lines, television event salaries, and streaming concert films created additional revenue pillars. While music drives most of the total, her path started as a teen actor and the business built around that early platform.

3. Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus turned ‘Hannah Montana’ into a multimedia empire with television salaries, sold out tours, and merchandising on a global scale. The combination of show income and live performance during her teen years produced exceptional cash flow.

She kept building through hit records, festival headlining, and television event deals. Licensing, catalog valuation, and brand campaigns added to a portfolio that traces back to her Disney Channel launch.

2. Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen

Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen dominated teen pop culture with ‘Full House’ fame and a direct to video empire that included features, specials, and branded merchandise. Owning their content through their company meant significant profits beyond acting salaries.

They later shifted to fashion with luxury labels that command high price points and global distribution. The business value of their brands, plus licensing and publishing, places each sister among the wealthiest former teen actors ever.

1. Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez began with ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’, where lead salaries and a hit soundtrack created strong teen era earnings. Film roles and executive producer work on projects like ‘Only Murders in the Building’ added higher tier fees and backend participation.

Her beauty company became a breakout success with massive retail traction and international expansion. Music tours, streaming specials, and long running brand partnerships round out a portfolio that makes her the richest former teen actor working today.

Share your picks in the comments and tell us who you think we missed.

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