How Much Jerry Seinfeld Has Made From His NBC Sitcom

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, co-creators of the hit sitcom "Seinfeld," have famously said that their show is, quite deliberately, about nothing. The main characters of "Seinfeld" are pointedly petty and unsophisticated, usually too lost in their own well-established neuroses to pay attention to any potential life lessons that might float their way. David and Seinfeld insisted that their show end without tears, hugs, or morals. No one was allowed to learn anything. 

A show about nothing, however, had a big impact. "Seinfeld" became one of the defining texts of the 1990s, and millions of viewers tuned in every week during the show's nine seasons. Even before "Seinfeld" was canceled in 1998, it entered into some pretty sweet syndication deals, and it became highly sought after by local stations and network affiliates. "Seinfeld" was generating so much revenue, it would make Croesus blush. As recently reported by Parade, Seinfeld himself was earning $500,000 per episode while his show was in its seventh and eighth seasons. For the ninth season, he got a cool million for each outing. 

And, thanks to reruns, Seinfeld is still making money off of the show, 27 years after it went off the air. Indeed, the various syndication deals that "Seinfeld" has entered into — and is still entering into — have kept Jerry Seinfeld's income rather high in perpetuity. According to a report from Bloomberg, Jerry Seinfeld is now officially a billionaire. The syndication deals alone have netted the comedian over $465 million. Maybe that's why Seinfeld's recent film "Unfrosted" felt so blasé; he didn't really need the work. He was just doing it for fun. 

A Men's Journal article about Seinfeld's money pointed out that he has continuously raked in cash ever since "Seinfeld" debuted. The meaning-free sitcom made his a household name, and the comedian has since performed on stage to sold-out houses. The stand-up tours netted him about $100 million. Also included in estimations of Seinfeld's wealth is his real estate; he is said to own about $40 million in property. This is in addition to the comedian's well-known car collection, which contains dozens of incredibly expensive classic vehicles. Motor Junkie once ran down a mere 30 of Seinfeld's classic cars, listed by price. He owns several old Porches that are worth over $1.5 million apiece, as well as some vintage Lamborghinis. His 1955 Mercedez-Benz 300SL Gullwing is said to be worth more than $4.65 million. 

His extreme wealth was, Seinfeld feels, a bonus reward for getting to make a living as a comedian. He has always loved comedy and was one of the lucky 1980s stand-ups who managed to land a hit show. In a 2007 interview with Parade, Seinfeld said that he would likely still be a stand-up comedian, even if it hadn't made him rich. Jerry, now 70, started in the comedy world while he was in college, and quickly decided it was what he wanted to do with his life. Seinfeld's is one of those rare success stories about a talented person who stuck with their intended craft and became a rich, world-famous celebrity as a result. 

Seinfeld's comedy, however, has largely been based on observational humor. Many of the comedian's bits begin with the phrases "What is the deal with ... ?" or "Have you ever noticed that...?" As a wealthy, wealthy man, Seinfeld must struggle with his comedy, as his lived experience is now no longer shared by the bulk of his audience.