Top-Earning Reality Stars 2016: Kardashians, Jenners Combine For $122.5 Million
Kim Kardashian West earned an estimated $51 million in our June 2015-June 2016 scoring period, before taxes and fees, and boasts some 165.6 million social followers.
Some 40% of Kardashians payday comes from her high flying mobile game, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. As a true digital entrepreneur, earnings from her Instagram endorsements, subscription app and Kimoji mean Kim makes more money from mobile endeavors than anything else.
When you get upfront money, thats great, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star told FORBES in June. But if you believe in yourself, you should definitely make sure that you get as high a percentage of the revenue as possible.
She should knowa formidable sales cut is to thank for her huge game earnings; she also splits revenue with app developer Whalerock on both her $2.99 content platform and Kim-themed emoji, Kimoji.
The Kardashian clan fill six of seven spots on our all-female, first-ever ranking of Americas Top-Earning Reality Stars, who cumulatively earned $131 million. The Kardashian-Jenners alone accounted for a startling $122.5 million combined. Thats not including the paychecks of Caitlyn Jenner, Rob Kardashian or Blac Chyna, who earned too little to make the $8.5 million cut off.
The list examines pretax earnings from TV shows, plus endorsements, social media advertisements, books, appearances, apps, games, and any other ventures that earn them cash. To be eligible, celebrities must star in an unscripted show that aired during our scoring period. The show must follow their life, rather than a competition or game. Judges and hosts for programs such as The Voice or Top Chef were not included, nor were celebrities who launched shows based on their professional reputation (Gordon Ramsay, for example).
These reality stars all make relatively little from their shows, which instead function as advertising and branding opportunities. On-screen salaries hover in the low seven figures, but the bulk of the stars cash tends to come from endorsements, be it beauty products or liquors.
Second-ranked Kylie Jenner ($18 million), age 19, has conquered the lucrative side gig, despite being the youngest member of the list. She banks big thanks to the familys E! show, plus product lines with the likes of Pacsun, Topshop, Puma and Sinful Colors and a cut of profits from her Kylie Cosmetics. Started in 2016, the purveyor of $29 lip kits is already generating nine figure revenue, FORBES estimates. Additional cash comes from the teenagers popular Kylie Jenner app and the Kendall & Kylie game.
Like her older half-sister, Kim, Kylie demands top dollar for social media endorsements: She shilled for at least eight different brands through her Instagram alone in our time frame. These sponsored posts have become a new moneymaker for stars since FORBES last estimated the Kardashian sisters earnings in 2013 (Khloe, Kourtney and Kim made $10 million). Celebrities of the Kardashian-Jenner ilk can now earn upwards of $200,000 for each sponsored post, FORBES learned.
Weve seen research that shows teens and young adults are very influenced by these celebrities when it comes to making a purchase, said Debra Aho Williamson, principal analyst at market research firm eMarketer.
Contracts and deals have evolved as social medias come so much into play, Kim Kardashian West agreed. Theres a lot of value on social media, and people really get that.
Though Kim is currently on a social media hiatus following an October robbery, the break came outside our scoring period so did not impact her social media endorsement earnings this time around.
Kylie just out-earns her sister Kendall Jenner (No. 3; $17 million). Already a member of Forbes highest-paid models list, 21-year-old Kendall makes this ranking with a higher estimate thanks to extra non-modeling money earned from Keeping Up with the Kardashians, the Kendall & Kylie game, and her app.
Rounding out the top four is Khloe Kardashian. Her Kocktails with Khloe show may have been cancelled, but Khloes earnings are on the rise thanks to new ventures such as Good American jeans, a book, and lots of social media endorsements (she posted over a dozen sponsored pictures on Instagram in our scoring period).
Now in its 12th season, Keeping Up with the Kardashians continues to propel its stars to sky-high earnings. Kim Kardashian West easily out-earns her husband: Kanye West cashed in $17.5 million in the same scoring period.
Its funny when people are like, What does she really do? said Kardashian. I know reality TV isnt respected the way that I believe it should be, but its changing. People get that it is a job.
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