What the 'Shark Tank' judges get paid to be on TV is way more than most people make in a lifetime

"Shark Tank" is not just a beloved business reality show in the U.S. that makes dreams of founders with innovative ideas come true. As per the New York Times, the show also serves as a medium to best understand America and its economy. The panel of celebrity investors defines the character of the show that has won several awards including the Primetime Emmy Awards. While some deals have made the sharks a lot of money, fans wonder how much they get paid to appear on the popular show.

Run of a Lifetime

The business-themed reality series follows inventors and entrepreneurs as they seek investments from a group of savvy, wealthy, and "self-made" tycoons. The show was created by Mark Burnett who was inspired by Japan's Tiger of Money and the UK’s Dragon’s Den.

The show was an instant hit as people across the country admired the sharks for offering people a shot at the American dream. The show's phenomenal run continues to date as its 15th season went on air recently, and the sharks are set to return as ABC has renewed the show for the 16th season.

How Much Do The Sharks Make Per Episode?

One of the most popular and longest-running reality shows on TV has seen investors put a lot of their own money on the line. The most popular Sharks on the show are Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, and Daymond John.

While all of them collectively have poured in millions as investments, it is unclear how much they have made in salaries for appearing on the show. Back in 2016,  Variety estimated that each of the sharks received about $50,000 per episode, but it's likely that their salaries have gone up in eight years. If there are 24 episodes in a season, each of them could easily get $1.2 million a year.

Furthermore, Business Insider reported that emails between the producers and Cuban that were leaked during the 'Sony Hack' of 2014, show that he was to be paid $30,000 per episode for Season 5; $31,200 for Season 6; and $32,488 for Season 7. However, it wasn't clear whether the negotiations were successful. 

Nevertheless, the Sharks have made a lot of money from their investments, which have contributed to their massive net worth.

Who is the Richest Judge on Shark Tank?

The richest among the sharks is Mark Cuban with a net worth of $6.5 billion, as per Celebrity Net Worth. Herjavec who also appeared in the Canadian version of "Dragon's Den" is the second richest, with $600 million, and then comes the popular Mr. Wonderful with a net worth of $400 million. 

Founder CEO, and president of the clothing brand FUBU, Daymond John is next in the list with a net worth of $350 million, while businesswoman, investor, consultant, author, and television personality, Greiner has a $150 million net worth.

Last on the list is Corcoran, the founder of the NYC real estate firm, The Corcoran Group (originally called Corcoran-Simone), which she sold to NRT (National Realty Trust) for $66 million in 2001. She has a net worth of $100 million.