Melissa McCarthy's Net Worth 2021: How The Actress Makes Money

Melissa McCarthy is truly one of America's favorite actresses. The 49-year-old has had us laughing since Gilmore Girls—and it's really paid off for her.

In 2018 Melissa was the 9th highest paid actress in the world, averaging $12 million per film, accoring to Forbes. One source even lists her net worth at a whopping $70 million. Wowza.

She's come a long way: When Melissa first moved to New York City she was so broke her bank account balance once dipped below $5, she told Glamour. Since then, she's become money savvy—and a good negotiator as well. "If you want to do your business well, you’d better learn how to handle those negotiations, how and when to push, and when to lay off," she gold Glamour.

Here's how she's earned her moo-lah over the years.

She got her start in stand-up comedy, then on TV.

Melissa started doing stand-up comedy in NYC before she landed a recurring role on Gilmore Girls. She went on to have her own show on CBS called Mike & Molly from 2010 to 2016.

And of course, her movie career is booming.

She's earned two Oscar nominations, one for her role in Bridesmaids, and another in 2018 for her role in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Remember that time she walked the red carpet with CBD oil on her feet?)

She has her own production company.

In 2013, Melissa founded the production company On the Day Productions with her husband Ben Falcone.

She has her own clothing line.

Melissa released her first clothing collection in 2015, called Seven7. Although Seven7 is no longer in production, during an interview with WSJ interview in July 2019, she said she's working on a comeback. “I just wanted to make it a little smaller and more accessible. I wanted to work on keeping prices down and for it to be for everyone.”

She's moving into streaming.

Melissa isn't limiting herself to just movies. It was recently announced that she will star in a Hulu series called Nine Perfect Strangers alongside Nicole Kidman.

She owns some gorgeous property.

In 2018, Melissa put her Toluca Lake home on the market for rent for $10,000 a month. She and her husband paid $780,000 for the 2,167-square-foot residence back in 2009.

Emily Shiffer has worked as a writer for over 10 years, covering everything from health and wellness to entertainment and celebrities. She previously was on staff at SUCCESS, Men's Health, and Prevention magazines. Her freelance writing has been featured in Women's Health, Runner's World, PEOPLE, and more. Emily is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she majored in magazine journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and minored in musicology. Currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina, Emily enjoys instructing barre, surfing, and long walks on the beach with her miniature Dachshund, Gertrude.