If you’re an actor (or thinking about becoming one), the per-episode paycheck is the number everyone wants to know — and the number almost nobody talks about openly.
The honest answer: there is no single rate. A co-star on a network procedural and a series regular on a streaming flagship are paid under completely different math, and everything in between is a negotiation.
This guide breaks down the actual numbers for 2026: the SAG-AFTRA minimums every union TV job must meet, how network, cable, and streaming pay differs, what each tier of actor earns per episode, how residuals work now, and the real factors that move your pay up or down.
SAG-AFTRA TV Minimums: The Floor Every Union Job Meets
Every SAG-AFTRA television contract in effect through June 30, 2026 carries these minimum rates for performers:
- Day performer: $1,246/day
- Weekly performer: $4,326/week
- Background actor: $224/day
- Special-ability background: $234/day
- Stand-in: $262/day
These are floors, not averages. Any union production shooting a TV show must pay at least these amounts. A day performer works on the classic per-day deal — show up for a single day (or a few days), get the day rate. A weekly performer is hired for a full workweek, which is the standard engagement for anyone with meaningful screen time in an episode.
Why the weekly rate matters: a guest star with a few scenes across three shooting days isn’t paid 3 × $1,246 ($3,738). Once a performer works more than a day or two in a given week, productions convert them to the weekly contract, and the pay becomes $4,326/week minimum. The weekly structure is the basis for most per-episode pay on union TV.
Note these minimums apply across the major SAG-AFTRA TV agreements — network, cable, and streaming all start from the same scale floor. What differs is everything above the floor: negotiable bumps, contract structures, and how many episodes you’re guaranteed.
Per-Episode vs. Day Rate vs. Weekly Rate: How TV Pay Is Structured
Actors hear three different pay structures, and the one you’re hired on determines what “per episode” really means.
Day rate ($1,246/day minimum)
Used for under-fives, day players, and one-scene roles.
- You work a day (or a couple of days), you get paid per day.
- If your character appears in one scene of an episode, you’re a day player.
- This is the lowest-commitment engagement — and the lowest total check.
Weekly rate ($4,326/week minimum)
The standard for co-stars and guest stars.
- A TV week is five days.
- Most episodic shoots run 8–12 shooting days per episode, so a guest star working a full week of an episode’s schedule earns the weekly minimum at least.
Per-episode rate (negotiated)
This is where things get real. Once you’re a guest star with real scenes, your agent negotiates a per-episode fee above scale.
Estimates for established working actors in guest roles typically land in the low-to-mid five figures per episode — but these are estimates, and the spread is enormous.
A first-time guest star might earn just above scale (roughly $5,000–$8,000 per episode by estimate), while a recognizable face on a major show commands far more through negotiation.
For series regulars, per-episode pay is locked in via contract negotiation — often with escalators (contracted raises per season). These are the headline numbers you see in the trades, and they range from modest five-figure sums for newer regulars to enormous fees for established stars.
Because real per-episode fees are negotiated privately, treat every published figure that isn’t from a union contract or a verified report as an estimate.
Network TV vs. Cable vs. Streaming: Where the Money Differs
The platform changes the math in three ways: episode count, pay-per-episode norms, and residuals.
Network TV (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox)
Network seasons are still the longest in television — estimates range from 18 to 22 episodes for a full season order, though many shows now run shorter (13–16 episode) seasons.
That means a series regular’s per-episode fee gets multiplied across more episodes: lower per-episode pay, but more episodes.
Estimates for new series regulars on network shows generally start in the low five figures per episode and climb with each season via contracted escalators.
Network TV also remains the strongest venue for syndication-style residuals over time.
Cable (FX, AMC, HBO, premium networks)
Cable dramas and comedies typically run 8–13 episodes per season with higher per-episode budgets.
The pattern: higher per-episode fees than network for comparable talent, but fewer episodes per season.
A guest star on a premium cable drama will often negotiate a higher per-episode fee than the same role on a network procedural — an estimate, not a rule, but the budget structure pushes this direction.
Cable shows with big budgets also tend to pay above-scale bumps more readily.
Streaming (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Max)
Streaming deals brought the biggest structural shift: short seasons (6–10 episodes is standard), big budgets per episode, and a residuals model that was only recently reformed.
The 2023 SAG-AFTRA contract win established success-based streaming residuals — shows that hit viewership thresholds now pay a bonus to performers.
For series regulars on flagship streaming shows, per-episode fees are estimated to run higher than network in many cases (flagship budgets support it), but you’re guaranteed far fewer episodes.
The practical takeaway: network pays more episodes, streaming/cable often pay more per episode.
A series regular earning a lower per-episode fee on a 20-episode network order can out-earn a streaming regular with a higher per-episode fee on an 8-episode season. Compare the season total, not the per-episode number.
How Series Regulars, Guest Stars, Co-Stars, and Background Get Paid
TV casting has a hierarchy, and each tier is paid differently.
Series regulars
The main cast, contracted for the full season (sometimes with a “pay or play” guarantee, meaning they get paid even if the show doesn’t move forward).
Per-episode fees are negotiated individually and vary enormously — from estimated low five figures for first-time regulars to very large sums for established names.
Regulars also receive contractual escalators (typical industry practice is a 3–5% bump per season, though exact terms are negotiated), and they’re entitled to residuals on every episode that re-airs or streams.
Guest stars
Actors playing a named, significant character appearing in one or a few episodes.
- Paid on the weekly contract at minimum ($4,326/week), with per-episode fees negotiated above scale.
- Estimates for working guest stars range broadly — first-timers near scale, established actors in the five figures per episode and up.
- A guest star playing a memorable arc (the “special guest” of a sweeps episode) commands a premium.
Co-stars
Smaller speaking roles — the nurse, the waiter, the cop who delivers one line.
- Typically hired on the day-player contract: $1,246/day minimum.
- A co-star usually works one to three days per episode, so the total episode check is often in the low four figures.
- Co-star roles are the most common union TV credit and the standard entry point for actors building a resume — [INTERNAL LINK: how to get your first co-star role — audition guide description].
Background actors (extras)
The non-speaking performers filling out scenes.
- Union minimum: $224/day
- $234/day with a special ability (driving, swimming, specific skills)
- $262/day for stand-ins
A background actor working steadily can earn real income — working 10 days a month at $224/day is $2,240/month — but work is inconsistent, and most background actors combine it with other jobs.
[INTERNAL LINK: background acting guide — how to start and get booked description]
Residuals in 2026: TV Reruns vs. Streaming
Residuals are payments actors receive when their work is reused — reruns, syndication, foreign airings, and streaming. They were the battleground of the 2023 strike, and the current landscape looks like this:
Traditional TV residuals
Traditional TV residuals still follow the long-established formula: when an episode re-airs, the performer gets a percentage of the session fee that declines over each re-airing cycle.
For network shows that hit syndication (100+ episodes), residuals can add up to a meaningful long-term income stream — this is why a network procedural credit can keep paying for years.
Streaming residuals
Streaming residuals were restructured in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA contract.
The base model: performers get a fixed residual for each year a show is available on a streaming platform, with additional “success bonuses” when a program hits high viewership thresholds.
Estimates suggest the success bonus can add a significant premium, but the exact amounts depend on the show’s performance tier.
Streaming residuals remain less lucrative than the old syndication model for most performers — but the reform was a real improvement over the pre-2023 formula.
What this means for your math
When comparing a network offer to a streaming offer, the network show’s residual tail is generally longer and more predictable (an estimate based on how syndication has historically performed). The streaming show’s pay is more front-loaded in the per-episode fee.
Neither is automatically better — it depends on the show’s actual success.
Non-Union TV Pay
Not every TV job is a union job. Reality TV, some cable and streaming productions, new-media projects, and independent pilots often shoot non-union.
Non-union pay is fully negotiable — there is no floor.
By estimate, non-union TV roles commonly pay in the range of a few hundred to around a thousand dollars per day for speaking parts, depending on the production’s budget.
Background work on non-union productions is estimated to pay roughly $100–$200 per day in most markets, with rates trending higher in Los Angeles and New York.
The trade-off: non-union work offers no residuals, no pension and health contributions (SAG-AFTRA employers contribute to the union’s health and pension plans on top of your pay — a benefit worth real money), and no union protections on hours and working conditions.
For actors pursuing union membership, non-union TV credits can still build a resume and reel material — [INTERNAL LINK: SAG-AFTRA eligibility and joining guide description].
What Actually Determines Your Pay
Given the same union minimums, two actors on the same show can earn wildly different amounts. The real drivers:
1. Role size
This is the single biggest factor. Series regular > recurring guest star > guest star > co-star > under-five > background. Each step down roughly halves the pay.
2. The show’s budget
A flagship drama and a basic-cable reality show operate in different financial universes. Budget determines how far above scale the production will negotiate.
3. Your credits and quote
Your “quote” — what you were paid on your last comparable job — is the starting point of every negotiation. Agents fight to protect and raise it. Each credit at a higher level makes the next negotiation easier.
4. Negotiation leverage
Name recognition, awards, a strong agent, competing offers, and social following all translate into leverage. Two guest stars of equal talent on the same show can earn different fees purely on leverage.
5. The deal structure
Guaranteed episodes vs. “if used” deals, exclusivity provisions (being barred from other series), options on future seasons, and billing (where your name appears in the credits) all have dollar value.
A lower per-episode fee with a 10-episode guarantee beats a higher fee with a one-episode guarantee.
6. Market and timing
Pilot season, peak production months, and high-demand filming cities shift rates. When productions are competing for the same talent pool, pay goes up.
How to Position Yourself for Better-Paying TV Roles
The pay tiers above aren’t random — they track casting tiers, and you climb them with credits. Practical steps:
- Get the co-star credits first. One co-star credit makes the next audition easier. Five makes you a “working actor” casting directors know.
- Keep your materials current. Headshots, reel, and resume decide whether you get in the room — [INTERNAL LINK: actor headshot guide — what casting directors want description].
- Self-tape well. Most first-round TV auditions are self-tapes now. A clean, well-lit tape is table stakes — [INTERNAL LINK: self-tape setup guide description].
- Track what’s filming. Knowing which shows are in production in your city tells you where to focus — [INTERNAL LINK: now-filming location pages description].
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do TV actors get paid per episode on average?
There’s no true average because the range is so wide — from $1,246/day (the SAG-AFTRA day-player minimum) to negotiated per-episode fees in the five, six, or seven figures for series regulars.
The union minimums ($1,246/day, $4,326/week) are the only fixed numbers; everything above that is negotiated per actor, per role, per show.
What is the SAG-AFTRA minimum for TV in 2026?
Through June 30, 2026, the minimums are:
- $1,246/day for performers
- $4,326/week
- $224/day for background actors
- $234/day for special-ability background
- $262/day for stand-ins
These are floors — negotiated rates go higher.
Do streaming actors get paid more than network actors?
Per episode, streaming shows often pay more for comparable roles (estimates), because budgets are concentrated across 6–10 episodes.
But network seasons run 18–22 episodes, so the season total can be higher on network. Always compare total compensation, not just per-episode fees.
How much do guest stars make per episode?
At minimum, a guest star on a weekly contract earns $4,326/week.
Above that, per-episode fees are negotiated — estimates range from just above scale for first-timers to five figures and up for established actors. The show’s budget and your quote are the main drivers.
How much do background actors make on TV?
- $224/day minimum on union productions
- $234 with a special ability
- $262 as a stand-in
- Non-union background work is estimated at roughly $100–$200/day depending on the market.
Do TV actors still get residuals from streaming?
Yes. The 2023 SAG-AFTRA contract restructured streaming residuals: performers receive a fixed payment for each year a show streams, plus a success bonus when viewership hits high thresholds.
Traditional TV rerun residuals still follow the declining-percentage model.
How much do child actors get paid on TV?
Child actors are covered by the same SAG-AFTRA minimums ($1,246/day, $4,326/week), and series-regular kid roles are negotiated like adult roles.
A portion of a minor’s earnings goes into a Coogan trust account (15% in California).
Can a non-union actor get cast on a TV show?
Yes — productions can hire non-union performers, and non-union actors are regularly cast in co-star and background roles.
Non-union TV work pays no fixed floor (estimates range from a few hundred to around a thousand dollars per day for speaking parts), and there’s a path to union eligibility through accumulated work.
Start Where the Paychecks Are
If the numbers above got your attention, the fastest way to turn this knowledge into auditions is to be where casting calls are posted.
Browse the latest casting calls on Project Casting and start applying to TV roles that match your credits today.
