A Breakdown of SNL’s Colin Jost Net Worth and Salary

Even though Colin Jost is now most famous for his marriage to superstar actress, Scarlett Johansson, he is an accomplished individual in his own right with a net worth of $6 Million. An alumnus of Harvard University, Jost landed a writing gig on the legendary comedy sketch show, Saturday Night Live (SNL), the same year he left college. This was in 2004 and since then, he has risen to become one of the major brains behind the show.

Jost has variously held sway as the head writer as well as co-head writer. He has also co-hosted their popular news parody segment, Weekend Update. In doing all of these, the New York native has played a significant part in reviving the show’s fortunes. Away from Saturday Night Live, he has performed stand-up at various comedy festivals. He has also scored minor roles in several movies; all of which accounts for his multi-millionaire status.

SNL Salary Has Contributed Most to Colin Jost’s $6 Million Net Worth

He Earns $25,000 Per Episode of Saturday Night Live

Many college grads go for several years before landing their dream jobs but not Colin Jost. The New York native scored the brilliant opportunity of writing sketches for Saturday Night Live immediately after graduation in 2004 and took it up without much ado. In his first four years on the show, several of Jost’s sketches made it to the final cut and proved vital in reviving the fortunes of the fledgling series. He was therefore singled out for praise and by 2012, was made the co-head writer of the show.

Jost retains that role to date and has also been tapped to co-host one of the show’s most popular segments, Weekend Update. It, therefore, means that he plays dual roles on SNL and for his troubles, receives a paycheck of about $25,000 per episode.

Colin Jost net worth
Jost and co-host, Michael Che, on the Weekend Update: Image Source

There are about 21 episodes in one season of the show meaning that he earns as much as $558,000 per annum. Previously, Jost earned about $7,000 per episode ($147,000 total) in his first season and $8,000 per episode ($168,000 total) for his second season. This figure then jumped to $15,000 per episode for his fifth season giving a total of $315,000 per year.

Is Colin Jost the Highest-Paid SNL Cast Member?

The salary that one earns per episode of Saturday Night Live is dependent on their years of experience on the show. Cast members in their very first year earn about $7,000 per episode giving a total of $147,000 per annum. They then get bumped up to $8000 per episode and $168,000 per annum for their second season. This amount would hold steady for about three years before they would get another pay rise in their fifth year, specifically $15,000 per episode or $315,000 per annum.

The $315,000 per season payment would also prevail for a few years before the cast member then gets a pay rise to $25,000 per episode. This is the show’s highest salary for now and is reserved for cast members who have been with the show for a while.

Given that Colin Jost has been on SNL for about 15 years, he qualifies for this paycheck, making him one of the highest-paid members of SNL. This does not mean he is the only one earning something in this range. Other long-time co-stars such as Kate McKinnon make something in that range as well. It, therefore, means that Colin Jost is not the highest-paid SNL cast member but one of the highest-paid.

He Charges Around $35,000 for a Single Stand Up Performance

Another major contributor to Colin Jost’s net worth is stand-up performances. Even though his writing and co-hosting gig with SNL doesn’t leave him with much spare time, he still utilizes every bit of opportunity he gets to do stand-up.

Jost has performed solo shows at various theatre venues across the United States. He has also been hired to thrill crowds at several comic festivals such as the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival and the Chicago Just for Laughs Festival. Going by his quotation, he earns as much as $35,000 for every single performance.

Colin Jost Scripted and Acted in Staten Island Summer

It is impossible to be part of Hollywood without doing some acting at some point and Colin Jost is no different. The SNL star has made minor appearances in several movies to date including How to Be Single, Tom and Jerry, and Staten Island Summer. Staten Island Summer is a 2015 comedy about two college students, Danny and Frank, who double as lifeguards. The boys are on the lookout for summer hook-ups and so decide to throw an epic party in their senior year.

Staten Island Summer featured Graham Philips and Zack Pearlman while Jost had a minor role as a lifeguard. He additionally wrote the script for the movie as well, adapted from his own real-life experiences. His exact earnings from the movie are not available but the average actor in Hollywood earns about $65,000 to $75,000 while the average writer makes $100,000, meaning that he would have earned not less than $165,000 for his work on the film.

The Comedian Featured in an Ad for Izod in 2018

Collin Jost’s net worth has also benefitted from the TV ads that he has done for several companies. The Harvard alum has featured in several commercials over the years including a 2018 gig for casual and sportswear clothing company, Izod.

The campaign also featured NFL star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, and involved the two men poking fun at traditional men’s wear advertising. Of course, Jost was required to provide the humorous script behind the campaign and he did a wonderful job.

A Recap of the Sources of His Wealth

  • SNL Earnings – $5.016 million est.
  • Stand-up comedy performances – $140,000 est.
  • Acting – $295,000 est.
  • Endorsement deal – N/A

The SNL Star and His Wife Live in a New York Colonial Home Worth $4 million

Colin Jost previously made his home in the New York hamlet of Montauk; specifically, a 2,600 square feet home that he purchased for $2.149 million in January 2016. The house featured four bedrooms and three baths as well as a double-sided floating fireplace, pool, and an outdoor shower. This home would remain Jost’s primary abode until he began dating award-winning actress, Scarlett Johansson, in 2017. They got engaged in 2019 and had their nuptials in October 2020.

The low-key wedding took place at their shared home which is a house that the actress purchased for about $4 million in October 2018. Also located in New York (specifically Palisades), the two-story house measures 4,000 square feet and has four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Other exquisite features that Jost and his lovely wife enjoy include a swimming pool, tennis court, cabana, a two-car garage, and a four-car carriage house.

Colin Jost net worth
Jost and wife, Scarlette: Image Source

Speaking of cars, it is not known the exact kind of wheels that Jost drives but it should be something simple and nondescript; meant for getting around rather than making any loud statement. His wife also keeps things simple with a Toyota Prius despite her enormous wealth (net worth of $165 million).

Colin Jost’s Highest-Grossing Movies and His Salary

  • Staten Island Summer
    Year of release – 2015
    Budget – N/A
    Box office – N/A
    Salary – $165,000 est.
  • How to Be Single
    Year of release – 2016
    Budget – $38 million
    Box office – 112.3 million
    Salary – $52,000 est.
Ngozika Agu
Ngozika Agu
Ngozika can turn any personal finance or entertainment information into an exciting, delightful and compelling article that informs and educates, she can quickly turn random letters into epic stories that not only entertain but also inspires or motivates

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