Carrie Underwood's Salary for 'American Idol' Is Eye-Popping Even by Hollywood Standards

From former winner and American Idol alum to judge, Carrie Underwood has deep ties to the franchise. After her big win on American Idol in 2005, Carrie launched a career with multiple hit songs and chart toppers.

However, she has come home to roost as an American Idol judge, helping pick and nurture the next generation of performers.

So what is the salary she receives for American Idol? Here's what we know about both her eye-popping salary and the net worth she has reportedly accumulated.

Whether you know Carrie from her days as a contestant on American Idol or as a wildly successful country singer who released mega-hit songs such as "Jesus Take the Wheel," "All American Girl," "Before He Cheats," and more, you probably know who she is.

And it's that name recognition that likely helped Carrie secure her impressive salary as she returned to Idol to serve as a judge.

Twenty years after she won the show in 2005, she returned to serve as a judge alongside co-judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, filling in the big shoes left behind by Katy Perry. Katy, who left after the 2024 season, was making $25 million a season, according to Life & Style.

According to the outlet, Miley Cyrus was the favorite to replace Katy. However, Carrie may have been given the nod instead because she allegedly agreed to cut Katy's salary in half, accepting around $12.5 million per season.

Of course, that $12.5 million a year is small change compared to Carrie's overall net worth.

According to Britannica, the Oklahoma native has performed at multiple big events, including the second inauguration of President Donald Trump and singing the national anthem for Super Bowl XLIV back in 2010.

Between an impressive catalog of songs, including many hit covers, and her versatility in performances and on-stage presence, Carrie has earned an estimated net worth of around $120 million, although some online sources predict it may be as high as $140 million. Either way, it's clear that her net worth is somewhere north of "that's a lot of money."

However, whatever the true number is, as American Idol proves, Carrie's star is far from waning in the night sky. She was criticized for performing for Trump's inauguration, yet Carrie still has a huge fan base and the ability to pivot her career to meet her life stage wherever she's at.

As a judge, Carrie has the opportunity to stay in one place for awhile if she so chooses, making it easier to raise her sons Isaiah and Jacob alongside her NHL husband Mike Fisher.