Seth MacFarlane Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Title: Seth MacFarlane Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: April 13, 2025
What is Seth MacFarlane’s net worth and salary?
Seth MacFarlane, an American producer, writer, voice actor, singer, and comedian, boasts a net worth of $300 million. Few are fortunate enough to create a single hit television show for a major network, reaping benefits from syndication, DVD sales, and merchandise. Yet, Seth has accomplished this not just once or twice, but four times with shows like “Family Guy,” “American Dad,” “The Cleveland Show,” and “The Orville.”
In addition, he has penned, directed, and produced various films, including notable works such as “Ted” from 2012, which made over $500 million, “Ted 2” from 2015, grossing just shy of $200 million, and “A Million Ways to Die in the West” from 2014, which earned $80 million, effectively doubling its budget.
In recognition of his achievements, McFarlane received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019, followed by his induction into the Television Hall of Fame in 2020.
Early Life
Born on October 26, 1973, in Kent, Connecticut, Seth MacFarlane is a distant descendant of Mayflower passenger William Brewster. His fascination with illustration began as a child, influenced by cartoons such as Woody Woodpecker and Fred Flintstone. Remarkably, at just five years old, he decided to pursue a career in animation. By age nine, Seth had published his first comic, “Walter Crouton,” which appeared weekly in The Kent Good Times Dispatch, earning him his first paycheck of $5 each week.
RISD
While in high school, Seth started making short films with his parents’ 8mm camera. He later attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), focusing on film, video, and animation. During his time at RISD, he met classmate Patrick Henry, who introduced him to his brother Mike Henry. An aspiring stand-up comedian/actor, Mike would go on to partner with Seth on several projects. He became the voice behind characters like Cleveland Brown, Herbert, Consuela, and Bruce. In 2009, Mike and Seth co-created “The Cleveland Show,” which ran for four seasons, producing a total of 88 episodes until 2013.
Hanna-Barbera
In his senior year at RISD, Seth produced a film thesis titled “The Life of Larry,” which his professor submitted to Hanna-Barbera executives. Impressed by his work, they offered Seth a job on the spot. He contributed to several projects at Hanna-Barbera, and in 1996, he created a revamped version of The Life of Larry called “Larry & Steve,” featuring a lovable but dim-witted character named Larry and his smart, loyal dog Steve. Sound familiar?
(Krista Kennell/AFP/Getty Images)
Family Guy
After reviewing Larry & Steve, Fox executives invited Seth to submit a show idea. Although they initially passed on his pitch, the surprising success of their
In 1997, Seth received another opportunity to pitch his ideas after his work on “King of the Hill.” This time, Fox agreed to produce a pilot but offered a limited budget of just $50,000. During that period, most animated shows on prime-time television had a budget of about $1 million per episode.
Over the course of six months, Seth created what he later described as a rudimentary animated film, which succeeded in impressing Fox executives. Consequently, Fox quickly ordered a full season of the show. At just 24 years old, Seth became the youngest executive producer in television history up to that time.
The premiere of “Family Guy” occurred on January 31, 1999, immediately following Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl XXXIII. The debut attracted 22 million viewers, and the first season was successful enough to warrant a second season. Unfortunately, competition tightened during the second season, particularly in the Thursday 9 PM slot, leading to a decline in ratings. Although Fox officially canceled the series in May 2000 after the second season, a last-minute decision allowed it to return for a third season, which aired in November 2001. Although Family Guy achieved decent ratings after its return, it was not sufficient, and the show was ultimately canceled in the summer of 2002.
Family Guy gained a dedicated audience once reruns started airing on Cartoon Network. Remarkably, it became the network’s highest-rated show, boosting its overall viewership by more than 200%. In 2003, both the first and second seasons were released on DVD, and sales soared, with 400,000 copies sold in the first week alone.
Millions of copies of Seasons 1 and 2 were sold, making them the top-selling DVDs of 2003 and 2004. Today, the complete set of the first two seasons ranks as the second best-selling TV DVD in history, right behind Chappelle’s Show. Consequently, Fox decided to revive the show, launching a fourth season in May 2005.
Getty Images
Syndication Revenue
Over the subsequent 15 years, Family Guy aired over 300 new episodes across an additional 14 seasons and achieved global syndication in many countries and languages. Between 2005 and 2008, the show alone generated over $1 billion in revenue: $400 million from syndication deals, $400 million from DVD sales, and $200 million from merchandise. To date, the show has brought in several billion dollars from various income sources.
As of now, the price for a single syndicated episode stands at $2 million, while a 30-second commercial during the new airings sells for $200,000. The show generates an impressive $500 million annually in advertising revenue. There are also more than 500 licensed Family Guy-related toys and products, available at major retailers like Wal-Mart and Target, contributing an additional $100 million a year in revenue.
Seth MacFarlane’s Earnings
The animation industry, as evidenced by figures like MacFarlane, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Matt Groening, is highly lucrative.
From 2005 to 2008, MacFarlane earned $2 million annually from Fox for his role as showrunner. In 2009, he negotiated a remarkable 5-year contract worth $100 million to continue supervising his animation empire, which was the largest and most expensive contract in television history at that time. Additionally, these figures do not account for earnings from DVD or merchandise rights, which are estimated to bring in over $20 million extra for Seth each year!
In 2020, Seth and his
The production company Fuzzy Door was enticed to leave its long-standing location at Fox by a lucrative 5-year agreement valued at $200 million with Universal.
Other Work
Seth serves as the creator and executive producer of “American Dad,” which debuted in 2005 and continues to thrive today, producing over 350 episodes over more than 20 seasons.
He co-created “The Cleveland Show,” which aired from 2009 to 2013.
In addition, he has penned, directed, and produced various films. His 2012 film “Ted” amassed over $500 million in revenue. The sequel “Ted 2,” released in 2015, generated nearly $200 million. The 2014 western film “A Million Ways to Die in the West” made $80 million, effectively doubling its initial budget.
In 2016, he launched the live-action Fox series “The Orville.”
He has produced five musical albums and often performs as part of a big band ensemble.
Real Estate
Seth has resided primarily in a spacious mansion located in Beverly Hills since 2008, which he acquired for $13.5 million. In 2019, he invested $15.7 million in a residence in Malibu, California.
Personal Life
A lifelong bachelor, Seth has been associated romantically with several attractive actresses. He had a brief relationship with Eliza Dushku and was involved with Emilia Clarke from 2012 to 2013. He remains unmarried and has no children.
Seth MacFarlane Net Worth (Money & Salary)
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Data is based on 2023 and 2024, with forecasts extending to 2025 and 2026. Moreover, we have also included projections for 2027 and 2028.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Post Title: Seth MacFarlane Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: April 13, 2025