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How much does Mariska Hargitay make per 'Law & Order: SVU' episode? Franchise icon ranks among highest-paid TV actors

Mariska Hargitay returns to 'Law & Order: SVU' with an impressive net worth of $100 million and a shocking salary

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: NBC’s ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ aka ‘Law & Order: SVU’ returns for Season 25 after a compelling 22-episode run concluding in May 2023. As we await the new season, the countdown to witness Mariska Hargitay reprising Olivia Benson begins.

‘Law & Order: SVU’ has seen several cast members come and go, with the rise and fall of new projects every month at the peak of the movie and TV industry after the pandemic and writers’ strike.

However, if there’s one actress who has showcased her loyalty to the ‘Law & Order’ franchise, it has to be Hargitay, and one can’t help but wonder if this loyalty has monetarily paid off. Spoiler alert: it has.

What is Mariska Hargitay’s net worth? 

The popular actress, Mariska Hargitay, best known for playing Olivia Benson on ‘Law & Order: SVU’ has a net worth of $100 million, according to a recent estimate by Parade. Hargitay owes most of her net worth to her stint on ‘Law & Order: SVU,’ where she first got the role 25 years ago.

According to the same report, Hargitay earns an estimated $500,000 per episode on ‘Law & Order: SVU’ and is the highest-paid actor on the show.

Following Hargitay, there is Ice-T, who earns around $250,000 per episode, and the gap between the two salaries can be owed to Hargitay’s loyalty to the character Olivia Benson, and of course, ‘Law & Order: SVU.’

Captain Olivia Benson returns to the screen

It must come as no shock with the aforementioned numbers that Mariska Hargitay will be returning to ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Season 25 as Captain Olivia Benson for yet another stint.

People magazine recently interviewed Hargitay with a subtle nod to the length of her career on ‘Law & Order: SVU,’ which has made Benson the longest-running character on a prime-time drama series.

In this interview, Hargitay talked about “WWOBD” and said, “There’s a thing WWOBD, what would Olivia Benson do? The fans would always talk about it, and one day it hit me.”

She said, “I also have those moments where I’ve sort of slipped into her. If there’s a crisis, I just take over and lead like that. Being strong and fearless. It’s sort of this perfect feminist story.”