The Vampire Diaries: How Much Was The Cast Paid For The First & Final Episode

Summary Some actors, such as Matt Davis, on The Vampire Diaries had high salaries likely due to their prior experience in the industry.

While Steven R. McQueen received a lower per-episode salary, he still made a lasting impact with his portrayal of Jeremy Gilbert.

The main stars, such as Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev, received some of the highest salaries on the show, reflecting their importance to the series.

With eight seasons on the air and a cast of fan-favorite actors, there are some fans who wonder how much The Vampire Diaries cast were paid on the show. Though The Vampire Diaries has been off the air since 2017, the legacy of the hit CW series has been long-lasting, with many returning to revisit the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, and the endless troubles of Elena Gilbert and her friends in the years since, especially as the franchise has spun off into continuations like The Originals and Legacies.

Naturally, the staggering success of the supernatural drama show resulted in some sky-high salaries for its core cast members. Some of these actors were bigger names coming into the show while others scored higher pay as more central characters within the overall story. Using Celebrity Net Worth and The Richest as sources, it's easy to look back on the changes from The Vampire Diaries' first episode to its last and see how much these salaries show off the popularity of the series.

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10 Matt Davis As Alaric Saltzman

Salary Unclear

Matt Davis made an immediate impact on audiences in the role of history teacher and vampire hunter Alaric Saltzman, and the character was so popular that he's even been brought back in a supporting capacity in spinoffs The Originals and Legacies. Though Alaric died many times in The Vampire Diaries universe only to be brought back, he remained a huge part of the story and a beloved character.

While specific reports for Davis' salary per episode are currently unavailable, considering his extensive catalog of work prior to joining the show, which included Legally Blonde and Pearl Harbor, it was probably fairly high. At the moment, he has an estimated net worth of $2 million. Along with reprising his role in The Originals and Legacies, Davis has since appeared in the Hallmark holiday movie Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses.

9 Zach Roerig As Matt Donovan

Salary Unclear

Zach Roerig was a continually compelling presence on The Vampire Diaries throughout the entirety of its run, playing the part of Matt Donovan, Elena's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend who is often at odds with the supernatural shenanigans taking place in Mystic Falls. At one point, Matt even tries to force Elena to leave with him which is part of the reason he has a controversial reputation with fans.

Like Davis, his specific salary reports aren't public at the moment, but given that he was also a well-established actor before being cast in the show, it's fair to say that he was compensated appropriately for his work. He currently has an estimated net worth of $4 million. After The Vampire Diaries, Roerig appeared in the short-lived X-Men spinoff series The Gifted, the horror movie Rings, and the Vietnam drama The Last Full Measure.

8 Candice King As Caroline Forbes

Salary Unclear

Candice King captivated audiences as Caroline Forbes, Elena and Bonnie's best friend who served as a foil for many of the male characters over the course of the series. She ended up carrying the twins of Davis' Alaric (which allowed her to make guest appearances on The Originals and be mentioned on Legacies). There was also Caroline and Stefan's relationship, which became a fan-favorite aspect of the later seasons.

King's specific salary reports aren't common knowledge at this point in time, but with a formidable background in film and television, it's likely that she received adequate compensation, and her net worth is currently estimated to be $4 million. Outside of The Vampire Diaries universe, King has most recently appeared in the romance sequel After We Collide as well as guest starred on the sci-fi series The Orville.

7 Steven R. McQueen As Jeremy Gilbert

Salary: $15,000 Per Episode

Steven R. McQueen made quite a mark in his appearances as Jeremy Gilbert, Elena's younger brother who transitions from a troubled teen to a malicious member of The Five (a vampire hunting group) over the course of the series, constantly challenging the audience's loyalties. McQueen left the series in season 6 but did return as a guest star in season 8.

For his work, McQueen reportedly received a salary of $15,000 per episode, which may be lower than some of his co-stars but feels appropriate given his filmography prior to joining the series which included a starring role in the horror movie Pirhana 3D. His current net worth is estimated to be $3 million. As hinted with his name, McQueen is the grandson of acting legend Steve McQueen. Since leaving The Vampire Diaries, McQueen found another starring role on television as Jimmy Borrelli in Chicago Fire.

6 Michael Trevino As Tyler Lockwood

Salary: $15-20,000 Per Episode

Michael Trevino's Tyler Lockwood was a standout character of the series when The Vampire Diaries was on the air, amassing acclaim and adoration from audiences as everyone's favorite werewolf heartthrob. He was also one of the characters who improved over time, changing his initial poor impression into some great character growth. He went from an arrogant and entitled rich kid to one of the show's best characters.

Tyler Lockwood was Trevino's breakout role, which partially explains his reported $15-20,000 salary per episode, but the star still made off quite well, with a current estimated net worth of $4 million. Trevino has appeared in a handful of episodes of The Originals, reprising his role as Tyler to continue his rivalry with Klaus. He also starred in the CW TV remake Roswell, New Mexico which ran for four seasons.

5 Kayla Ewell As Vicki Donovan

Salary: $30,000 Per Episode

Kayla Ewell was only a main cast member in season 1 of the series as Vicki Donovan, becoming one of several Vampire Diaries characters who deserved more time. However, even with her brief appearance, Vicki was about to stand out as the drug-addicted older sister of Roerig's Matt, she continually made guest appearances until the end of the series, and her role has remained well-regarded ever since.

When featured, Ewell made a reported $30,000 per episode, and at the moment, it is estimated that she has a $2 million net worth. Ewell has kept busy since her time on The Vampire Diaries, guest starring on a variety of shows including House, Franklin & Bash, Lucifer, and most recently an episode of 9-1-1. Like her The Vampire Diaries costar Michael Trevino, she also had a role on Rosewell, New Mexico.

4 Kat Graham As Bonnie Bennett

Salary: $35,000 Per Episode

Kat Graham's Bonnie Bennett was Elena's best friend throughout the entirety of The Vampire Diaries, and she won over viewers with her powerful prowess as a witch, especially as her abilities often helped her friends stay out of harm's way. Like many characters in the series, she had a penchant for dying and coming back. Her antagonistic relationship with vampires also provided an interesting dynamic on the show.

While it's unclear what Graham made at the start of the show, by the end of its run, she was reportedly earning $35,000 per episode, and she has a current estimated net worth of $3 million. After The Vampire Diaries, Graham voiced April O'Neill in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and also starred as Jada Pinkett in the Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyes On Me. She will next be seen in another high-profile music biopic playing Diana Ross in Michael about Michael Jackson.

3 Ian Somerhalder As Damon Salvatore

Salary: $40,000 Per Episode

Ian Somerhalder set hearts aflutter as the sullen but sexy Damon Salvatore, and his flirtatious back-and-forth with Nina Dobrev's Elena Gilbert served as the foundation of many fans' fascination with the series. Though he was capable of a lot of dark moments, especially in his past, Damon was a heroic character on The Vampire Diaries and his journey through the series was one of the best.

Having already earned some popularity on Lost, Somerhalder received one of the highest salaries of the cast, reportedly earning $40,000 per episode by the show's finale (while his initial payday is unreported at the moment). Currently, he has an estimated net worth of $8 million. Interestingly, after The Vampire Diaries ended, Somerhalder starred in another vampire show with V Wars but has otherwise stepped away from supernatural projects. He has several non-acting related ventures going on as well.

2 Paul Wesley As Stefan Salvatore

Salary: $40,000 Per Episode

Paul Wesley starred as the "sweeter" Salvatore sibling, Stefan, throughout the entirety of The Vampire Diaries, with his kind-hearted compassion causing viewers to constantly reconsider who would be a better love interest for Elena between him and Damon. Though his Stefan and Elena didn't work out in the end, his subsequent romance with Caroline proved to be even better for him and elevated the final seasons of the series.

Like Somerhalder, Wesley also reportedly received a salary of $40,000 per episode by the series' end, and while his pay for the first episode is also unreported, it has been revealed that his current estimated net worth is $6 million. Outside of The Vampire Diaries, Wesley is likely now best known for his memorable turn as James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. He has also started a whiskey business with his on-screen brother Somerhalder.

1 Nina Dobrev As Elena Gilbert

Salary: $40,000 Per Episode

As the star of the show, Dobrev enchanted audiences around the world as the engaging Elena Gilbert, a young orphan who finds herself drawn into the drama of the supernatural world after becoming embroiled in a love triangle with the Salvatore siblings, Stefan and Damon, and eventually transforming into a vampire herself. Though Dobrev left the show in season 6, she and Elena remained a huge part of its overall legacy.

Her salary for the start of the series is unknown, but she too reportedly was receiving $40,000 per episode by the time she left the show, and her current estimated net worth is a towering $10 million. Out of all of The Vampire Diaries' main cast, Dobrev has maintained the biggest career since the show ended. She has appeared in XXX: Return of Xander Cage, Flatliners, Love Hard and The Out-Laws.