‘American Idol’ Stars’ Stunning Season 23 Salaries Revealed

American Idol returns to ABC on Sunday evening (March 9), and the stars of the show will be earning some serious money from Season 23 in 2025.

Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie are returning to their roles as judges in 2025, and Carrie Underwood is joining them as a new judge.

She's returning to the show that launched her career, 20 years after her winning run in 2005 — but this time around, she'll be making bank.

How Much Money Do the Judges Earn on American Idol?

It has actually varied quite a bit over the years.

According to reports, Richie actually earns slightly less per year than his Idol colleagues, but he's still not going to be standing in the breadline anytime soon.

Former Idol judge Keith Urban earned $8 million each season in his previous role on the iconic singing competition. Bryan is earning significantly more than that in 2025, making him one of the highest-paid judges in the show's history.

He's still earning considerably less than the $18 million per year that Mariah Carey made during her run on the show, and less than Jennifer Lopez' $17.5 million per season, too.

However, Bryan is earning more than past judges including Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, Harry Connick Jr. and more.

Underwood is the newest judge on the panel, and various reports place her salary at either just above Bryan's, or a little bit below it.

How Much Money Does Ryan Seacrest Earn on American Idol in 2025?

Ryan Seacrest is also returning to host American Idol in 2025. He's parlayed his original hosting gig on Idol into a multi-media empire that sees him involved in almost every aspect of the entertainment business, and he'll be making a pretty penny from Idol's Season 23, as well as his many other ventures.

Read on to see what the stars of American Idol will earn on the show in 2025.