Sofia Vergara and Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting are sharing the title for highest-paid TV actress in 2015. The comedy superstars both raked in $28.5 million, according to Forbes.
Vergara ranked atop the list for a fourth consecutive year thanks to her role on ABC's "Modern Family" and lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl as well as Head and Shoulders. The Columbian native also runs Latin World Entertainment, a talent management and entertainment marketing firm that she co-founded with her business partner, Luis Balaguer, in 1994.
Last summer, Cuoco-Sweeting negotiated with her "Big Bang Theory" co-stars Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki for a reported $1 million per episode salary. She also has a healthy endorsement deal with Priceline.com.
Another "Modern Family" actress, Julie Bowen, makes her debut on the list, earning $12 million. She's followed by TV veterans Ellen Pompeo from "Grey's Anatomy" ($11.5 million) "Law & Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay ($11 million) and Julianna Margulies from "The Good Wife" ($10.5 million) round out the top six.
Book deals for "Inside Out" co-stars Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling helped land the comedic actresses on the list. "Parks and Recreation" star Poehler pulled in $10.5 million last year while Kaling earned $9 million.
ABC stars Kerry Washington ("Scandal") and Patricia Heaton ("The Middle") tied for the ninth spot, each earning $7 million. Tina Fey made a couple guest appearances on her Netflix comedy "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," but she brought home the bacon ($6.5 million) this year as the show's co-creator, writer and producer.
The next three ladies are all new to the list. They include "Bones" star Emily Deschanel ($6.5 million) at No. 12, "NCIS" favorite Pauley Perrette ($6.0 million) at No. 13 and "House of Cards" leading lady Robin Wright ($5.5 million) at No. 14.
Deschanel's younger sister and "New Girl" star Zooey Deschanel brings up the rear with her respectable $5 million earnings.
The list pales in comparison to the highest-paid TV actors where "Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parson led with $29 million and Forbes capped the minimum at $9.5 million.
Women of color are also poorly represented with only Vergara, Washington and Kaling on the list, but as Forbes pointed out that could change in the years to come with Taraji P. Henson on "Empire," Gina Rodriguez on "Jane the Virgin" and Tracee Ellis Ross from "Blackish."
