Tom Cruise Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Tom Cruise’s Net Worth, Salary, and Career Earnings?

With a net worth of $600 million, Tom Cruise stands as a prominent American actor and producer. Considered one of Hollywood’s biggest stars throughout history, he ranks among the highest-paid and wealthiest celebrities globally. To date, Tom Cruise’s films have collectively grossed $11.5 billion at the worldwide box office. Interestingly, for a significant part of his career, none of his movies had crossed the $1 billion mark. Before June 2022, 2018’s “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” which earned $800 million globally, was his highest-grossing film. It was only in late June 2022 that he broke the billion-dollar milestone with “Top Gun: Maverick,” which eventually grossed $1.5 billion worldwide.

Early Life

Born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, Thomas Cruise Mapother IV is the son of an electrical engineer and a special education teacher. He has three sisters, and one of his cousins, William Mapother, would later also pursue an acting career and work alongside Tom in multiple projects.

Tom’s childhood was marked by frequent relocations across the United States, including a short period in Canada due to his father’s position with the Canadian Armed Forces. Tom has described his father as a bully who inflicted physical abuse upon him and his siblings, and he attended 15 different schools within 14 years.

Initially, Tom did not envision a future in acting. While he participated in drama classes during middle school, he primarily identified as an athlete. A knee injury that sidelined him from wrestling during high school led him to focus on acting, where he promptly secured the lead role in the drama club’s production of Guys and Dolls.

Despite the positive feedback about his talent, Tom remained uninterested in a professional acting career for some time. He even spent a short period at the St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati with aspirations of becoming a Franciscan priest but was expelled due to alcohol-related issues.

In 1980, Tom graduated from Glen Ridge High School in New Jersey.

Early Career

Following high school, Cruise made his way to New York City with aspirations of becoming an actor, before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue television roles.

Tom’s film career began in 1981 with a minor role in “Endless Love.” That same year, his performance in “Taps” garnered him critical acclaim, which subsequently led to his signing with the prominent talent agency CAA. Agent Paula Wagner advocated for Tom to the agency’s managing partner, Michael Ovitz. This partnership not only solidified Tom as a lifelong CAA client but also resulted in the formation of a production company named Cruise/Wagner Productions in the early 1990s.

Tom continued to gain recognition with his role in “The Outsiders.”

Success

In 1983, Tom delivered a career-defining performance in the comedy/drama “Risky Business.” The film saw earnings of $64 million against a budget of only $6 million and introduced several cultural phenomena. This project firmly established Cruise as a rising star and earned him his inaugural Golden Globe nomination.

With the massive success of 1986’s “Top Gun,” Tom Cruise became a household name. The film grossed $360 million across the globe, making it the highest-grossing film of that year.

That same year, he co-starred with Paul Newman in “The Color of Money.”

The successes continued with “Cocktail” and “Rain Man,” both released in 1988, with Rain Man winning four Academy Awards. Tom’s first Oscar nomination arrived the following year for his role in “Born on the Fourth of July.”

He went on to star in 1990’s “Days of Thunder,” 1992’s “Far and Away,” and 1992’s “A Few Good Men,” along with 1993’s…
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The Firm, along with Interview with the Vampire from 1994, highlights Tom Cruise’s career. A Golden Globe nomination was awarded to him for A Few Good Men.

In 1996, Tom Cruise not only starred in but also produced the blockbuster sensation Mission: Impossible, which amassed $457 million in earnings and spawned multiple successful sequels. That same year, he featured in another cultural landmark, Jerry Maguire, which generated $275 million with a budget of $50 million, leading to a Best Actor Oscar nomination for him. His co-star, Cuba Gooding, Jr., took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

For more than a decade following this success, Tom continued to release hit films. Some of his other striking projects include:

• Eyes Wide Shut
• Vanilla Sky
• Minority Report
• The Last Samurai
• Collateral
• War of the Worlds
• Valkyrie
• Jack Reacher
• Oblivion
• Edge of Tomorrow
• American Made

Top 6 Highest Grossing Tom Cruise Films

• #5: The Last Samurai (2003) – $456 million ($716 million adjusted for inflation)
• #5: War of the Worlds (2005) – $606 million ($890 million adjusted for inflation)
• #4: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) – $690 million
• #3: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) – $700 million
• #2: Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) – $800 million
• #1: Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – $1.5 billion

Other significant films by Cruise and their global grosses include:

• The Firm (1993) – $158 million ($350 million adjusted for inflation)
• Mission: Impossible II (2000) – $550 million ($923 million adjusted for inflation)
• Mission: Impossible (1996) – $460 million ($850 million adjusted for inflation)
• Rain Man (1988) – $354 million ($865 million adjusted for inflation)
• Top Gun (1986) – $360 million ($445 million adjusted for inflation)

Currently, Tom Cruise has more than twenty films that have each grossed over $100 million worldwide. His aggregate global box office earnings stand at $9.5 billion without inflation adjustments.

Salary and Earnings Milestones

• For his role in Taps, Tom earned $50,000
• His earnings for Risky Business were $75,000
• His pay increased to $500,000 for the film Legend in 1985
• In 1986, Tom Cruise received $2 million for his performance in Top Gun, marking the beginning of a substantial surge in his earnings.
• He was paid $3 million for Cocktail
• $9 million for Days of Thunder
• $13 million for Far and Away
• $12 million for A Few Good Men
• $12 million for The Firm
• $15 million for Interview with the Vampire

Due to his role as a producer, Tom collected a total of $70 million from his contributions to the first Mission Impossible film. His earnings surged to $75 million for Mission Impossible 3.

To date, his two highest-paid films are Mission Impossible 2 from 2000 and War of the Worlds from 2005, each earning him $100 million thanks to lucrative backend deals. When reviewing the largest acting paychecks for a single film, Tom Cruise appears three times on the list, with his previously discussed $100 million earnings standing out as notable highlights.

Behind Bruce Willis’ $105 million payday for “The Sixth Sense” and Keanu Reeves’ $156 million for “The Matrix,” are the third and fourth largest paydays.

From 1983 to 2011, Tom earned a remarkable $445 million in movie salaries. Adding at least another $300 million from 2011 to 2019, his career earnings (inclusive of salary and bonuses) from 1983 to 2019 amount to $745 million.

Top Gun Salary/Earnings

Previously mentioned, Tom Cruise earned $2 million for the 1986 film “Top Gun,” which is approximately $5.4 million when adjusted for inflation. Remarkably, that $2 million constituted 13% of the film’s entire budget of $15 million. The earnings of his co-stars, like Kelly McGillis and Val Kilmer, remain unknown, but they presumably earned less than $2 million.

While filming “Top Gun,” a movie featuring Tom Cruise named “Legend” performed poorly at the box office, causing significant concern for producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. Thankfully, “Top Gun” became a huge success, ultimately earning $360 million and becoming the highest-grossing film of 1986.

Jump ahead thirty years to 2018/2019. After years filled with whispers, rumors, and fan desires, a sequel to “Top Gun” was produced, largely thanks to producer David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison and founder of Skydance. David, who was a major fan of “Top Gun” during his childhood and is a pilot himself, established Skydance in 2006 with the aspiration of creating a sequel. When circumstances finally allowed, Skydance pledged 25% of the film’s estimated $200 million budget.

“Top Gun: Maverick” was originally scheduled for release in mid-2020 but faced a two-year delay due to COVID-19. Tom Cruise serves as both the star and primary producer of the sequel, receiving a base salary of $13 million. More significantly, as a producer, Tom is entitled to 10% to 20% of the film’s “first dollar” gross revenue—a deal that’s unprecedented for any other Hollywood star. The first dollar gross is disbursed after movie theaters—referred to as exhibitors—take 40% of revenue, yet before any other studio expenses, including marketing and production.

Should “Top Gun: Maverick” gross $1 billion at the box office and Tom possesses 10% of the first dollar gross, his earnings would be approximately $60 million. With 20%, he could earn about $120 million. Moreover, if he manages 20% and factoring in future streaming sales, it’s conceivable for Tom to receive around $200 million, which equates to nearly 100 times his initial salary from “Top Gun.”

Tom Cruise Height

What is Tom Cruise’s height? He stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall. This makes him three inches shorter than his ex-wife Nicole Kidman, who is 5 feet 10 inches, and two inches shorter than Katie Holmes, his other ex-wife, who measures 5 feet 9 inches.

Personal Life

Several marriages mark Tom’s life. From 1987 to 1990, he was wed to actress Mimi Rogers, who was the one to introduce him to Scientology.

He was wedded to Nicole Kidman for a period spanning from 1990 until 2001.

From 2006 to 2012, he was married to Katie Holmes.

Katie Holmes Divorce Settlement

From their marriage, Tom and Katie welcomed a daughter named Suri. At the time of their union, Tom had a net worth of $250 million compared to Katie’s $10 million. Given his considerable assets, Tom insisted on a watertight prenuptial agreement. Their divorce stipulated that Tom would pay Katie $400,000 annually in child support for twelve years (until 2024), which breaks down to $33,000 per month, totaling $4.8 million. Moreover, he is responsible for Suri’s medical costs, educational expenses, insurance, and extracurricular activities. Katie has full custody of Suri and has opted not to raise her with Scientology influences. Notably, Katie did NOT pursue any form of spousal support or a lump-sum cash payment, reportedly choosing this route to secure full custody and authority over Suri’s upbringing.

Real Estate

Over the years, Tom has owned and currently owns numerous remarkably impressive properties across the United States. In 2013, he sold a condo located on the 10th floor of a building in New York City’s East Village for $3 million. Then, in September 2015, he parted with a multi-residence property situated in the Hollywood Hills for $11.4 million, purchased by Eva Longoria. In May 2016, he sold a long-held estate in Beverly Hills to billionaire financier Leon Black for $40 million, a house he had bought for $30.5 million back in 2006 while still married to Katie Holmes. In 2018, he invested $11.8 million in multiple units within a condo complex in Clearwater, Florida, close to the headquarters of the Church of Scientology.

During his marriage to Nicole Kidman in the mid-1990s, Tom constructed an expansive mansion in Telluride, Colorado, covering 320 acres. The primary residence spans 10,000 square feet and contains seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, horse stables, and a personal helipad. He invested years advocating for the local airport to extend its runway, making it possible for larger private jets to land, a request that was fulfilled in 2010. Although he listed this property in 2016 for $59 million, he ultimately found no buyer. A second attempt to sell it in 2018 also ended without a sale, and he re-listed the property in March…
“`In May 2021, Tom ultimately sold the property for $39.5 million, the same amount he purchased it for in 2021. Below is a video tour from a prior listing:

 

Cruise/Wagner Productions

One of the primary factors contributing to Tom’s extraordinary wealth as an actor, rather than being merely very rich, is his production of many films. He co-founded Cruise/Wagner Productions with Paula Wagner in 1993. Their films have generated $3 billion globally to date. For several years, an exclusive agreement with Paramount was in place for their company. However, that agreement came to an end in 2006 following Tom’s controversial remarks regarding psychiatry and anti-depressants, which stirred significant reaction in the industry. Since then, funding has come from hedge funds as well as Dan Snyder, founder of the Washington Redskins. In 2006, Paula and Tom were brought on by United Artists to help revive the struggling studio. Paula departed UA in 2008, but today, she and Tom still maintain a 30% ownership stake in the studio.