ComScore

What Is Kevin Hart's Net Worth?

kevin hart mobile
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

While most entertainment fans easily recognize Kevin Hart as one of the most famous men in comedy, they might be surprised to know he’s also one of the richest. Starting as a stand-up comedian in Massachusetts, Kevin Hart has become one of the most notable comics of his time. Working with his knowledge of branding and media power, Hart has leveraged his hilarious brand of comedy into tours, movies, commercials, and more. Some of his most memorable characters can be found in films like Ride Along, and the high grossing films Jumanji: Welcome to The Jungle and its sequel Jumanji: The Next Level, where Hart averages an initial paycheck of at least $10 million per movie and increases if that film reaches commercial success. 


Also lending his voice to notable brands and ads that he feels fit his image, the comedian is known to average no less than seven figures from every partnership, according to Forbes. The actor’s massive following on social media, with 95.5 million followers on Instagram alone, proves his net worth is directly linked to his following and brand power. Even further, his specific contracts make sure he receives funds even after his initial paycheck. As of 2020, Hart’s net worth ranks a little over $200 million. But what else may surprise you is the way this famous comedian makes his substantial paychecks.

How He Got His Start

A Funnier Hart

kevin hart vertical
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

By the time his third tour, Laugh At My Pain, was finished in 2011, Hart not only had a successful comedy career but was an established film actor as well. With breakout roles in Scary Movie 3, Soul Plane, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Little Fockers, and Death at a Funeral, it was only natural for Hart to continue making comedy gold, and by doing so, establishing himself as a household name. Laugh At My Pain, and its subsequent follow-up, Let Me Explain, were both released theatrically across the United States, helping Hart to gross over $15 million from the endeavor.  In 2015, Hart was not only chosen to host the MTV Music Video Awards, but he also made the time’s 100 List as one of the most 100 influential people in the world. 

Hart’s comedy allowed him to branch out, becoming not just a comedian, but a writer and producer in his own right. The Real Husbands of Hollywood was Hart’s 2013 creation. The show was a mockumentary in the likes of The Real Housewives Franchise. Hart enlisted notable husbands from Tinseltown to play fictionalized versions of themselves on screen. In the cohort was Nelly, Nick Cannon, Robin Thicke, and more.


But 2016 made Hart the most money of his career with his What Now comedy tour, which was one of the highest-grossing comedy tours of the year, with Hart reportedly grossing over $35 million in ticket sales alone, and selling out the famed Madison Square Garden. By the end of the year, Kevin Hart was the highest-paid comedian of all time, grossing over $87.5 million in earnings. 

Endorsements Galore

kevin hart horizontal
Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Kevin Hart didn’t gain his net worth from comedy alone. The comic made an important decision to turn his career into a brand, and with it came more and more financial opportunities. His net worth breaks down into appearances, commercial work, and high ranking roles, with 20% of Hart’s earnings coming straight from brand partnerships. 

While his What Now tour contributed to an extensive index of cash flow, Hart secured his earnings with critical endorsements from high ranking companies like Hyundai, H&M, and Foot Locker. According to Forbes, Hart receives no less than $1 million for every comedy performance. After earning over $17 million from endorsements alone in 2016, Hart started a money management plan that continued to help him grow his empire. 

In 2017, Hart was endorsed by Tommy John underwear, but his most significant collaboration came from the sportswear superbrand, Nike. Rather than a simple sports ad, Hart used his incredible physical transformation to develop the Free Train Instinct ‘Hart’ shoe. The sneaker retailed for $140 and featured motivational quotes from Hart written directly on the shoe. A percentage of the sales from every shoe went straight back to Hart’s pockets. 

Even though Hart saw his biggest continual gains from brands and media partnerships, he is notedly picky about the causes he champions. In a 2018 interview with Forbes, Hart stated, “I am not in the position in life where I need to go take a money grab. I’m more about the partnership--a brand that I can grow, evolve, and do something special with.” It’s clear Hart was steadfast in those feelings, as 2017 only saw the actor in a dual partnership with Mountain Dew Kickstart and the NBA.

Movies and then Some

kevin hart final
Jason LaVeris/Getty Images

While Kevin Hart is known widely as a comedian first, his appearance in films has substantially shaped the way his comedy role has evolved. As early as his appearances in the 2000s, Hart appears as characters that all take up his unique style of tone and inflection. Since the line between his film roles and stand up comedy is often blurred, many of Hart’s early roles acted like advertisements for his comedy career.

By 2012, Hart was being cast because of his specific brand of comedy, landing notable roles in movies like The Five Year Engagement, Think Like A Man (which was a box-office success), Ride Along 1&2, Get Hard, and The Wedding Ringer. A sleeper hit, The Secret Life of Pets was a surprise success, with the franchise expansion and sequel earning Kevin Hart his usual $10 million paychecks, but paying out more after its $60 million box office opening. 

Hart’s casting in Central Intelligence, with Dwayne The Rock Johnson, led to his part in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, one of his most successful movies to date. The film debuted to incredible commercial success in 2017, topping Sony’s charts and grossing over $962 million worldwide. Hart earned $10 million for his role and an undetermined number after the film’s success. The sequel, Jumanji 2: The Next Level, grossed over $800 million worldwide, beating Disney’s Frozen 2 for the top spot at the box office. In 2020, Hart got his show, Die Hart, on the quick bite social video app Quibi. In it, Hart once again plays a fictionalized version of himself, this time teaming up with legend John Travolta to try and prove himself for the action role of a lifetime. 

While a net worth of $200 million is no easy feat, the breakdown of Hart’s financial endeavors makes it clear that the comedian’s success was no happy accident. Instead, smart business savvy combined with a tightly cultivated brand made the Kevin Hart that we know today.

Did you like this article?
Thumbs Up
Liked
Thumbs Down
Disliked