Colombian actress Sofia Vergara is the highest paid actress on U.S. television for the third consecutive year with estimated earnings of $37 million, nearly triple her closest rivals, according to Forbes magazine.
Like last year, Vergara, who earns $325,000 for each episode of ABC's hit comedy "Modern Family," outpaced Mariska Hargitay, the Emmy-winning star of NBC's "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," who came in second with $13 million. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, 28, of CBS's "The Big Bang Theory," came in third, with $11 million.
"At 42, the 'Modern Family' star continues her streak in large part due to her business savvy," said Forbes.
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In addition to her TV work, Vergara has endorsement deals with beverage, cosmetic, clothing and other companies. She also co-founded Latin World Entertainment, a talent, management and entertainment marketing firm, reported Reuters.
Hargitay, the 50-year-old star of the longest-running drama series currently on TV, earns $450,000 per episode and bulks up her earning through syndication profits.
Emmy winner Julianna Margulies, 48, of the CBS legal drama "The Good Wife," was in a three-way tie for fourth place with Ellen Pompeo, 44, of the ABC drama "Grey's Anatomy," and 32-year-old Cobie Smulders, of the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother." Each actress earned an estimated $10 million.
Forbes's list is determined by estimating pre-tax earnings between June 2013 and June 2014 from the actresses' TV work, endorsements, residuals and advertising work, and by talking to agents, managers and lawyers. The estimate does not include management fees and other expenses.
Actress Mindy Kaling, 35, the writer, producer and star of "The Mindy Project," on the Fox network, clinched the No. 7 spot with $6.5 million. Lena Dunham, the 28-year-old creator and star of the HBO series "Girls," made it into the top 10 with earnings of $3.5 million.
The top 10 actresses on the 2014 list made a combined $140 million. That compares with the $214 million combined earnings of the 10 leading TV actors.
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