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 is a prominent actor and producer in America. Recognized as one of Hollywood’s most significant stars, he ranks among the highest-paid and wealthiest celebrities globally. His films have collectively grossed $11.5 billion at the worldwide box office as of this moment. Interestingly, for much of his career, none of his films surpassed the $1 billion mark. Until June 2022, his most successful film was 2018’s “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” which earned $800 million worldwide. However, he finally achieved a billion-dollar success with “Top Gun: Maverick” in late June 2022, which ultimately grossed $1.5 billion worldwide.

Early Life

Thomas Cruise Mapother IV was born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York. His father, who shared his name, worked as an electrical engineer, while his mother taught special education. He has three sisters, and his first cousin, William Mapother, later ventured into acting, sharing the screen with Tom in various projects.

Tom Cruise’s childhood involved frequent relocations across the country, including a brief period in Canada after his father secured a position with the Canadian Armed Forces. He later described his father as a bully who was abusive towards him and his siblings, attending 15 different schools in just 14 years.

Initially, acting was not Tom’s ambition. Although he participated in drama classes during middle school, he was primarily focused on athletics. However, a knee injury that forced him off the wrestling team led him to dedicate himself to the drama club in high school, where he quickly earned the lead in their production of Guys and Dolls.

Despite receiving accolades and encouragement for his acting talents, Tom had little interest at the time. He even spent some time at St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati with aspirations of becoming a Franciscan priest, but was expelled for drinking.

He completed high school at Glen Ridge High School in New Jersey in 1980.

Early Career

Following high school, Cruise moved to New York City to pursue acting before relocating to Los Angeles to audition for television roles.

Tom made his film debut in 1981 with a minor role in “Endless Love.” That same year, he garnered critical acclaim for his performance in “Taps,” which also led to him being signed by the notable talent agency CAA. Agent Paula Wagner notably advocated for Tom to the agency’s managing partner, Michael Ovitz. Not only would Tom remain a lifelong client of CAA, but in the early 1990s, he and Paula launched a production company known as Cruise/Wagner Productions.

Further recognition came with his role in “The Outsiders.”

Success

In 1983, Tom delivered a career-defining performance in the comedy/drama “Risky Business.” The film grossed $64 million against a $6 million budget and became a cultural phenomenon, establishing Cruise as a rising star and earning him his first Golden Globe nomination.

With the spectacular success of 1986’s “Top Gun,” Tom Cruise cemented his status as a global superstar. The film grossed $360 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of that year.

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

The momentum continued with the releases of “Cocktail” and “Rain Man” in 1988, with Rain Man winning four Academy Awards. Tom received his first Oscar nomination the following year for “Born on the Fourth of July.”

This was followed by performances in 1990’s “Days of Thunder,” 1992’s “Far and Away,” and 1992’s “A Few Good Men,” as well as 1993’s
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Both “The Firm” and “Interview with the Vampire,” released in 1994, highlight Tom Cruise’s impressive filmography. For his role in “A Few Good Men,” he received a nomination for a Golden Globe.

In 1996, Tom Cruise not only starred in but also produced the blockbuster sensation “Mission: Impossible,” which grossed an impressive $457 million and led to several successful sequels. That same year, he captivated audiences with “Jerry Maguire,” a cultural touchstone that raked in $275 million on a $50 million budget, earning him a Best Actor Oscar nomination. His co-star Cuba Gooding Jr. took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance.

Tom continued to produce major hits over the subsequent decade and beyond. Here are some other notable projects featuring Tom:

• 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 when adjusted for inflation)
• #5: War of the Worlds (2005) – $606 million ($890 million when 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

Here are other significant Cruise films and their global box office grosses:

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

To date, over twenty of Cruise’s films have surpassed the $100 million mark at the global box office. His total worldwide earnings from box office receipts amount to $9.5 billion, not accounting for inflation.

Salary and Earnings Milestones

• Tom was compensated $50,000 for Taps.
• For Risky Business, he earned $75,000.
• His salary for 1985’s Legend increased to $500,000.
• In 1986, Tom Cruise’s earnings for Top Gun reached $2 million, marking a significant turning point in his career.
• For Cocktail, he received $3 million.
• $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.

As a result of his producer credit, Tom earned a total of $70 million for his contributions to the first Mission Impossible film. For Mission Impossible 3, he made $75 million.

Tom’s highest earnings from a single film to date are from Mission Impossible 2 (2000) and War of the Worlds (2005), each netting him $100 million, owing to lucrative backend points. When examining a list of the ten largest acting salaries in history (for individual movies), Tom Cruise appears three times. His previously mentioned $100 million salaries are among these notable occasions.

These figures rank as the third and fourth largest paydays, following Bruce Willis’ $105 million payday for “The Sixth Sense” and Keanu Reeves’ $156 million for “The Matrix.”

From 1983 to 2011, Tom amassed $445 million in movie salaries. From 2011 to 2019, it’s estimated that he earned at least another $300 million, which brings his total career earnings (including salary and bonuses) from 1983 to 2019 to $745 million.

Top Gun Salary/Earnings

Previously noted, Tom Cruise earned a salary of $2 million for the 1986 film “Top Gun.” Adjusted for inflation, this amounts to approximately $5.4 million today. Surprisingly, that $2 million represented 13% of the film’s total budget of $15 million. The earnings of his co-stars, including Kelly McGillis and Val Kilmer, remain unclear, but they likely earned significantly less than $2 million.

While filming Top Gun, another Tom Cruise film titled “Legend” failed to perform at the box office, causing concern for producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. Thankfully, Top Gun became an overwhelming success, grossing $360 million and claiming the title of the highest-grossing movie of 1986.

Fast forward to 2018/2019; after years of speculation and anticipation from fans, a sequel to Top Gun was finally made possible thanks to producer David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison and founder of Skydance. With a deep admiration for Top Gun since childhood and being a pilot himself, David Ellison had his sights set on creating a sequel since founding Skydance in 2006. When everything fell into place, Skydance allocated 25% of the film’s approximately $200 million budget.

The release of “Top Gun: Maverick” was originally scheduled for mid-2020 but faced a two-year delay due to the COVID pandemic. Tom not only stars in the film but also serves as a primary producer. His base salary for Top Gun: Maverick was $13 million. More significantly, as a producer, Tom stands to gain 10 – 20% of the film’s “first dollar” gross revenue. This is a deal that no other Hollywood star can secure. The first dollar gross is calculated after movie theaters, or exhibitors, take 40% of the receipts, but before covering other studio expenses, including marketing and production.

If Top Gun: Maverick reaches a $1 billion gross at the box office and Tom retains 10% of the first dollar gross, he could earn approximately $60 million. If he holds 20%, his take would be around $120 million. Including future streaming sales, it’s very plausible for Tom’s earnings to reach around $200 million, making it about 100 times his initial salary from Top Gun.

Tom Cruise Height

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

Personal Life

Tom has experienced multiple marriages throughout his life. His first marriage was to actress Mimi Rogers from 1987 until 1990, during which Mimi introduced Tom to Scientology.

Between 1990 and 2001, Tom was wed to Nicole Kidman.

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

Katie Holmes Divorce Settlement

The marriage between Tom and Katie resulted in one daughter, Suri. When they married, Tom had a net worth of $250 million, whereas Katie’s was $10 million. Due to his higher assets, Tom insisted on a comprehensive prenuptial agreement. According to their divorce terms, Tom is obligated to pay Katie $400,000 annually in child support for 12 years, totaling $4.8 million by 2024, which breaks down to $33,000 a month. Additionally, Tom is responsible for Suri’s medical costs, education, insurance, and extracurricular activities. Katie retains full custody of Suri and has decided against raising her daughter in Scientology. No spousal support or lump sum cash payment was granted to Katie, as she reportedly declined any spousal support to secure full custody and authority over Suri’s upbringing.

Real Estate

Over the years, Tom has owned and continues to possess numerous extraordinary properties across the United States. He sold a 10th-floor condominium in New York City’s East Village for $3 million in 2013. In September 2015, he sold a multi-residence property in the Hollywood Hills for $11.4 million, with Eva Longoria as the buyer. In May 2016, he parted ways with his long-standing Beverly Hills mansion for $40 million, after acquiring it for $30.5 million in 2006 while still married to Katie Holmes. In 2018, Tom invested $11.8 million in multiple units within a condo complex in Clearwater, Florida, close to the Church of Scientology’s headquarters.

During the mid-1990s, while married to Nicole Kidman, Tom constructed a vast mansion in Telluride, Colorado, covering 320 acres. The main residence spans 10,000 square feet, featuring seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, horse stables, and a private helipad. Over the years, he advocated for the local airport to extend its runway to accommodate larger private jets, a request fulfilled in 2010. Although he listed the home for $59 million in 2016, it did not sell. The property was relisted in 2018, but again lacked buyers; it was placed back on the market in March.
“`In May 2021, Tom successfully sold the property for the same amount he acquired it for in 2021, which was $39.5 million. Below is a video tour from a previous listing:

 

Cruise/Wagner Productions

One of the key factors contributing to Tom’s extraordinary wealth, distinguishing him from simply being a very rich actor, is his involvement in producing many of his own films. In 1993, he and Paula Wagner established Cruise/Wagner Productions. Their films have amassed over $3 billion globally to date. For several years, the company maintained an exclusive partnership with Paramount. However, this relationship ended in 2006 after Tom’s controversial remarks about psychiatry and antidepressants went viral, causing disruptions within the industry. Since then, funding has been sourced from hedge funds and Dan Snyder, the founder of the Washington Redskins. In 2006, both Paula and Tom were brought on by United Artists to rejuvenate the struggling studio. Although Paula departed from UA in 2008, she and Tom still retain a 30% ownership of the studio today.