They're amongst the most famous a loved peopleon the planet - having dedicated their lives to making us chuckle.
And the leading lights of the comedy industry can earn millions of dollars from huge standup tours, chat shows, television programmes and movies.
Add in advertising and sponsorship deals, and shrewd investments, and these funny people can become seriously wealthy.
For this list we're only including people who have made the majority of their cash from comedy, rather than those who have a looser connection with the industry - so, for example, Byron Allen ($1 billion) doesn't make the list as he is primarily a television producer. Meanwhile we’ve left out South Park creators Matt Stone ($1 billion) and Trey Parker ($1 billion) as they are predominantly writers rather than performers.
That being said, here are the 15 richest comedians in the world in 2026, according to CelebrityNetWorth.
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13. Bill Murray - $180 million
It's clear that to make a fortune from comedy you're best starting off on Saturday Night Live. Bill Murray is another comedian to have graduated from the show to superstardom. Movies like Ghostbusters, Caddyshack and Lost in Translation have earned him in the region of $180 million. | Getty Images
14. Ricky Gervais - $170 million
Currently back on television screens with animated series Alley Cats, Ricky Gervais first found fame as the co-writer, co-creater (with Stephen Merchant) and star of The Office. The pair then made two further hit television series - Extras and Life is Short. Gervais has gone on to be a huge standup star, as well as making films and further television projects, including After Life. He's worth an estimated $170 million. | AFP via Getty Images
15. Drew Carey - $165 million
Drew Carey first became a standup comedian after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. He hit paydirt with his own comedy series, The Drew Carey Show, and as hosted the U.S. version of improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. He's made around $165 million over his career. | Getty Images for U.S. Soccer Fou