The strongest publicly reported figures put Bryan Cranston at $225,000 per episode and Aaron Paul at $150,000 per episode. Those amounts appeared in 2013 coverage attributing them to TV Guide; they are reported figures, not publicly verified contract or payroll records.
Reported Breaking Bad salaries per episode
Antena 3 and La Vanguardia both relayed the rates from TV Guide in 2013. The available reporting supports a comparison of these two reported per-episode amounts, not a complete salary list for the cast.
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| Actor | Reported rate per episode | Attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Bryan Cranston | $225,000 | TV Guide, as relayed by Antena 3 and La Vanguardia in 2013 |
| Aaron Paul | $150,000 | TV Guide, as relayed by Antena 3 and La Vanguardia in 2013 |
The two reported rates differ by $75,000 per episode; Cranston’s reported rate is 1.5 times Paul’s. This compares the reported episode fees only—it does not establish differences in total earnings or contract terms. See Antena 3’s 2013 report and La Vanguardia’s 2013 report.
What those rates imply for the final season
The same reports say the final season comprised eight episodes. Multiplying the reported per-episode rates by eight gives a simple total of $1.8 million for Cranston and $1.2 million for Paul, if each rate applied to every episode. These are arithmetic estimates from the reported rates and episode count, not separately confirmed season earnings.
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Why the figures should be treated as reported, not verified pay
The sources relay figures attributed to TV Guide, but the original report and underlying contracts or payroll records are not available here. The amounts therefore show what 2013 coverage reported, not independently audited compensation. They also do not establish whether compensation varied by season or episode.
A per-episode rate is not the same as total career earnings. It does not, by itself, account for residuals, backend participation, syndication payments, streaming compensation, taxes, or other contract terms. The available reporting does not document those amounts for either actor.
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What is known about the rest of the cast?
No dependable per-episode salary figure was established for Anna Gunn, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Giancarlo Esposito, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, or the wider ensemble in the sources behind these reports. Without attributable figures, a complete cast salary ranking would be speculative. Screen time or prominence is not a sound basis for estimating an actor’s pay.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Aaron Paul’s later comment about Netflix compensation
In an Associated Press report about the actors’ strike in August 2023, Paul said he did not receive a piece from Netflix for Breaking Bad: “I don’t get a piece from Netflix on ‘Breaking Bad’ to be totally honest and that’s insane to me.” This was his statement about Netflix compensation; it does not revise the reported original episode rate or establish his complete residual history. Read the Associated Press report.
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