What is Tom Cruise's Net Worth, Salary, and Career Earnings?
Tom Cruise is an American actor and producer who has a net worth of $600 million. Often hailed as one of Hollywood's most iconic stars, Cruise is among the highest-paid and richest celebrities in the world. With his movies earning $11.5 billion at the global box office, Cruise reached monumental success in June 2022 with "Top Gun: Maverick," grossing $1.5 billion globally.
Early Life
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV was born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York. His father was an electrical engineer, and his mother was a special ed teacher. He has three sisters and his first cousin, William Mapother, also became an actor. Growing up, Cruise moved frequently due to his father's job with the Canadian Armed Forces and attended 15 schools within 14 years. Initially pursuing sports, a knee injury pivoted his interests to acting in high school. Despite positive reviews early in his career, Cruise briefly considered becoming a Franciscan priest before getting expelled from seminary school.
Early Career
Tom Cruise moved to New York City after high school to pursue acting before relocating to Los Angeles for TV roles. His film debut came in 1981 with a small part in "Endless Love." That same year, his performance in "Taps" earned critical acclaim, leading to representation by CAA. This connection resulted in co-founding Cruise/Wagner Productions with Paula Wagner in the early 1990s.
Success
In 1983, Cruise's breakout role in "Risky Business" garnered $64 million, catapulting him into the spotlight and earning his first Golden Globe nomination. The 1986 blockbuster "Top Gun" solidified him as a global star, with subsequent hits like "The Color of Money," "Cocktail," "Rain Man," and "Born on the Fourth of July" enhancing his acclaim. Tom's career includes high-profile films such as:
- 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 adjusted for inflation)
- #5: War of the Worlds (2005) – $606 million ($890 million 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
(Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images)
Salary and Earnings Milestones
- "Taps" (1981) – $50,000
- "Risky Business" (1983) – $75,000
- "Legend" (1985) – $500,000
- "Top Gun" (1986) – $2 million
- "Cocktail" (1988) – $3 million
- "Days of Thunder" (1990) – $9 million
- "Far and Away" (1992) – $13 million
- "A Few Good Men" (1992) – $12 million
- "The Firm" (1993) – $12 million
- "Interview with the Vampire" (1994) – $15 million
Cruise earned $70 million from "Mission: Impossible" and $75 million from "Mission: Impossible 3." His highest earnings came from "Mission: Impossible 2" and "War of the Worlds," each bringing him $100 million thanks to lucrative backend points. From 1983 to 2019, Tom Cruise accumulated earnings totaling $745 million.
Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
Top Gun Salary/Earnings
Tom Cruise's salary for 1986's "Top Gun" was $2 million, equating to $5.4 million today. Top Gun was a critical and commercial success, grossing $360 million. The long-awaited sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick," starred Cruise, who also took an active producer role, earning a base salary of $13 million. Cruise is entitled to 10-20% of the film's first dollar gross revenue, potentially bringing his total earnings to $200 million.
Tom Cruise Height
Tom Cruise stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall, making him three inches shorter than ex-wife Nicole Kidman (5 feet 10 inches) and two inches shorter than ex-wife Katie Holmes (5 feet 9 inches).
(Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)
Personal Life
Cruise has been married three times: to Mimi Rogers (1987-1990), Nicole Kidman (1990-2001), and Katie Holmes (2006-2012). His marriage to Holmes produced one daughter, Suri. Their divorce settlement includes $400,000 per year in child support until 2024, covering medical expenses, education, and extracurricular activities. Katie has full custody of their daughter and chose not to raise her with Scientology.
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Real Estate
Over the years, Cruise has owned several significant properties across the USA. In 2013, he sold a New York City condo and a Hollywood Hills multi-residence property for $3 million and $11.4 million, respectively. In 2016, he sold his Beverly Hills estate for $40 million. His vast Telluride property, listing for $59 million in 2016, eventually sold for $39.5 million in 2021.
Cruise/Wagner Productions
Cruise's extraordinary wealth is also due to his role as a producer. He co-founded Cruise/Wagner Productions with Paula Wagner, producing films that grossed $3 billion worldwide. Though their deal with Paramount ended in 2006, Cruise and Wagner's company continues to thrive.
