It's been nearly 30 years since RuPaul became the world's most famous drag queen, and while many in the entertainment industry have seen their stardom fade over time, the opposite has been true for Mr. Charles . Thirteen years ago, RuPaul's Drag Race premiered in 2009, and since then RuPaul, reality TV, and drag queens around the world have changed forever. The series now has multiple iterations around the world, and the U.S. version has won 11 Emmy Awards - with RuPaul taking home the Outstanding Host crown six of the past six years. All in all, Drag Race has kept the 61-year-old entertainer in the international spotlight and helped him earn millions of dollars.
So, what is RuPaul's net worth (scroll to the bottom of this article to see his total worth), and what does he do to make money outside of Drag Race ? Let's investigate.
8 Ways RuPaul Makes Millions
1.Drag Queen Show
Today, everything in the RuPaul universe seems to revolve around drag queen shows . He's busy filming several seasons each year, appearing in both the traditional series, the all-star version, and the international version in the UK and Australia. To date, "Drag Queens" has aired 14 seasons, and "All Stars " season 7 will premiere in May 2022.
In addition to All Stars , where fan-favorite queens and contestants who nearly won the Drag Race regular season title will return for another shot at glory, other shows have been spun off from the series. RuPaul hosts Drag U , and former contestant Alyssa Edwards created a reality show with RuPaul called Dance Queen . World of Wonder, the production company behind the Emmy-winning series, has launched at least a dozen shows on its platform, many of them tied to the drag queen show and the celebrities who got their start on the show.
After its success in the United States, the drag queen show expanded to other countries. RuPaul and his collaborators produce some of these shows, while others see production companies in foreign markets licensing the brand, which puts money in the pockets of original creators, including RuPaul. Versions of Drag Race have been launched in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Thailand, the Netherlands, Chile, Spain and Italy, with new versions also released in France, Spain and the Philippines.
According to a report published by TV Guide , RuPaul apparently earns at least $50,000 per episode of Drag Race , though whether that's all of his fees or just his hosting duties (in addition to serving as a producer) The compensation is unclear. That article was from 2013, and his salary has likely increased since then. If he does charge $50,000 per episode, that could work out to $700,000 per season for him, and he typically shoots more than one season per year.
2. Drag racing expansion
The TV host has expanded his drag queen empire in multiple directions, including live experiences. The series now includes a live show in Las Vegas called "RuPaul's Drag Race Live," featuring performances from the series' beloved queens such as Yvie Oddly, Aquaria, Asia O'Hara, Coco Montrese, Derrick Barry, Eureka O'Hara, Jaida Essence Hall, Trinity K. Bonet, Kameron Michaels, Kim Chi, Naomi Smalls, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, and more. In fall 2020, VH1 aired RuPaul’s Drag Race: Vegas Review, a documentary series centered around live performances.
RuPaul and his team also host DragCon in New York and Los Angeles, an annual convention focusing on all things drag and drag competition . Fans of the show can attend audits, watch performances, enjoy shopping and even meet some of their favorite queens. In 2018, beauty brands selling merchandise at DragCon generated more than $8 million in on-site sales.
How much RuPaul earns from these extensions is unclear, but they continue to operate, so they have to be financially successful, and with his name on it, he'll likely get some residuals.
3. Film and television
In addition to drag shows , RuPaul has been active in television and movies for decades. In 1996, he launched his first talk show of the same name, "The RuPaul Show" on VH1, which lasted for two seasons. In 2019, he tried to create another daytime talk show , RuPaul , but it was canceled after just a few weeks due to low ratings. He has also served as a judge and/or host on shows such as Skin Wars, Good Work , and Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul, and will return to CBS in 2022 with the game show Lingo . The amount of money he earns from these hosting roles is not public.
As an actor, RuPaul has starred in Netflix's "AJ & the Queen " (which he also co-produced and wrote) and in films such as "Crooklyn," "Starbooty!," "To Wong Foo," and "Thanks for Everything!" . Julie Newmar, The Truth About Jane, Show Dogs, and The Bitch Who Stole Christmas . He has appeared in such hits as The Nun, Nash Bridges, Walker, Texas Rangers, Beach Boys, Ugly Betty, Happy Endings and The Muppets A cameo or cameo in a TV series.
4. Books
Throughout RuPaul's career, he wrote three books covering a range of topics. In 1995, while his star was still rising, he published his autobiography Letting It All Hang Out . His next release wasn't released until 2010, when Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Freedom and Pursuit of Style came out as the drag queen show became popular. In 2018, "Gulu" was published.
5. Music and Podcasts
In some ways, RuPaul attributes his success today to his music career, as it was his music career that helped him reach a larger audience in the first place than just the small acting roles and drag shows he performed in. Over the decades, he has released 14 studio albums of traditional songs and a number of compilations, remix albums, soundtracks and EPs. He also produced dozens of singles, many of which are now used on Drag Race . The vast majority of RuPaul's releases haven't charted or sold well on the charts, but he has enjoyed some successful releases. He entered the US Billboard 200 album chart with two songs and entered the corresponding song chart "Hot 100" with three singles, one of which was a collaboration with Elton John. He is probably best known for his songs "Supermodel (You Better Work)", "Snapshot", "Cover Girl", "Jealous of My Boogie" and "Sissy That Walk".
In addition to making music, RuPaul also recorded podcasts for several years. He was joined by frequent collaborator and friend Michelle Visage, who co -wrote "What's the Tee?" , the show produced nearly 250 episodes before ending in 2020. They even sometimes tape episodes of Drag Race .
6. Endorsements and Products
RuPaul brings identity and universal love to brands such as Webex, Old Navy and the Google Pixel line, appearing in ads and commercials for all of them.
He also uses his fan base to sell RuPaul-branded merchandise. He has a line of merchandise that often features his likeness and sometimes quotes or sayings that he often uses in his drag queen shows . He also used to sell chocolate bars, which became important in Drag Race Season 14.
7. Beauty
As a drag queen, RuPaul is very familiar with makeup and has worked with several companies to sell makeup out of his painted mugs. In 2013, he launched his first makeup collaboration with Colorevolution, known for its exceptionally bright and colorful products. Six years later, he and Mally Beauty sold another line of brands on QVC. In 2013, he also released a unisex fragrance, Glamazon, a term often heard by drag queen fans.
8. Everything else
Back in the 1990s, RuPaul and Visage hosted a morning show on New York City's WKTU radio station. Now, RuPaul performs on MasterClass, a platform dedicated to helping people learn from the best and brightest in their fields. A report in The Hollywood Reporter said teachers typically pay $100,000 up front for writing and film courses and then earn a small royalty based on the popularity of their efforts.
What is RuPaul's net worth?
$60 million
According to Celebrity Net Worth , RuPaul's net worth will reach $60 million by 2022.
