Bob Odenkirk Net Worth

Bob Odenkirk, best known for his acclaimed performances as shifty lawyer Saul Goodman on AMC’s hit series Breaking Bad along with Better Call Saul, has cemented himself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile comedic actors.

Before his mainstream success, Odenkirk spent decades working behind the scenes as an Emmy Award-winning writer for Saturday Night Live, The Ben Stiller Show, and some other programs.

With recent high-profile dramatic turns in Fargo and Nobody proving his remarkable range, he continues to choose interesting projects, flexing his creative muscles as both actor and producer. Today, we discuss his current net worth and salary.

Bob Odenkirk’s net worth and salary 

As per various sources, Odenkirk has accumulated a net worth of $16 million. This fortune is mainly due to his starring role in the hit AMC series Better Call Saul. 

He is not just the show’s lead actor but also one of its producers. For his dual work on the first season, he reportedly earned $150,000 per episode. By the final season of Better Call Saul, his per-episode salary had increased to $200,000. 

While the exact figure is not publicly known, we can estimate his Better Call Saul earnings throughout the series. For the first 10-episode season at $150,000 per episode, he made around $1.5 million. 

Bob Odenkirk on ‘Better Call Saul’ (Source: NBC News)

For the 13-episode sixth season at $200,000 per, he earned $2.6 million. Assuming at least $150,000 per episode for the intermediate seasons, he has likely made at least $8.6 million in base salary from the show. 

With any royalties or bonuses, that number could grow substantially higher. It’s also been reported that he now commands around $1 million per film role. Before his Better Call Saul fame, he started at just $25,000 per episode for his Breaking Bad guest appearances. 

Over five seasons, his pay likely climbed to over $1.45 million. While the exact salary for his 2021 action movie Nobody is unknown, he may have earned another $1 million.

So, he has built an impressive $16 million net worth between his various TV and film projects. 

Bob Odenkirk’s rewarding career

Odenkirk has built an incredibly successful and rewarding comedy career over the past 35+ years. 

After honing his comedic voice on the radio and in local Chicago comedy shows in the 1980s, his big break came when he was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1987 at age 24. 

Though he never felt fully confident in his SNL writing, the experience set him up for future partnerships, including working with Ben Stiller and Conan O’Brien. He hit his stride in the early 1990s when he began collaborating with David Cross. 

The pair turned their razor-sharp sketch comedy chops into the hit HBO sketch series Mr. Show with Bob and David, which ran for four seasons and is considered one of the most influential sketch shows ever. 

Though it never found a widespread audience, Mr. Show earned Odenkirk his artistic cred and his first Emmy Award. In the late 2000s, he finally achieved mainstream success on Breaking Bad, playing seedy lawyer Saul Goodman. 

Initially contracted for just three episodes, the character became so popular that he was made a series regular. His dramatic talent surprised many who only knew his comedy, showing remarkable range. 

This breakthrough role directly led to Odenkirk headlining the spinoff series Better Call Saul, which is considered equal or superior to its predecessor. 

So, after years of cult fame on the comedy fringes, his patience and persistence finally paid off in two iconic shows that chronicled the transformation of an unlikely hero. 

With six seasons under his belt as Better Call Saul’s conflicted protagonist, he has cemented his place in the pantheon of all-time great TV anti-heroes.

Bob Odenkirk’s new book with daughter Erin Odenkirk

Best known for his acclaimed performances on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Odenkirk has teamed up with his daughter Erin Odenkirk to publish a humorous poetry book for children.

The book Zilot & Other Important Rhymes originates in a homemade collection he created years ago called “Olde Time Rhymes.” He would make up silly, nonsensical poems and rhymes to entertain his young children, Nate and Erin. 

The poems often incorporated lines suggested by the kids, embracing the absurdity and lack of structure. This was his way of getting his kids involved in the creative process and making them feel their contributions mattered.

Bob Odenkirk with his illustrated book ‘Zilot & Other Important Rhymes’ (Source: Twitter)

After rediscovering the old poem collection during the pandemic, he and 22-year-old Erin decided to revive the project. They edited and added to the poems, while Erin provided whimsical illustrations to accompany her dad’s witty wordsmithing. 

The result is a charming book of poetry reminiscent of iconic authors like Dr Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and Calef Brown. Full of humor and warmth, he hopes the book inspires family creativity and togetherness. 

By embracing childlike silliness and absurdity, the poems model Odenkirk’s philosophy of getting through life’s frustrations with goofiness and laughter.

With Erin’s artistic talents complementing her father’s trademark comedic voice, Zilot & Other Important Rhymes represents a satisfying creative collaboration between Odenkirk and the next generation.

Bob Odenkirk and his real estate investments

Odenkirk has made some savvy real estate moves in the Los Angeles area over the years. In 1998, he purchased a 2,900-square-foot home in the Hollywood Hills for $675,000. 

After living there for over 15 years, Bob put the property on the market in 2014 for $2.49 million. He sold it for a final price of $2.45 million – nearly quadruple his original purchase amount.

His next investment came in 2010 when he bought a distressed property in Bronson Canyon for $675,000. Presumably, the plan was to renovate and flip the home for a profit. 

Bob Odenkirk’s former L.A. home (Source: Realtor)

Then, in 2015, on the heels of his Breaking Bad success, he upgraded to a newer 2,800-square-foot Spanish-style home in the Hollywood Hills, paying $3.3 million. 

So, over 17 years, he leveraged his rising celebrity status to purchase and sell LA homes for sizable returns. He bought low, renovated, and sold high, trading up to more extensive and expensive properties. 

Now, with his lead role on the critically acclaimed Better Call Saul, he appears well-positioned to continue making intelligent real estate plays.

With an approximate net worth of $16 million and counting, he knows a good investment when he sees one. 

Between his Hollywood Hills homes that capitalize on gorgeous canyon views and his savvy buy of a distressed Bronson Canyon property, he has shown how lucrative real estate can be when handled wisely over the long term.