Kevin James net worth in 2024 is a big topic for fans of the comedy star. Known for his funny and relatable characters, James has become a household name. Over the years, he has starred in popular TV shows like The King of Queens and movies like Paul Blart: Mall Cop. His unique humor and charm have made him one of the most loved comedians in Hollywood.
Let’s explore how Kevin James has built his wealth and look at the main ways he earns his money.
Kevin James in Brief
Full Name | Kevin George Knipfing |
Date of Birth | April 26, 1965 |
Place of Birth | Mineola, New York, USA |
Occupation | Actor, Comedian, Producer |
Height | 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) |
Spouse | Steffiana de la Cruz |
Children | Sienna-Marie, Shea, Kannon and Sistine |
Net Worth | $100 million |
Table of Contents
What is Kevin James Net Worth in 2024?
Kevin James is an American actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter with a net worth of $100 Million as of 2024. Kevin James made most of his wealth from acting, stand-up comedy, and producing.
He started as a stand-up comedian, which led him to TV, where he starred in The King of Queens, a popular show that ran for nine seasons. This show earned him steady income and made him well-known. He then moved into movies, starring in comedies like Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Grown Ups, and Here Comes the Boom. These movies were box office hits and added to his earnings.
He also produced some of his own projects, which helped him earn even more. Today, he continues to act and create new shows, keeping his income steady.
Kevin James’ Salary
Kevin earned $300,000 per episode for the middle seasons of The King of Queens. In the last seasons, his salary went up to $400,000 per episode. He also worked as an executive producer on the show.
Because he owned a part of the show’s backend equity, Kevin made over $50 million from syndication deals. He earned this money when the show was sold to other networks for reruns.
Kevin James’ Early Life
Kevin George Knipfing was born in Mineola, New York on April 26, 1965. His mother Janet Klein worked in an office and his father Joseph Valentine Knipfing Jr. owned an insurance agency. Kevin grew up in Stony Brook, New York, with his sister Leslie and older brother Gary, who would also go into comedy and acting under the name Gary Valentine. They were raised in a Catholic family.
Kevin went to Ward Melville High School, where he excelled in wrestling. He even held the top spot on the team, ahead of his friend, future pro wrestler Mick Foley. Both Kevin and Mick competed in the Heavyweight class, but Kevin had to give up his spot after a serious back injury. Mick then took over as the top wrestler.
After high school, Kevin attended the State University of New York at Cortland, where he joined the varsity football team as a halfback. Sadly, another back injury ended his sports dreams permanently.
Kevin James’ Career
Stand-Up Comedy
James started doing stand-up in 1989 at Richie Minervini’s East Side Comedy Club on Long Island. He performed with a comedy group there and chose “James” as his stage name, inspired by his favorite teacher. He became famous through many talk shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
He was ranked No. 76 on Comedy Central’s list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians. James performed at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal and made commercials for Mazzio’s Italian Eatery. His stand-up specials include Kevin James: Sweat the Small Stuff, Kevin James: Never Don’t Give Up on Netflix, and Kevin James: Irregardless on Amazon Prime Video.
Television
James’ first TV job was in 1991 on The New Candid Camera, where he pulled pranks on people. He also worked as the announcer for MTV’s SandBlast from 1994 to 1996. James moved to Los Angeles and became friends with Ray Romano. This led to him appearing on Everybody Loves Raymond. Later, he got his show, The King of Queens, which aired from 1998 to 2007.
He played Doug Heffernan, a delivery man, married to Carrie (Leah Remini). His father-in-law, Arthur (Jerry Stiller), also lived with them. James was nominated for an Emmy for his work in 2006. He later hosted the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in 2010.
He starred in Kevin Can Wait, which ran from 2016 to 2017. James’ show The Crew on Netflix was canceled after one season in 2021. He will play John Daly in an upcoming series.
Movies
James started his film career with a cameo in 50 First Dates in 2004. His big movie break came in Hitch with Will Smith. He also appeared in Grilled, Monster House, and Barnyard, James acted alongside Adam Sandler in the comedy movies. I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.
His most famous movie, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, was a big hit even though critics didn’t like it. It made $219 million. He also starred in Grown Ups and its sequel, Grown Ups 2. In 2011, he was in The Dilemma, with Vince Vaughn in the comedy-drama, and in 2012, he starred in Here Comes the Boom. Other films include Pixels, True Memoirs of an International Assassin, and Sandy Wexler.
James also starred in the 2020 thriller Becky and played Sean Payton in Home Team in 2022. In 2024, he is set to appear in Guns Up, Playdate, and Solo Mio.
Other Work
James was the grand marshal at the Pepsi 400 in 2007 to promote I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry and again in 2010 for Grown Ups. He did it again for Here Comes the Boom in 2012 and Grown Ups 2 in 2013. Fans voted these as two of the best NASCAR commands.
In 2009, he produced and starred in a web series called Dusty Peacock. In 2020, he revived his YouTube channel, which had over 535,000 subscribers by June 2020. His videos often have a humorous but melancholic tone.
Kevin James’ Personal life
James met actress Steffiana de la Cruz on a blind date. They got married on June 19, 2004. Together, they have four children and live in California.
James is a big fan of the New York Mets. In August 2024, he threw out the first pitch at one of their games.
James grew up in a Catholic home. In 2012, he said he still follows the Catholic faith. In 2019, he helped organize a Catholic retreat with priest Chad Ripperger and theologian Scott Hahn.
James is known for his role in Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Zookeeper, and Grown Ups. He also likes to listen to music from AC/DC, Journey, and Bon Jovi.
Kevin James’ Real Estate
In 2012, Kevin and Steffiana bought a big oceanfront house in Delray Beach, Florida, for $18.5 million. A year later, they spent another $4.25 million on the empty lot next to it to make the property even bigger. The main house has 8 bedrooms, and 10 and a half bathrooms, and sits on 1.85 acres of land.
It has a large courtyard, huge windows, a stone verandah, fireplaces, a pool room, and a big garage. They tried to sell the property in 2016 for $29 million, but couldn’t find a buyer. Kevin sold it to an LLC for $27 million instead.
Property Taxes and Other Homes
The property taxes on this huge compound were about $500,000 a year. Before this home, Kevin owned a couple of other houses in Los Angeles. The most famous one was sold in 2013 for $5.5 million.
New Mansion in Delray Beach
In 2020, Kevin and Steffiana bought a new mansion in Delray Beach for $14 million. The house is 18,906 square feet and has an amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean. It has a five-car garage, an elevator, a wine cellar, and a recreational area.
The backyard has a pool and outdoor kitchen with a built-in grill. There is also a guest house with one bedroom and one bathroom. Kevin tried to sell this home for $20 million in 2022 but ended up selling it for $12.67 million in 2023.