How Much Oprah Winfrey, Snooki, and Other Stars Earn Per Year

USMagazine, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 3:28pm (PDT)

How's that for a payday?

A fascinating list on Parade.com details the outrageous paychecks actors, singers, politicians, pro athletes, and other famous figures will see in the coming year.

Though even she admits her OWN network--which launched in January 2011--may have been a mistake, as the CEO of HARPO Oprah Winfrey is still slated to rake in $290 million this year.

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Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins' paycheck will amount to approximately $10 million; American Idol host Ryan Seacrest will pull in about $15 million; and Dark Shadows star Johnny Depp will bank a cool $50 million.

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Reality TV's favorite reformed party girl, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi--who is currently engaged, expecting her first child, and filming a Jersey Shore spinoff with pal Jenni "JWOWW" Farley--is expected to earn a whopping $1.6 million this year.

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Slightly more encouraging? The list also details celebrities' pre-fame earnings.

As a humble guidette from Poughkeepsie, NY, MTV paid Snooki a modest $45,000 for Season 1 of Jersey Shore. Before she hit it big on American Idol, Carrie Underwood earned less than $16,000 a year as a struggling waitress in Oklahoma, and Jon Hamm earned about $14,350 a year waiting tables in L.A.--though he'll receive a $2.3 million paycheck for Mad Men this year.

Tell Us: Which famous figure do you think most deserves his or her major payday?

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