Hargitay Reportedly Earns Nearly $850,000 Per SVU Episode

Mariska Hargitay reportedly earns nearly $850,000 per episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as the NBC drama marks its 600th episode with the return of Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler. The pay figure, reported as covering Hargitay’s work as the show’s star and an executive producer, has not been independently confirmed in the reporting reviewed.

The milestone episode, titled “Obedience,” aired November 12. It brings Stabler back alongside Hargitay’s Olivia Benson as the former partners reopen an old case. Meloni left the series as a regular in 2011 and has made guest appearances since.

Hargitay has played Benson since the show premiered in 1999 and has been an executive producer since season 15. She became the series’ lead after Meloni’s departure. The reported per-episode amount is attributed to a Variety report; the supplied coverage does not include a contract, payroll record or direct confirmation from Hargitay or NBC.

The episode also centers on Benson’s personal journey. Hargitay said the story examines women having or giving up their voice, power and instincts, themes she described as important because many women identify with them. The plot also revisits the...