If you’ve ever sat on your couch on a Tuesday night wondering how a family that basically started with a leaked tape and a dream ended up owning half the brands in your makeup bag, you aren't alone. We’ve all been there. It’s been years since the original show wrapped, but the question of how much is Keeping Up with the Kardashians worth is still a moving target that makes Wall Street look boring.
Honestly, the numbers are kind of terrifying.
When Keeping Up with the Kardashians (KUWTK) first aired in 2007, the family was reportedly pulling in about $15,000 per episode. Total. Split between everyone. By the time they signed their final massive renewal with E! in 2017, that number had ballooned into a $150 million contract. That’s not even counting the Hulu move, which we’ll get into later. But if you’re looking for a single "net worth" for a TV show, you’re looking at it the wrong way.
The show isn't just a show. It's the world's most successful, longest-running infomercial.
The Massive Payouts: Breaking Down the Contracts
You can’t talk about the value of this franchise without looking at the raw cash E!—and later Disney—poured into the Jenner-Kardashian bank accounts.
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In the early days, they were just another reality family. But by 2015, they were essentially the only thing keeping the lights on at E! Network. They signed a $100 million deal then, which at the time felt like an insane gamble for a cable network. It wasn’t. It paid off in ad revenue, international syndication, and digital clips that lived forever on YouTube.
Then came the 2017 renewal. That $150 million figure covered five cycles of the show. If you do the math—and Kris Jenner definitely did—that meant each season was worth roughly **$30 million**.
The Hulu Pivot
When the family moved to Hulu in 2022 (rebranding simply as The Kardashians), the stakes changed. Insiders have confirmed that the deal was in the nine-figure range. We're talking at least $100 million, but likely closer to $150 million again for a multi-season commitment.
Why the move? Simple.
- Ownership: They wanted more control over the narrative.
- Streaming Economics: In 2026, linear cable is basically a ghost town. Hulu needed the "stickiness" of the Kardashian fanbase to prevent subscriber churn.
- Global Rights: Disney (which owns Hulu) has the infrastructure to blast this show into every country on earth simultaneously.
Just this month, in January 2026, Hulu made a massive power move by acquiring the U.S. streaming rights to all 20 seasons of the original KUWTK library. Previously, it was bouncing around between Peacock and other platforms. Now, the "Kardashian Universe" is consolidated. That library deal alone is worth tens of millions in licensing fees because people—weirdly enough—still want to watch Kim lose her diamond earring in the ocean in 4K.
How Much is Keeping Up with the Kardashians Worth as a Marketing Engine?
This is where the "expert" analysis usually gets it wrong. They look at the salary. They forget the leverage.
Marketing experts estimate that a 30-second organic mention of a brand like Skims or Kylie Cosmetics inside an episode is worth roughly $500,000 to $1.5 million in "free" media exposure. If Kim wears a specific Skims bodysuit in a scene where she’s crying about her private jet, that bodysuit will sell out in three minutes.
You can't buy that kind of authentic-ish product placement anywhere else.
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Let's look at the "worth" through the lens of the businesses the show built:
- Skims: Valued at roughly $4 billion as of late 2025/early 2026.
- Kylie Cosmetics: Coty bought a 51% stake for $600 million back in 2019, valuing the brand at over a billion at the time.
- Good American: Khloé’s denim brand cleared $1 million in sales on its very first day.
The show is essentially a loss leader. Even if they filmed the show for free (which they obviously don't), the "worth" would still be in the billions because it provides the constant, 24/7 relevance required to keep these brands alive.
The "Momager" Tax: Kris Jenner’s 10%
We have to talk about Kris. She is the architect.
As the manager for all her children, Kris takes a 10% cut of everything. Every episode salary? 10%. Every Skims equity flip? 10%. Every licensing deal for old episodes? 10%.
Her personal net worth is currently estimated around $170 million, but her "influence value" is much higher. She pioneered the "always-on" content strategy that every TikTok influencer tries to copy today. She understood before anyone else that in the attention economy, being "hated" is just as profitable as being "loved," as long as people are still watching.
Is the Value Dropping in 2026?
There’s a lot of talk lately about "Kardashian fatigue." You’ve probably seen the comments. People say they’re over the scripted drama and the perfectly filtered lifestyles.
But the data tells a different story.
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Even if the "prestige" of the show has dipped, the catalog value has skyrocketed. In the 2026 streaming landscape, "comfort TV" is king. People want to put on something they’ve already seen while they fold laundry. KUWTK is the ultimate laundry-folding show. That makes those 20 seasons of library content an incredibly stable asset for Disney/Hulu.
Why the "Value" is Hard to Pin Down
If you’re looking for a hard number on how much is Keeping Up with the Kardashians worth, you have to combine three things:
- Production Salaries: ~$15-20 million per lead cast member per year.
- Library/Syndication Value: Estimated at $400-$600 million for the total 20-season run in perpetuity.
- Ancillary Wealth: The $5+ billion in enterprise value of the companies (Skims, Kylie Cosmetics, 818 Tequila) that wouldn't exist without the show's platform.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Wealth
Most people think the Kardashians are "famous for being famous." In 2026, that’s a pretty outdated take. They are actually a vertically integrated media conglomerate.
They own the distribution (the show), the marketing (their 1 billion+ combined social followers), and the product (the brands). Most celebrities have to pay a middleman for one of those three things. The Kardashians don’t. That’s why their "worth" is so much higher than a traditional actor or athlete.
What You Should Do Next
If you're trying to track the actual financial footprint of this family, stop looking at their Instagram likes and start looking at their corporate filings.
- Watch the Skims IPO: Rumors of Skims going public have been swirling for a year. If that happens in 2026, Kim’s personal net worth could easily jump another billion, proving the show's "worth" as a launchpad is still peaked.
- Check the Streaming Charts: Keep an eye on the "Nielsen Streaming Top 10." If the old E! episodes stay in the charts after the Hulu move on February 17, 2026, it proves the franchise has "Friends" or "The Office" levels of longevity.
- Analyze the Spin-offs: The value of the main show is often tied to how well it can launch sub-brands (like Life of Kylie or The Kardashians specials). If the "universe" expands, the valuation of the base IP goes up.
The show isn't just a reality series anymore; it's a historical record of the 21st-century's pivot to digital fame. Whether you love them or change the channel, the business of being a Kardashian is worth more now than it ever was when they were just "Keeping Up."