Readers of a certain age may remember Neil Patrick Harris as the pint-sized kid doctor from the early ‘90s ABC series Doogie Howser, M.D. Or they may recall his film debut alongside Whoopi Goldberg in the 1988 drama Clara’s Heart. Back then, there was no way of knowing just how successful this ambitious child actor would become. After more than three decades in the biz, he’s conquered both the stage and screen. So just how much does this multi-talented performer make? Here’s a look at Neil Patrick Harris’ net worth.
Neil Patrick Harris’ Impressive Acting Career
Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 15, 1973. He got his big break when he was just 12 years old, after being “discovered” by playwright Mark Medoff while attending a week-long drama camp. Medoff had written a screenplay for a movie called Clara’s Heart and thought Harris would be perfect for a major part in it.
While the movie was only a moderate success, critics were impressed by the young Harris. His performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture, as well as a Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film.
Less than a year later, Harris nabbed the lead role on Doogie Howser, M.D., a show about a 16-year-old kid who was also a licensed doctor. The show was a huge hit and made him one of the hottest young stars of the early ‘90s. The show ran for four seasons, from 1989 to 1993.
In the early-to-mid 2000s, Harris scored a number of movie roles, including a memorable cameo as himself in the hit stoner comedy, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. He returned to TV in 2005 as womanizer Barney Stinson in the CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. During the nine-year run of the show, Harris received four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
While Harris never took home an Emmy for his portrayal of Barney Stinson, he did win the trophy in 2010 for a guest appearance on Glee. He also won in 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014 for his gig as host of the Tony Awards.
On top of all of this, Harris has lent his voice to a slew of movies and TV shows, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Adventure Time, and Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. He’s also become well-known for playing Count Olaf on the Netflix hit, A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Harris’ Non-Acting Pursuits
A true jack of all trades, Harris is also involved in pursuits outside of the stage and screen. The 48-year-old multi-tasker is a trained magician, which he says is not that different from his day job as an actor.
“There’s a big connection between magic and acting and I think similarly there’s magic in a lot of the things that we just do in our in our day-to-day interactions,” Harris said in a 2019 interview. “Because if you think about it, when you’re watching a magician perform a trick, he’s explaining the facts of what’s happening, ‘Pick a card you’re going to put it in the deck. I’ll shuffle the deck. The card is lost in the deck. I’m going to make it appear in an interesting way.’ But those are facts that he’s just explaining to you. Those may not be the actual facts. And so in enacting there are facts of a script but you’re able to act around it and fill it in.”
In addition to being a magician, Harris has released two of his own board games, Box One and Amazed: The Game. He is also a published author. He wrote a memoir, Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography, and penned a series of Young Adult books called The Magic Misfits.
His Gifts That Keep On Giving
In addition to being a versatile performer, it’s clear that Harris also has a kind and loving heart. He donates to more than two dozen charitable organizations, including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and Food Bank For New York City. He’s also a devoted father to the two children (twins!) he shares with his husband, David Burtka. In fact, Harris says that raising kids has had a big impact on how he looks at the world and the causes he aligns himself with.
“I think what I’ve learned the most is that rigidity is your enemy, and fluidity is way more helpful,” he said in a 2016 interview. “You have to stand firm on your beliefs, but your beliefs may change based on something that your kids do or the way that they process something, so giving up that rigidity has been helpful in easing me of some tension.”
Harris also says being a dad has given him a newfound appreciation for schoolteachers. In 2019, the Genius Junior host partnered with AdoptAClassroom, a non-profit dedicated to helping teachers get much-needed school supplies. As part of the partnership, Harris sponsors brands that have agreed to donate a portion of their profits to the organization.
“Teachers are so giving and selfless and even dig out of pocket to get pencils and Kleenex and things that kids need because they’re passionate about their job,” Harris explained in a 2019 interview. “And they’re not acknowledged enough for it.”
Neil Patrick Harris’ Net Worth
So, just how much does Neil Patrick Harris make? According to Celebrity Net Worth, he has a net worth of about $50 million. While we can only speculate, it seems like NPH is a level-headed guy who probably saved wisely during his Doogie Howser days.
It’s also reported that he earned $225,000 per episode on How I Met Your Mother, which aired a total of 208 episodes over its nine-year run. And while we don’t know the exact number, we’re sure he was paid handsomely for his three-year stint on A Series of Unfortunate Events, which has been both a critical and financial success for Netflix.
It’s clear that Harris is also quite savvy when it comes to managing his finances. The 47-year-old actor is a cryptocurrency investor who started backing the technology at an early stage. “I remember when I first heard about Bitcoin; like most people, I didn’t fully understand it but at the time the price of Bitcoin was so low I figured I could give it a shot without risking too much,” he said in a 2021 interview with Forbes. “Now, my investment has grown tremendously and multiplied in value, even major corporations and traditional investors are all jumping on the bandwagon.”
The Gone Girl actor has also been wise about his real estate investments. In 2014, he and his husband put their six-bedroom, 4,191-square-foot home in Sherman Oaks, California, on the market for $2.995 million. And in August of 2021, the couple put their Harlem, New York, brownstone up for sale with a $7.325 million asking price. Back in 2016, the pair upped its value by making extensive renovations to the single-family, 8,000-square-foot home.