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Comedy is a difficult, demanding job, thanks to the scrutiny of others, tons of competition, and the need to stay on top of current trends in order to remain fresh and funny. However, the rewards for being a top stand-up comedian can be huge, with most successful stand-up comics going on to have major success in other projects, whether that be film or television.

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Because of that, many of the world's top comedians end up being incredibly rich from their various projects, and within this article, we will rank the 10 richest stand-up comedians of all time.

Ricky Gervais (Net Worth: $110 Million)

Ricky Gervais has recently returned to doing stand-up comedy, with the popular celebrity admitting that it's his greatest passion. The incredibly funny British comedian is going to tour the world with new material.

Gervais is often controversial given the fact that he doesn't hold back with any of his thoughts, saying things that may offend some but simply not caring, often bringing religion into his material, while trashing the human race in general. With a net worth of $110 million, Gervais has done incredibly well for himself, with his successful career in both television and movies all starting from the fact he was, and still is, an excellent comic.

Bill Murray (Net Worth: $140 Million)

While people might instantly jump to the acting career of Bill Murray, thinking about his roles in movies such as Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day, the only reason he was able to get to that stage in life was due to his incredible comedy career.

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Murray is always hilarious onscreen because he's a funny person in real life, too, with his stand-up comedy being absolutely fantastic. While the vast majority of Murray's $140 million has undoubtedly come from his career in the movie business, there can be no taking away from his excellence as a comedian.

Kevin Hart (Net Worth: $150 Million)

He might be the butt of a lot of small person jokes, mainly from his friend Dwayne Johnson, but Kevin Hart certainly knows how to tell a joke as well, with his comedy career being a huge success. With a net worth of $150 million already in his career, it's clear to see just what comedy has done for him, with Hart using it as a launching platform to push himself into stardom within the movie industry.

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However, unlike many who go on to have huge fame and success outside of stand-up, Hart has firmly kept his feet in that world, with his tours continuing to sell out arenas around the world.

Jim Carrey (Net Worth: $150 Million)

Also with a net worth of $150 million, Jim Carrey is another perfect example of a stand-up comedian who has gone on to have unbelievable success in the world of Hollywood, taking his unique comedic style into the movie-making industry.

Carrey does have his own style of comedy, and you either love it or loathe it, but as you can tell by the success he has had in life, the vast majority of the public absolutely love his work, whether it be in movies or just straight stand-up. Having appeared in the likes of The Mask, Dumb & Dumber, and Ace Ventura, Carrey's love for physical comedy has really been showcased, as well as his ability to make an audience fall in love with a character.

Drew Crey (Net Worth: $165 Million)

Much like everyone else on this list, Drew Carey has taken his career to incredible heights, becoming a major television star and someone who is known all around the world, growing a net worth of $165 million in the process.

Carey is best known for The Drew Carey Show, although his career began via stand-up comedy, where Carey proved just how funny he was at simply telling jokes with the spotlight on him alone. The comedian has also gone on to be involved with shows like, Whose Line Is It Anyway? and The Price Is Right, remaining a popular figure to this day.

Jay Leno (Net Worth: $350 Million)

We are taking a huge leap in terms of finance here, with Jay Leno's net worth reportedly being an incredible $350 million, which just goes to show how far a career in comedy can take someone.

Leno is now best known for his talk show, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, which aired on NBC and drew, on average, 4 million viewers each time, proving just how popular he became with America. While the show involved interviews and news items, Leno always made sure that comedy was at the core of everything he did, keeping the nation laughing no matter how hard the times were.

Larry David (Net Worth: $400 Million)

Larry David is a beloved comedian who has made an incredibly successful career for himself, growing a net worth of $400 million, with his career spanning several decades. While he's well known for his stand-up comedy or work on the popular show SNL, his greatest achievements came working as a writer for comedy, particularly with his huge influence on the show, Seinfeld.

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This went on to become one of the greatest sitcoms ever, and a large part of that success was due to David's amazing writing talents.

Adam Sandler (Net Worth: $420 Million)

Adam Sandler is a name and a face known all around the world for his incredible acting career, with Sandler having appeared in some of the greatest comedy movies of all time, from Big Daddy to Happy Gilmore growing him a net worth of $420 million.

However, even though Sandler has gone on to become one of the wealthiest actors in the entire world, building a huge empire for himself, with his own production company, Happy Gilmore, he began his career as a stand-up comedian. Of course, things went on to become far too hectic in Sandler's life to remain touring, but he did recently return to the stand-up world for some shows that were part of a deal with Netflix.

Ellen DeGeneres (Net Worth: $500 Million)

Ellen DeGeneres is America's sweetheart, with very few celebrities being as beloved and universally popular as she is, with her talk show, The Ellen Show, being one of the most popular shows in America.

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However, even though her amazing $500 million net worth has come through her work on television, and films, where she provides the voice for the animated Pixar character, Dory, in Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, it all started with stand-up comedy. Ellen was hugely popular as a stand-up comic, becoming an instant hit, and even though she took a big break from it, she has recently returned to stand-up with a new Netflix show.

Jerry Seinfeld (Net Worth: $950 Million)

That's right, Jerry Seinfeld is almost a billionaire, which doesn't just make him the richest stand-up comedian in history, it makes him one of the richest people on Earth, which is absolutely incredible. The fact that someone can have a net worth of $950 million from a career in comedy is mindboggling, and it's truly a testament to how hard Seinfeld has worked, always continuing to do stand-up no matter how many other projects he had going on.

Jerry Seinfeld is best known for co-creating the show, Seinfeld, one of the most popular television series of all time, playing a big part in his wealth.

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