Penn Badgley
- Net worth $18 million
- Birthday November 1, 1986
- Status -
- Country United States
- Source(-s) of wealth Actor, Podcaster
How much is Penn Badgley Worth? Penn Badgley Net Worth in 2026
Penn Badgley’s net worth is estimated at $18 million as of October 2026. Penn Badgley is an American actor best known as Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl and as Joe Goldberg in the thriller You, which ran from 2018 to April 2025. The biggest driver of the wealth is the You salary across five seasons, followed by Gossip Girl pay and later projects.
| Net worth | $18 million (Alux estimate) |
| Estimated annual income | About $1.5 million (Alux estimate, outside a You season) |
| Born | November 1, 1986, Baltimore, Maryland (age 39) |
| Country | United States |
| Known for | You, Gossip Girl, the Podcrushed podcast |
| Main income sources | TV salaries, film roles, podcast, music |
How much is Penn Badgley worth in 2026?
Our estimate is $18 million. Public net worth figures run from single-digit millions to the low twenties, and the pay numbers for You come from sites that cite nothing.
What we can say is structural. He starred in You for five seasons across Lifetime and Netflix, the longest and best-paid role of his career, after six seasons of Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012 when he was a young cast member. Reports of his You pay range from about $125,000 to above $1 million an episode, which tells you the numbers are guesses. Netflix does not disclose it.
A ten-episode season at the middle of that range is a seven-figure payday, and five seasons, plus a podcast and film roles, support a low eight-figure total. We picked $18 million after taxes, management and agent costs, and everyday living in New York, and we treat it as an estimate. The range is wide because child-actor earnings from his early years, such as The Young and the Restless, are also unknown, and because a podcast with a growing guest list can add real advertising income that is never reported.
How Penn Badgley built it
- Started young. He had early roles including The Young and the Restless.
- Stayed with Gossip Girl. He played Dan Humphrey for six seasons from 2007 to 2012.
- Led a long running thriller. He starred in You for five seasons, the longest and best paid role of his career.
Learn the wealth mindset behind Penn Badgley’s career in the Alux app.
Get the Alux appPenn Badgley in 2026: what he has been been working on
- July 2025: He was announced as the lead, with Meghann Fahy, of the romantic comedy You Deserve Each Other, based on Sarah Hogle’s novel.
- April 2025: You ended its run on Netflix, according to his reference biography.
- Ongoing: He cohosts the podcast Podcrushed, launched on May 18, 2022 with Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari, with guests including Drew Barrymore and Conan O’Brien.
- 2026: We found no verified new release date for You Deserve Each Other, so treat the film as in development.
How Penn Badgley makes money
- TV salaries: You (2018 to 2025) is the main source. Per-episode pay is not public.
- Gossip Girl: Six seasons from 2007 to 2012 as Dan Humphrey, which made him a name.
- Podcast: Podcrushed has run since May 2022 with a roster of high-profile guests; ad revenue is not public.
- Film and music: Roles in Easy A and Margin Call, and a band, MOTHXR, which released its debut album Centerfold in February 2016.
What Penn Badgley teaches (and what to take from it)
Pick the project over the persona
Badgley first turned down Gossip Girl before accepting it, and later chose the darker part in You. This week: identify one role at work that would stretch you rather than fit your image.
Let a side channel grow
His podcast started in 2022 and now sits alongside acting. Try this: pick a low-pressure format, such as a weekly voice note, and record three episodes.
Ask questions of people who are different
Podcrushed guests range from comedians to singers. Start small: ask one person outside your field for twenty minutes.
End a long job gracefully
You finished after seven years. Over the next seven days: write what you want to be known for in your next role, not only what you did in the last.
Career timeline
- 2000 to 2001: Plays Phillip Chancellor IV on The Young and the Restless.
- 2002: Stars in Do Over on The WB.
- 2007 to 2012: Plays Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl.
- 2010: Appears in Easy A.
- 2011: Appears in Margin Call.
- 2016: MOTHXR releases the album Centerfold on February 26.
- 2018: Begins You as Joe Goldberg.
- 2022: Launches Podcrushed on May 18.
- 2025: You ends; cast in You Deserve Each Other.
Early life and background
Penn Dayton Badgley was born on November 1, 1986, in Baltimore, Maryland. He began on daytime television as a teenager in The Young and the Restless.
He moved into network drama with Do Over and The Mountain, then film roles such as John Tucker Must Die.
Penn Badgley net worth FAQ
What is Penn Badgley’s net worth?
Our estimate is $18 million as of October 2026, built from You, Gossip Girl and his other work.
How much did Penn Badgley make from You?
It has not been confirmed. Online guesses range from about $125,000 to more than $1 million an episode, so we treat the pay as a seven-figure range per season.
How old is Penn Badgley?
He was born on November 1, 1986, so he is 39.
What is Penn Badgley known for?
He is known for playing Joe Goldberg in You and Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl.
Does Penn Badgley have a podcast?
Yes. Podcrushed launched on May 18, 2022.
How is Penn Badgley’s net worth estimated?
We model salaries from his major series, add film and podcast income and compare the total with public estimates.
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How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
Last updated: October 2026.