How Much Money Does Oscar Winners Make Moving Forward?

Winning an Academy Award spells like an incredibly great thing for your career. Indeed, it is. The Oscars is certainly that milestone—aside from earning bragging rights, the award more often than not skyrockets your market value. But, just in case you wondered if there was a cash prize involved in bringing home the award, the answer is a no (albeit a yes, if you’re considering things in the long haul).

BUT, there’s no denying that moving forward, winners can expect a steep pay hike. While the values may vary from actor to actor, on an average, winners can ascertain a 60% salary boost. Established actors might not really enjoy a gigantic pay hike, but the aftermath of bagging an Oscar is an indefinitely good idea.

As per a media report, Halle Berry bagged a whopping 98% boost after her 2002 Oscar win for Monster's Ball. This was a massive shift from an average salary of $118,750 before her win to $6.5 million after. And, well, she’s not alone—Tom Hanks also saw a 93% boost after his first Oscar win for 1994's Philadelphia, which is a direct rise from $700,000 per movie to dizzying $10 million. But, this hasn’t been a trend all through. Kate Winslet didn’t strike gold immediately after her big win—she went from around $2 million to $2.5 million after winning Best Actress for The Reader in 2009.

Breaking it down in simple terms, an Oscar award comes with helluva benefits—the snazzy “swag bag” for instance. If high-end goodies are your thing (which we assume most definitely is) then count that in. Nominees get to bring home a huge hamper, which is essentially over-the-top bags that contain an estimated $215,000 worth of items.

Let’s go a step further. If you’re wondering whether a winner in question can sell their Academy award, here’s what you need to know: As per Academy rules, winners can now put up their coveted statues on a bid. But, there’s a catch: the award must first be offered to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for $1.

While it might seem like a tempting move to put up an Oscar for sale, it’s probably the last thing on the minds of the nominees and winners. Like who’d want to give that away. Like who?