Mariska Hargitay And Her Husband, Peter Hermann's Career And Net Worth Explored, Know Who Is Richer

Mariska Hargitay is a well-known American actress, producer, and director. At the beginning of her career, Mariska appeared in Ronnie Milsap's music video for She Loves My Car back in 1984. Since then, her career has been smooth sailing, as she has appeared on a number of television programmes, including All-American Girl, Baywatch, Gabriel's Fire, thirtysomething, and more. However, Mariska is best known for her role as ‘Olivia Benson' on the hit series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. 

Recently, in March 2026, Mariska Hargitay became one of the most celebrated women leaders of the year, receiving a prestigious honour at the TIME Women of the Year Leadership Forum. As she continues to make strides in her professional life, the one person who has supported her is her husband, Peter Hermann. Well, with both of them being in the entertainment industry, the topic of their wealth and who is richer between the two has always been on fans' minds. If you, too, are curious to know about the same, let's compare Mariska's net worth with that of her husband, Peter Hermann.   

Mariska Hargitay's career and net worth  

Even before Mariska made her on-screen debut with the 1985 film, Ghoulies, she was well known as the daughter of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay, who raised her since she was just a baby. A few years after her debut, Mariska came into the spotlight in 1999 when she was cast in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where she played the role of ‘Detective Olivia Benson'. For those unaware, she has played the role for over 26 years now. This essentially makes ‘Olivia’ the longest-running character in the history of American primetime dramas.  

If reports are believed to be true, Mariska makes a whopping USD 500,000 per episode of Law & Order: SVU. While her base pay is reported to be around USD 11 million per season, if Mariska earns royalties for the syndication of Law & Order: SVU, it could be around USD 2 million to USD 4 million for just this one series alone. Although we cannot verify whether she truly earns royalties from the show, many reports suggest that, if she does, Mariska could live off them for the rest of her life. 

To mention one thing, she also serves as a producer on the series. After making further appearances in other TV and film projects, Mariska launched her own production company in 2025 called Mighty Heart Entertainment. Reportedly, its first project was Mariska's feature directorial debut, My Mom Jayne.   

Due to her decades-long career and stint on Law & Order: SVU, Mariska's net worth in 2026 is estimated at around USD 100 million, according to a report by celebritiynetworth.com. To note, she is currently ranked as one of the highest-paid actors in television as well as the highest-paid female actor in TV.  

Peter Hermann's career and net worth  

Mariska's husband, Peter Hermann, made his on-screen debut over a decade after his wife, in 1997, when he was cast in a recurring role in Guiding Light. Following that, Peter made brief appearances in shows like Get Real, Law & Order: SVU, Sex and the City, 30 Rock, and Beautiful People, to name a few. Despite this, Peter Hermann became best known for his 2012 stint on CBS's beloved police procedural, Blue Bloods. For those unaware, on the show, Peter portrayed the character of ‘Jack Boyle,' a defence attorney and the amicable ex-husband of Bridget Moynahan's ‘Erin Reagan.' He played the role for more than a decade until the show finally ended in 2024.  

Another one of Peter's most notable roles was in 2015 when he was cast as ‘Charles Brooks’ in the TVLand hit, Younger. To mention, ‘Charles’ was the head and heir of a prestigious publishing house called Empirical Press. This is the same place that employs the protagonist, Sutton Foster's ‘Liza Miller,’ who is a 40-year-old divorcee pretending to be in her 20s.  

In season 1 of Younger, Peter was actually a recurring star and was promoted to a series regular in the very next season. He stayed on the show until its conclusion in 2021. Some of the most notable storylines we saw on Younger, which included him, were his work with Empirical, his relationship with his employees, and his most important on-and-off relationship with ‘Liza.’  

Apart from acting, Peter Hermann is known for his endorsements and for his work as a writer and producer. To mention, he has also been named as the creative director of his wife, Mariska's, production company. Furthermore, he and Mariska share several properties throughout the country, most notably their primary home in East Hampton. As a result of this, Peter's estimated net worth is reportedly USD 20 million.  

After comparing Mariska Hargitay's net worth and her husband, Peter Hermann's net worth, it is clear as day that Mariska is richer than Peter. So, what are your thoughts on Mariska's career and net worth as compared to Peter Hermann? Let us know.  

Also read: Mariska Hargitay And Peter Hermann's Love Story, From 'Law & Order' Set To Adopting Two Children

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