Here's How Much Pete Davidson Is Really Worth

Okay, a show of hands. How many of you thought of Pete Davidson as a household name before 2018? Same. The Saturday Night Live star would even agree with you. "It's all bullsh*t. GQ wouldn't hit me up if I didn't recently get engaged to a super-famous person," he told GQ during a 2018 interview. "Nobody gives a sh*t, you know what I mean?"

That's all changed since his high-profile romance with pop star Ariana Grande, but his burgeoning comedy and film career has the potential to keep him on the A-list for years to come. His controversial comedy and wild man persona has connected with audiences and garnered tons of fans. "I feel like he says what we're all thinking," stand-up comedian Ricky Velez told Complex. "He takes his insecurities and throws them out onstage. And he's just really funny, man."

So how is all this funny paying off? Grab a table, preferably in the front row, and let's find out how much Pete Davidson is really worth.

What were you spending your money on at 16? Don't tell us. We're not trying to make you feel bad, but Pete Davidson was already hustling to build his brand at that age. According to Interview magazine, the Staten Island kid "spent the money he made bussing tables on transportation to and entry fees for open-mic shows all around the city, performing at three or four per night." His material was highly sensitive and delved into his horrifying personal experiences — like his father's death during on 9/11. "Things that I feel really sad about, I talk about. That way, if it's funny, it doesn't hurt anymore," he explained.

Speaking of Davidson's early hustle, Nick Cannon shared an anecdote with Entertainment Tonight about discovering the teenage comic. "I used to have a radio show in NYC in the mornings and this kid called in one day, 15 years old and said, 'I want to open up for you doing stand-up.' I was like, 'Yeah, all right, tell me a joke.' He told me a joke and I was like, 'This kid is pretty funny'... I took him on the road with me." This break led to opportunities on Cannon's MTV hit improv show Wild 'N Out and other shows on the network. It's unclear what Davidson was pulling down those days, but we assume it was more than babysitting or working the counter at Burger King like most teenagers.

If Pete Davidson ever wins an award, he has to thank Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in his speech at some point, because they were responsible for his big break. "I was so lucky. Amy Schumer is a good friend, and she called me up to do a bit part in Trainwreck," Davidson told Maxim. "She said, 'It's going to be a three-person scene, we're going to improvise some lines, and the scene will be you, me, and Bill Hader.'" Trainwreck was Davidson's first big Hollywood film, and the 2015 comedy made a killing at the box office, so the exposure alone was probably worth more than his paycheck. 

But Davidson got more than some cheddar and publicity from the film. He got cast on Saturday Night Live after hitting it off with Hader. "So it was really fun, and not long after that, Bill calls and says, 'Hey, buddy, I recommended you to [SNL Producer Lorne Michaels]. You're going to need to come in and audition,'" Davidson told Maxim. The rest is history, friends.

Joining the ranks of Anthony Michael Hall (17) and Eddie Murphy (19), Pete Davidson, at 20-years-old, was one of the youngest cast members to join Saturday Night Live and the first to be born in the '90s. The only other cast member to join the legendary sketch comedy show at age 20? Iron Man himself, Robert Downey, Jr. That has to be a good omen, right?

While we're not sure exactly how much Davidson makes per episode, that's not the point, because according to Forbes, "the show itself isn't known for its high paychecks" but "has long been a step on the road to comedic gold." Chris Rock. Amy Poehler. Tina Fey. Will Ferrell. Adam Sandler — the list of household names who got their start on the most famous comedy show in the world goes on and on. And with Davidson joining at such a young age, his bank account's future looks very bright.

Although Pete Davidson's whirlwind romance with Ariana Grande didn't work out like he planned, Forbes reported that dating the "Thank U Next" songstress was awesome for his bottom line. "This Ariana thing has raised his profile enough that he could get a good role in TV," an anonymous Hollywood producer told the publication. "Don't think leading man is necessarily his future. But there are people who legit see him as a nerd sex symbol because of Ariana. This is his moment."

We're willing to bet there is a large percentage of people who had never heard of Davidson before he was romantically involved with Grande, but his career has taken off since. According to Forbes, Davidson has the potential to "slot into roles at the Andy Samberg level" and has numerous projects lined up "for 2019 and beyond," including "What Men Want, Going Places and Big Time Adolescence." Pro tip: if you're a relatively unknown comic and actor, ask Grande out on a date. You never know.

If you're wondering what Pete Davidson's disposable income looks like, all you need to know is that he dropped an estimated $93,000 on a massive 3-carat engagement ring for Ariana Grande. Maybe. According to the New York Post, Davidson may have received a deal "in exchange for providing tons of publicity" for the jeweler. "It adds a huge value, not only to the brand, the designer — such as Neil Lane or anyone, but of course it's going to drive prices up," said Tracey Khan, a publicist for Neil Lane.

Unfortunately for Davidson, that rock didn't stay on the "7 Rings" singer's finger for long. She reportedly returned the pear-shaped diamond to him after they split, but just like buying a brand new car, a diamond ring loses value as soon as you drive off the fairy tale lot. After speaking to jewelry-buyer Mark Kandinov, The Cut reports that Davidson could "expect to take a 30 to 50 percent loss on the initial price of the ring" if he sold it. Yep, love hurts.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Pete Davidson came out in a Mortal Kombat t-shirt and sneakers and talked at length about the popular fighting game. "There's this guy that I really like to kill in it because he looks like a real douchebag,' Davidson said. "This guy Johnny Cage, so he does splits and punches you in the d**k — it's his special move. And he just looks like everybody I grew up with in Staten Island, so I just kill that dude." He joked, "Also he has like a hot daughter, which is like weird because I'm lonely and she's, like, not real. So there's that in the video game as well. Sexual confusion."

So why all the Mortal Kombat love? "Well, they are paying me to be here to talk about it," Davidson quipped. "I'm trying to get a helicopter to Coachella." A true entrepreneur understands different revenue streams. Getting paid to play and talk about video games? If his comedy career doesn't pan out, Davidson has a future on YouTube and Twitch at least. These days, you really do need a fallback plan.

In an October 2015 profile in The New York Times, we learned what Pete Davidson like to spend his newfound wealth on — and we can't say we blame him. The article begins by noting that the comedian showed up in a pair of "$1,200 Don C Air Jordan 2s" and his "new Mercedes G-class S.U.V." Hey, he's in his twenties and rich. Those are just necessary purchases at that age. However, his mother reportedly won't let him get too wild with his wallet. Davidson revealed that she "handles his bills for him," but there may be another culprit that drains his bank account: Twitter. "I feel like every time I tweet, I lose money," he said. 

Luckily, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine guest star has some friends to help him out if he fires off a controversial social media comment. "If he posts something stupid on Instagram or Twitter, we figuratively backhand him, like: 'What are you doing? Take that down,'" fellow comic Amy Schumer told the NYT.

Pete Davidson saved a lot of money by living in Ariana Grande's apartment, but after the breakup, he needed to find another place to crash. During a 2019 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he revealed he had a new roommate: his mom. "We bought a house together, but nobody believes that," Davidson said of his Staten Island spot. "I live with my mom, kinda, so I have like a basement that's like mine that's like an apartment, so I live underneath her, so I'm getting like a little arcade set up down there trying to make it ... mine."

Davidson is downplaying this purchase, because according to a public listing of the property obtained by Page Six, the "house" is a 3,042 square foot, four-bedroom abode with an estimated value of $4 million. Real estate records show Davidson and his mother paid $1.3 million for the place. You have to appreciate a great bargain. Of course, Davidson had a few jokes about his basement dwelling. "I was calling it 'The Man Cave,' but the Mulaneys told me if I call it that they would no longer be my friend," Davidson said of his friend and former SNL writer, John Mulaney, and his wife. "Now I call it 'The Basement' like The Ohio State University. It means something — I don't like that college — It's the 'the' that's important."

How would feel about accidentally paying for Kanye's dinner after he went full Kanye at Nobu? Probably not great. Well, this happened to Pete Davidson when he was invited to the swank restaurant for Kid Cudi's birthday. "I got there a little early so I could give them my card," Davidson recalled during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, "so I could buy my boy a birthday dinner." That's when it happened.

"Timothée Chalamet shows up," Davidson explained. "And Cudi goes, 'Hey, Kim and Kanye might come by.' And then I was like, 'That would be awesome.' And then I was like, 'Oh no.' Once Kanye showed up, he demanded the group go to 'the special room in the back.'" Then the financial panic hilariously kicked in for Davidson. "We're sitting in there, and I'm, like, texting my touring agent — I'm like, 'Yo, you've got to book more shows,'" he explained. When they all sat down, it got worse for Davidson's wallet. When the server asked for Kanye's order, the rapper supposedly replied, "I want that stuff that's not even on the menu — that crazy stuff." 

Davidson went on to say that Kim and Kanye were "very sweet," but what about that bill? "It actually wasn't as bad as you'd think, but, you know, it's not like it's Applebee's," Davidson joked. "It's Nobu, you know, which is like 77 Applebee'ses."

After his relationship with Ariana Grande imploded, Pete Davidson had a brief fling with actress Kate Beckinsale, but their almost 20-year age difference sent the press into a tizzy and spawned a million memes. The whole rebound thing soon fizzled out, but the young comic does have a good thing going with another big name: Hollywood. 

Critics are raving about his turn as a burnout pal in the 2019 coming-of-age comedy Big Time Adolescence. Not only does the movie hold an amazing 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but film critic Richard Lawson couldn't say enough good things about it and Davidson after watching the flick at the Sundance Film Festival. In his review for Vanity Fair, Lawson said the movie "legit ... fresh and humanely funny," noting that it "sings the most when Davidson is on-screen, shuffling around with his lanky gait, screwing things up with the best of intentions." That's high praise for an untrained actor, but with more reviews like this, Davidson will be well on his way to becoming a major force in Hollywood. 

We're just now seeing the fruits of the Ariana Grande Effect, but even people outside of Hollywood can tell you about the Judd Apatow Effect. As the executive producer of Freaks and Geeks, Apatow kicked off the careers of James Franco and Seth Rogen. His 2015 comedy Trainwreck launched Amy Schumer into the stratosphere. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the veteran producer and director has his sights set on Pete Davidson. 

The duo is teaming up for a comedy film that "is being described as a semi-autobiographical story of Davidson growing up in Staten Island, New York." Considering Apatow's track record, this could be huge for Davidson's career and has the potential of landing him on the list of Hollywood's richest comedians, alongside Kevin Hart and Jerry Seinfeld. Well, maybe not Seinfeld, but Pete can dream. At the time of this writing, Davidson is only 25-years-old, and with a reported net worth of $4 million, he's undoubtedly well on his way.