Macaulay Culkin earned tens of millions of dollars as a child star in the early 1990s, mostly from his Home Alone movies and other big hits like Richie Rich and My Girl ; his total career earnings from acting are estimated at around $23–24 million (about $50–85 million in today’s dollars when adjusted for inflation).

How much he made per movie

Here’s a breakdown of what he reportedly earned for his major films, based on industry reports and interviews:

Movie| Year| Reported Pay| Approx. Today’s Value
---|---|---|---
Uncle Buck| 1989| $40,000| ~$103,000
Home Alone| 1990| $100,000| ~$245,000
My Girl| 1991| $1,000,000| ~$2.35 million
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York| 1992| $4.5 million base + profit/merchandising share| ~$46 million total
The Good Son| 1993| $1.5 million| ~$3.3 million
Getting Even with Dad| 1994| $8 million| ~$17.3 million
Richie Rich| 1994| $8 million| ~$17.3 million

Sources differ slightly on exact figures, but most agree he made roughly $23–24 million from his main films between 1989 and 1994.

Home Alone 2 windfall

For Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Culkin’s deal was especially lucrative:

  • He received a $4.5 million base salary (about $46 million today).
  • On top of that, he got 5% of the film’s net profits and 15% of merchandising revenue.
  • That profit/merchandising cut is estimated to have brought in another ~$16 million , making his total take from Home Alone 2 around $20 million (roughly $40–50 million today).

Total child-star earnings

Putting it all together, his total earnings from his peak acting years (1989–1994) are commonly reported as:

  • About $23–24 million in 1990s dollars.
  • When adjusted for inflation, that’s roughly $50–85 million in today’s money , depending on the calculation method.

Royalties and later income

Interestingly, Culkin has said he does not receive ongoing royalties from Home Alone or Home Alone 2 in the way some actors do from residuals. Instead, his wealth comes from:

  • The huge upfront paychecks and profit shares from his 1990s films.
  • Residuals and syndication money from other movies and TV appearances.
  • Brand deals and ads, like his well‑known 2018 Google Assistant ad, which reportedly paid him around $1 million.
  • Later acting roles (e.g., American Horror Story) and his work as CEO of his company Bunny Ears.

Net worth today

As of 2025, Macaulay Culkin’s net worth is estimated at $20–25 million , thanks to those early blockbuster paydays and smart investments over the years.

TL;DR
Macaulay Culkin made about $23–24 million as a child star in the early 1990s (roughly $50–85 million today), with his biggest single payday coming from Home Alone 2 , where he earned around $20 million total between salary, profits, and merchandising.