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How much does Mark Harmon make per episode of NCIS?

The actor played Agent Gibbs from 2003 to 2021

ncis mark harmon
Nicky Morris
TV and film writer
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Mark Harmon is one of America's longest-serving TV stars, having appeared in NCIS as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs for 18 years from 2003 to 2021. 

While Mark made his final appearance on the show in an episode that aired in October 2021, fans might still be keen to know just how much the actor raked in for starring in the hit police procedural series. Read on to find out…

WATCH: Inside the Real-life Partners of the Cast of NCIS

How much did Mark Harmon make per episode on NCIS?

In 2021, before Mark bowed out of the popular drama, it was reported that he earned a whopping $525,000 per episode, which means the star would have taken home around $12.6 million for a usual 24-episode season. 

Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray and Mark Harmon© CBS
Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray and Mark Harmon

So what is Mark's net worth? Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 71-year-old has a huge net worth of around $100 million, which he has accumulated over the course of his almost 50-year career in the business. 

Why did Mark Harmon leave NCIS? 

NCIS fans were left devastated when Mark announced that he would be leaving the show after almost 20 years of playing Special Agent Gibbs. 

In a special featurette on the show's season 19 DVD release, Mark discussed the legacy of his character and shared his thoughts on how Gibbs' storyline was wrapped up. 

Mark Harmon as Agent Gibbs in NCIS
Mark Harmon as Agent Gibbs in NCIS

He said the opportunity to tackle "fresh" and "challenging" material is what kept him coming back each season, alluding to the possibility that he felt that after almost two decades on the show, he no longer felt that was the case.

"What has always drawn me here is the character I play and to keep it fresh and to keep it challenging," he explained. 

Clarifying that he believes his character is "not retired," he said: "The character is living in Alaska as far as I know."

He added that he was happy with his character's exit: "Plot-wise, this character has taken the path that it did. I thought it was honest and OK with."

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