Gaten Matarazzo has amassed a $5 million net worth, primarily through his role as Dustin Henderson in Netflix’s Stranger Things. The 23-year-old actor earned approximately $875,000 per episode for the show’s fifth and final season a staggering 4,000% increase from his Season 1 salary of $10,000-$20,000 per episode. His cumulative Stranger Things earnings across all five seasons total an estimated $11.6 million or more before taxes and representation fees.
Key Financial Facts at a Glance
| Season | Per-Episode Salary | Season Total (Est.) |
| Season 1 (2016) | $10,000-$20,000 | $80,000-$160,000 |
| Season 2 (2017) | $30,000 | $270,000 |
| Season 3 (2019) | $250,000 | $2 million |
| Season 4 (2022) | $250,000 | $2.25 million |
| Season 5 (2025) | $875,000 | ~$7 million |
How Matarazzo Compares to His Stranger Things Co-Stars
Among the young Stranger Things cast, Matarazzo ranks second in net worth behind Millie Bobby Brown, who leads with $20 million four times his fortune. Brown’s elevated position stems from her role as the show’s protagonist Eleven, her Enola Holmes franchise (earning a record-breaking $10 million for the sequel), and her Florence by Mills beauty brand.
The original male cast members maintain comparable earnings:
- Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson): $5 million net worth, $875,000/episode in S5
- Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler): $4 million net worth, $875,000/episode in S5
- Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield): $4 million net worth, ~$800,000/episode in S5
- Noah Schnapp (Will Byers): $3-4 million net worth, $875,000/episode in S5
- Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair): $3 million net worth, $875,000/episode in S5
The pay parity among the original young male cast members results from their collective negotiation strategy all four renegotiated as a group starting with Season 3, ensuring equal treatment regardless of individual storyline prominence.
Stranger Things Salary Hierarchy Explained
Contract renegotiations in March 2018 established a clear compensation structure that persisted through the series:
- Tier A: Winona Ryder and David Harbour at $350,000 per episode
- Own bracket: Millie Bobby Brown at $250,000-$350,000 per episode
- Tier B: Matarazzo, Wolfhard, McLaughlin, and Schnapp at $250,000 per episode (later $875,000 in S5)
- Tier C: Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and Joe Keery at $150,000 per episode
Netflix’s contract structure pays actors for 10 episodes regardless of actual episode count, providing additional compensation for the extended production schedules typical of Stranger Things seasons.
Beyond Hawkins: Matarazzo’s Diversified Income Streams
Endorsement Deals
Matarazzo has built a substantial endorsement portfolio anchored by his long-term relationship with Verizon Fios. Since 2017, he has appeared in more than 33 nationally aired television commercials for the telecommunications company. Other brand partnerships include Old Navy, NERDS Candy, Domino’s, and Google Pixelbook.
With 13.7 million Instagram followers, industry estimates suggest Matarazzo could command between $34,400 and $68,700 per sponsored post. His TikTok following of approximately 1.7 million provides another monetization avenue, though he appears selective about commercial partnerships much like how entertainment fans selectively seek promotional opportunities such as a ky lottery promo code for additional value.
Broadway Career
His theatrical credentials distinguish him from co-stars who focused primarily on film. Notable Broadway credits include:
- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (2011): Broadway debut as Benjamin
- Les Misérables (2014-2015): Gavroche in the Broadway revival
- Dear Evan Hansen (2022): Jared Kleinman in the final cast
- Sweeney Todd (2023): Tobias Ragg alongside Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford
Voice Acting
His animated film credits include Bubba in The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019), Boris the Dragon in My Father’s Dragon (2022), and Sig Greebling in Disney+’s LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy (2024). He’s cast as Lucky in Andy Serkis’s Animal Farm adaptation, scheduled for May 2026.
Television Hosting
His Netflix series Prank Encounters ran for two seasons (2019-2021), with Matarazzo serving as both host and executive producer.
Music
He performs with his band Work in Progress (WIP), a seven-member group formed in 2017 featuring his siblings Sabrina and Carmen Matarazzo.
The Audition That Almost Didn’t Happen
Matarazzo’s path to Stranger Things nearly derailed during the audition process in 2015. He initially read for the role of Mike Wheeler and later described it as one of his worst auditions ever he didn’t know his lines well and began visibly sweating on camera. Yet creators the Duffer Brothers saw something in his authenticity and cast him as Dustin Henderson instead.
The brothers subsequently rewrote the character to incorporate Matarazzo’s cleidocranial dysplasia, a rare genetic condition affecting approximately one in one million people. This decision increased public awareness of CCD by 94.4% according to a JAMA Otolaryngology study.
Cleidocranial Dysplasia Advocacy
Matarazzo’s most distinctive public platform centers on CCD awareness. Born with the condition, he experiences underdeveloped collarbones and significant dental challenges requiring multiple surgeries. He currently wears dentures, a reality he discusses openly to destigmatize the condition.
His advocacy work operates through CCD Smiles, a nonprofit he co-founded with his father and Dr. Kelly Wosnik. The foundation provides financial assistance for oral surgeries and funds research. He has also lobbied for the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA), legislation requiring insurance coverage for craniofacial reconstructive procedures.
Career Outlook and Net Worth Projections
With Stranger Things concluded on December 31, 2025, Matarazzo faces the career transition challenging every child actor. His prospects appear stronger than most due to several factors:
Confirmed upcoming projects include the Animal Farm animated adaptation and an untitled Hulu comedy he described as a “Harold & Kumar-esque story about college freshmen on a quest for pizza.”
Broadway credentials provide career insurance his performances in demanding productions like Les Misérables and Sweeney Todd establish genuine artistic legitimacy beyond celebrity casting.
Industry recognition remains strong. Co-star Finn Wolfhard assessed: “He’s the most untapped young character actor in the business.”
Personal stability supports sound financial management. He lives in New Jersey with longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Yu (Princess Azula in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender), maintains close family connections, and has avoided the scandals that derail many young Hollywood careers.
Matarazzo has expressed preference for “supporting or character roles” over leading man pressure, telling FAULT Magazine: “I enjoy being a bit of a wildcard rather than the lead… I want to prioritize quality over quantity.”
The Bottom Line
Gaten Matarazzo’s $5 million net worth reflects disciplined career management across television, Broadway, voice acting, endorsements, and advocacy work. His Stranger Things salary progression from $10,000 to $875,000 per episode documents both his individual growth and the show’s cultural ascent.
At 23, with diversified income streams, established theatrical credibility, and meaningful financial security, Matarazzo is positioned for sustainable long-term success. As he frames it: “I view it as the second chapter of my life.” The foundation is laid; the Upside Down may be behind him, but his career trajectory suggests the best may be yet to come.
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