Jonathan Frakes Net Worth: How the Star Trek Star Built $25 Million
Jonathan Frakes has an estimated net worth of about $25 million. That number is usually counted as a shared total with his wife, actress Genie Francis. He earned it over four decades as an actor, and then as one of television’s most reliable directors.
Most people know him as Commander William T. Riker from Star Trek: The Next Generation. That role built the base of his wealth, but it is far from the whole story. Here is where the money comes from and how it holds up today.
What is Jonathan Frakes’ net worth?
The best estimate is around $25 million, combined with Genie Francis. Francis has played Laura Spencer on the daytime soap General Hospital on and off for over 40 years, so a chunk of the household total is hers. A few older listings put Frakes alone lower, in the $12 to $16 million range, but the $25 million shared figure is the one that shows up most often now.
Key takeaway: $25 million is a family figure, not just Frakes on his own. His steady directing income is the reason it keeps climbing.
How Jonathan Frakes makes his money
Frakes has more than one income stream, which is what keeps his finances stable well past his years as a series lead. The main sources are:
- Acting residuals. Star Trek reruns and streaming keep paying him for work done years ago.
- Directing fees. He has directed dozens of TV episodes and two feature films, and he still directs today.
- Reprising Riker. He came back as Riker on Star Trek: Picard and voiced the role on the animated Lower Decks.
- Voice and narration work. Including hosting the show Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.
- Convention appearances. Paid fan events and signings are a steady side income for long-running Trek actors.
The mix matters. A one-hit actor tends to fade financially once the show ends. Frakes turned his fame into a second career that still generates paychecks.
What Jonathan Frakes earned on Star Trek
His Next Generation salary grew a lot across the show’s seven-year run. By the late 1980s he was earning roughly $45,000 an episode. By the final seasons that had climbed to about $100,000 per episode, which is close to $180,000 in today’s money.
The films paid on top of that. He reportedly earned about $400,000 for Star Trek Generations. For Star Trek: First Contact he took home a larger sum, partly because he also directed it. Here is a rough look at the earning stages.
| Project | Reported pay |
|---|---|
| TNG, early seasons | ~$45,000 per episode |
| TNG, final seasons | ~$100,000 per episode |
| Star Trek Generations | ~$400,000 |
| Star Trek: First Contact | Larger fee, as actor and director |
His real earning power is behind the camera
Frakes is now one of Star Trek’s most trusted directors, and this is the part of his career that still pays. He picked up the nickname “Two-Takes Frakes” for how quickly and cleanly he works on set, which is exactly what studios want.
He also directs outside the franchise, on shows like Leverage, The Librarians, and NCIS: Los Angeles. In 2025 he directed a Strange New Worlds episode he called the best hour of television he has ever made.
He has directed episodes of nearly every modern Star Trek show, including Discovery, Picard, and Strange New Worlds, and he still works steadily. You can see the full scope of that record on his Memory Alpha profile. A busy director who keeps getting hired is far more valuable, financially, than an actor coasting on one old role.
Jonathan Frakes’ real estate
Property has been a quiet part of his wealth. Frakes and Francis owned a Colonial-style home in Beverly Hills for close to 30 years, then sold it in 2015 for about $12 million. In 2017 they bought a home in Woodland Hills for around $2.8 million and listed it in 2019 for just under $4 million.
These are the kind of long-hold, sell-high moves that add up over a career and help explain how the family total reached its current level.
Who is Jonathan Frakes?
Jonathan Scott Frakes was born on August 19, 1952, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and raised in Bethlehem. He studied theater at Penn State and trained further before moving to New York to act. He even worked for Marvel Comics in the 1970s, appearing at events dressed as Captain America.
His big break came in 1987 with Star Trek: The Next Generation, and he has played Riker across more of the franchise than almost any other actor. He married Genie Francis in 1988, and they have two children. You can follow his current projects on his IMDb page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Jonathan Frakes worth?
About $25 million, usually counted together with his wife, Genie Francis. Older listings sometimes show a lower solo figure, but $25 million is the most commonly cited household total today.
How much did Jonathan Frakes make per episode of Star Trek?
His pay grew from roughly $45,000 an episode early in The Next Generation to about $100,000 an episode by the final seasons, close to $180,000 in today’s money.
Is Jonathan Frakes still working?
Yes. He directs regularly, including recent episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and he has reprised Riker on Picard and Lower Decks.
Who is Jonathan Frakes married to?
Actress Genie Francis, best known as Laura Spencer on General Hospital. They married in 1988 and have two children. Their net worth is usually reported as a combined figure.
Why is Jonathan Frakes called “Two-Takes Frakes”?
The nickname comes from his fast, efficient directing style. He tends to get the shot in very few takes, which makes him popular with studios and keeps him steadily employed.
Conclusion
Jonathan Frakes is worth about $25 million, a total shared with wife Genie Francis and built on decades of steady work. Star Trek gave him the base through his salary and lasting residuals, but his real financial strength is his second career as a busy, in-demand director. Add smart, long-held real estate, and you get a fortune that keeps growing rather than fading. A good result here is simple: a stable, diversified $25 million.
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