The Big Bang Theory gave us some of the most brilliant minds on TV, but they didn’t always live like it. Sheldon and Leonard were still flat-sharing well into adulthood, Howard was living with his mom, and Penny spent years waiting tables. But behind all the awkward jokes and takeaways, most of the Big Bang Theory characters were quietly earning a decent salary.

Howard was often teased for not having a PhD, but he still had one of the most exciting jobs. As an aerospace engineer at Caltech, he helped design satellites and even went to space. With that experience, he would have earned around $100,000 a year, or £74,000, possibly a bit more. It’s not quite as much as Bernadette earned, but certainly enough to move out of his mum’s house… eventually.

Raj Koothrappali

Raj is an astrophysicist who’s discovered planets, won awards, and even got a spot on People magazine’s “30 Under 30” list. He also had wealthy parents who often helped out with his rent and sent him luxury gifts. In terms of salary, he’d be earning roughly the same as the others at Caltech, about $100,000 a year, or £74,000, but with the family money added in, Raj was living above his payslip.

Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz’

Bernadette might be tiny, but she was a powerhouse at work. Starting off in a lab, she eventually moved into a high-level role at a pharmaceutical company, climbing the ladder fast. Her PhD and executive position would have put her salary at well over $125,000 a year, easily around £92,000 or more. No wonder she kept reminding Howard that she earned a “buttload” more than he did.

Amy Farrah Fowler

Amy came into the show a little later, but quickly became a mainstay. A neurobiologist with a Harvard degree, Amy spent most of her time in the lab, working on things like addiction research and brain function. Though it’s never confirmed where she works, someone in her position would likely be earning at least $80,000 a year, or £59,000. After she and Sheldon won the Nobel Prize, her earnings would’ve only gone up.

Penny

Penny started as a waitress at The Cheesecake Factory, earning a mix of the California minimum wage of $7.50 an hour in 2007 and solid tips. Realistically, she was probably taking home around $50,000 a year (£37,000) in total while also starring in some low-budget horror movies. Things changed massively when she landed a job as a pharmaceutical sales rep. She quickly became one of the company’s top performers, and her new salary would’ve jumped to anywhere between $75,000 and $150,000. That’s £55,000 to £110,000, depending on bonuses. From struggling actress to six figures, not bad at all.