The show contradicts itself whenever it feels like it, so no numbers can be absolutely right. Even so, they’re not starting out. They’ve been there for something like ten years. And it was established in one episode that they’re tenure track professors. It would be very hard to believe they aren’t making well over $100,000 by this point. Remember that they were planning on helping Stewart reopen his shop, and that requires a large six-figure investment.
That would push Penny up to maybe $300,000. My belief has large cracks in it. And it would be in tiny pieces on the floor if Bernadette weren’t making far more than Penny, because we would hear about it otherwise every time she opened her mouth. That beings her and Howard’s salary close to a half million a year.
Raj has always been wealthy. He was named one of the top 30 scientists under 30. Cal Tech would shower more money on him to keep him there.
This may be the highest-paid group of working people ever to appear on a sitcom. I think I’ll start a thread on that.