As a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, Homer Simpson is the primary breadwinner of his household. Throughout The Simpsons' long course on TV, we see Homer bring home the paychecks, and whatever's left from splurging at Moe's is used to provide for his family. Speaking of which, years ago, you could thrive on one salary with a house, vacations, and additional expenses.
Nowadays, you're lucky if you can squeeze a cup of coffee from your take-home pay after you have covered the necessities. In Homer's case, no matter what his pay is, he has it made. He's got a wife that loves and tolerates him, three kids that keep him on his feet, a pair of creatures who would rather lounge in his couch spot than have anything to do with him, his bar buddies, and he lives in a pretty safe community.
Regarding his annual salary, we're calculating the net amount based on episodic evidence and actual pay (with inflation) of a nuclear safety inspector.
The annual salary of Homer Simpson isn't what you expect
Homer's been with the power plant since season 1, and despite being fired or leaving on his own merit, he always returned to it because it provided the income he needed for his family. His other jobs (pin monkey, ice cream man, Pie Man, and sugar keeper) weren't spiritually fulfilling as they didn't hold high income value. In other words, Homer had to accept the soul-crushing job at the plant because it met the high income value.
According to the US Bureau of Statistics, the 2021 median pay of a nuclear safety technician is $101,740. Apply the 2025 inflation statistic of roughly 10% to it, and you'll have an increase in earnings of $112,000. That's pretty decent if you learn to budget and live simply with extras without going over.
But does Homer make this much? If he was an actual person, then maybe. However, he's an animated character, conceived by his creator, Matt Groening, and in the animated world, real-life logic doesn't always apply.
The first canonical piece of evidence of Homer's pay was in season 7's "Much Apu About Nothing," when Homer received his weekly paycheck. It amounted to $362.19 after deducting $117.41 of taxes (including the Bear Tax). Before taxes, it was $479.60. Times the former by four, and his monthly income is $1,248.19. Now, multiply that number by 12, and you'll get his annual salary of nearly $15,000.. Realistically, even in 1995, when the episode aired, a family could not survive on that, especially in a well-off neighborhood.
Today, $15,000 has the same purchasing power as $31,000, ironically, the median salary in 1995. $31,000 is below poverty levels, and it's mere pennies for a family with Homer's enormous appetite and thirst for Duff.
Other hints at Homer's take-home pay are that it was as high as nearly 1 million when he was briefly the CEO of the plant in season 14' "C.E.D'OH." Can you imagine that? I can't. Then, there's the sweet Simpsons moment where Homer brags to Marge that he found a dollar while skipping work. She reminded him that he had lost his day pay of $40 by making that error.
That 4-day weekend Homer? That simply means you were fired.
Lets say that he earns $800 a month from the $40 a day. He'd be making less than $10,000 a year, and that ain't enough to provide for his family, pay the bills, or have a drink at Moe's. Yet despite his financially lacking, Homer does loves his family, so while the money isn't always going to be there, the love is.
But no matter what he makes, he'll always blow it at Moe's.