Things are looking a little rocky for Grey’s Anatomy as the ABC drama goes into its fifth season. Not only have there been rumors that Katherine Heigl, the show’s breakout star, is leaving the cast, but ad revenues dropped 53 percent from the third season to the fourth, and ratings slipped too. Since last year's highly publicized contract negotiations, cast members' paychecks have ranged from $125,000 to $225,000 per episode from ABC. That's just their day jobs—for now. Going forward, which surgeons will have the best chance of landing lucrative new gigs? The answer probably depends on which Grey’s actors have been the most in demand outside the show. Using informed estimates and actual fees, as well as interviews with agents and ad executives, we crunched the numbers. (The actors’ reps declined to participate.)

Eric Dane