And the highest paid actress on TV is ...

Sofia Vergara is the wealthiest actress on television, according to Forbes. Photo / AP

Sofia Vergara has been named the highest paid US TV actress for a second year running - earning almost double what she did to top the list in 2012.

The Modern Family star reportedly earned a whopping $30 million (NZ37.93m) between June 2012 and June 2013, from both her role on the hit sitcom and numerous endorsement deals, which is more than double the income of her closest rival, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actress Mariska Hargitay.

The Colombian beauty is thought to have commanded big bucks from mega-deals with companies including Diet Pepsi and Kmart due to her popularity in Latin America, a growing market in the business world.

Sofia, 38, has her own clothing line with supermarket chain Kmart - for which she was paid a staggering $7 million advance - as well as deals with the soft drinks company, furniture chain Rooms to Go, cosmetics brand Covergirl, Comcast, State Farm Insurance and more.

The brunette beauty's $30 million windfall puts her comfortably ahead of Mariska, 49, who earned $11 million over the last year, according to financial magazine Forbes.

The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco lands in joint second place for her $11 million earnings, also.

Reality TV stars, the Kardashian sisters, Kim, Kourtney and Khloe - who are considered actresses by Forbes for the purposes of the list - come in fourth place with $10 million between them, but they share the position with Grey's Anatomy leading lady Ellen Pompeo, The Heat star Melissa McCarthy, 30 Rock creator-and-actress Tina Fey and former reality TV star Bethenny Frankel.

Other TV starlets who made the cut include New Girl actress Zooey Deschanel, The Mindy Project comedienne Mindy Kaling and Scandal beauty Kerry Washington.

Vergara topped the list in 2012 with earnings of $17 million, making her $30 million payday all the more impressive.

Forbes Highest paid US TV Actresses (Forbes.com):

1. Sofia Vergara - $30 million.
2. Mariska Hargitay and Kaley Cuoco - $11 million.
3. Kardashians, Ellen Pompeo, Melissa McCarthy, Bethenny Frankel and Tina Fey - $10 million.
4. Cobie Smulders - $9 million.
5. Alyson Hannigan - $8 million.
6. Amy Poehler and Julianna Margulies - $7 million.
7. Lena Dunham, Zooey Deschanel and Courteney Cox - $6 million.
8. Whitney Cummings - $5 million.
9. Mindy Kaling - $4 million.
10. Kerry Washington - $3 million.

- Bang! Showbiz