Kirsten Vangsness Net Worth 2026

Vangsness became involved in acting as a child to help overcome shyness^[7] and got her first big break in the theatre, where she won several awards, including the 15 Minutes of Female Best Actress Award, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Emerging Comic Actress, and the Golden Betty Award.^[5]

She made her television debut with a guest role on the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future in 2004.^[8] She also appeared in three episodes of the drama series LAX that year.

In 2005, Vangsness got her big television break on the CBS's crime drama series Criminal Minds where she portrays FBI technical analyst Penelope Garcia. She began the series as a recurring character before being promoted to the main cast in season 2.^[9] Criminal Minds became a ratings success for CBS, consistently ranking among the network's most-watched programs and winning the People's Choice Award for Best TV Crime Drama in 2017. The series ended in 2020 with its fifteenth season, however was revived with Criminal Minds: Evolution just two years later.^[9] In March 2026, the series was renewed for its twentieth season with Vangsness set to return.^[10]

In 2015, she starred in the American historical fiction neo-noir mysteryblack comedy film Kill Me, Deadly alongside Dean Lemont. The film was based on a 2009 play by Bill Robens.^[11] Her Criminal Minds co-stars Joe Mantegna and Shemar Moore also appear in the film.

In 2017, Vangness returned to the stage with her one-woman comedy show Mess based on the TED Talk “Making Sense of a Visible Quantum Object”^[12]

Vangsness starred in the 2023 Lifetime television film Amish Stud: The Eli Weaver Story. She portrayed Barb Raber, the real life woman that was convicted of aggravated murder of Barbara Weaver, her lover's wife.^[13] The following year, she began her recurring role in the Disney Channel sequel series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place as Minister Bigelow McFigglehorn, a wizard.^[14] The show is set to air its third and final season in 2026.^[15]

Vangsness' work has been published in the Los Angeles Times. Since 2014, Vangsness has co-written four episodes of Criminal Minds. In 2014, she co-wrote "Nelson's Sparrow" with executive producer, Erica Messer.^[16] In 2015, she co-wrote "A Beautiful Disaster" once again with Messer^[17] and in 2016 she co-wrote "Spencer" with Messer. The Criminal Minds series finale (before the revival) was also co-written by Vangsness and Messer.^[18]