Reality TV Salaries: What Stars Get Paid on ‘Bachelor,’ More

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‘Vanderpump Rules’

The Hollywood Reporter claimed that the main cast members of the Bravo series earned around $25,000 an episode in 2017 and 2018, with Lisa Vanderpump taking home closer to $50,000.

In July 2023, Kristen Doute recalled the small amount of money she brought home after season 1. “We had very little in our bank account,” she recalled on her “Sex, Love, and What Else Matters” podcast. “It was $5,000 and if we became a primary, we got an additional $5,000.”

Laura-Leigh, meanwhile, hasn’t received any additional payment associated with her time on the series,  despite the show’s massive success. 

“No residuals. Nothing. And I had to go after them to get that $500,” she claimed in January 2025. “The cast all got paid, I think it was $8,000 for the first season. Jax [Taylor] and everyone else got like $8,000. The only reason I know that is because that’s all the money Jax had to his name. And I was like, ‘Well, if they’re getting money, why can I get money?’ They were like, ‘OK, we’ll give you $500.'”

Brittany Cartwright recalled being “broke” when she first appeared on the show. “I didn’t get paid my first season of Vanderpump Rules — until the very, very end. I was broke,” Brittany, 35, who started appearing as a guest on season 4 when she met Jax, shared on the “When Reality Hits” podcast in August 2023. “It took a lot out of me.”

Jax recalled Brittany’s excessive spending before she made the move to Los Angeles. 

“It was costing her. This is the beginning of the show and it was costing her $800 to $900,” he said, referring toBrittany flying in to see him while filming season 4. “She was in Kentucky [working at a bar and Hooters] and $800 is a lot of money [to spend on airfare].”

While speaking with Kristen about their original paychecks, Jax said he was just grateful to get paid, adding on the July 2023 podcast episode, “I had nothing at that time so whatever we got … [I felt like] I was rich. $5,000? I was paying $100 a week to live so I [thought] I could retire. When we were filming, I felt like, ‘This is awesome.'” 

He continued: “I have been hustling my whole life and living paycheck to paycheck to paycheck. I would do a lot of jobs but by the time I got my paycheck I was so behind on my credit card bills.”