It’s no secret that ABC has milked The Bachelor franchise for all it’s worth, developing more than enough spin-off shows to keep us entertained. The Bachelorette featuring Charity Lawson only just wrapped on August 21 and The Golden Bachelor is currently airing on Thursday nights on ABC, immediately followed by Bachelor in Paradise.
Still, we’re left with one burning question: Do contestants on The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise get paid? Here’s what we know.
The answer is sort of complicated because it all depends on the person and the show. According to StyleCaster, contestants do not get paid to go on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. In fact, they aren’t given many perks at all during production. Not only are they required to bring their own clothes, but they’re also expected to do their own hair and makeup.
The same can’t be said for the star of the season, who typically makes around $100,000. (That amount only accounts for his/her time spent filming the show, so any promotional deals, endorsements or additional opportunities are bonus revenue.) The stars also receive a stylist, glam team and producer (read: personal assistant) to use when necessary.
Of course, it’s important to point out that the star’s salary is negotiable. While Reality Steve (via Yahoo!) previously revealed that $100-grand is the going rate, we know it’s not set in stone. Fingers crossed the newest Bachelor Joey Graziadei negotiated himself a nice number.
According to Stylecaster, contestants are paid around $400 per day for Bachelor in Paradise, which follows single contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette getting a second chance at love. This amount can be negotiated, but it’s typically calculated in one of three ways: per day (most common), per episode or flat rate.
The exact number depends on the person, how long they last and prior involvement. For example, someone who’s been on BiP before may negotiate a higher rate. Or someone with lead experience—like Rachel Recchia—may get a higher number simply because she’s more famous.
In a podcast interview, Dean Unglert revealed that he was offered $400 per day for Bachelor in Paradise season four. “They hit me up and they were like, ‘Hey, do you want to do Bachelor in Paradise, this other show that pays $400 a day, and you could be there for up to 30 days,’ something like that,” he said. “So, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, great. Four hundred bucks a day, 30 days, $12,000, that’s fantastic.” Unglert admitted that he later asked for $800 per day but was turned down. Luckily, they settled on $600 per day.
Similar to The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, the women do not get paid to be on The Golden Bachelor, which features ladies between ages 60 and 75 who are looking for love. As we mentioned above, they’re responsible for providing their own wardrobe, hair and makeup, so it can get quite costly.
On the other hand, the show’s star, Gerry Turner, receives a paycheck in addition to wardrobe, hair and makeup. While his exact salary is known, Distractify reports that his net worth is around $1.5 million.
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