OK, so we know that the ladies from Teen Mom have to make bank, right? After all, how else would they be able to pay for all those expensive houses, not to mention all those divorces?
But while we have to assume that the moms rake in a large amount of money for their contributions to reality television, their salaries have always been sort of a mystery.
So let"s all put on our Nancy Drew hats and get to sleuthing …
Let"s see if we can figure out exactly what being a televised teen mom has gotten these girls.
1. Jenelle Evans
In 2015, Jenelle claimed that she’d earned “a little bit over maybe half” a million dollars while filming Teen Mom 2, but she added that “I’m really not allowed to discuss it.” Another report has claimed that, at one point, Jenelle was making $ 75,000 a year, plus lots of gift cards, though we have heard that the moms’ salaries keep increasing with the show’s popularity. Add in all the money she gets from her various endorsements, and no wonder she was able to afford all that land out in the country!
2. Chelsea Houska
One of Adam Lind’s favorite hobbies is to discuss how much he and Chelsea Houska have made while filming the show. At one point, he claimed that she brought in $ 250,000 for season six, and that her contract would go up to at least $ 300,000 for later seasons. It makes sense — of course you’d give the best Teen Mom the best Teen Mom money.
3. Maci Bookout
Maci Bookout wrote in her 2015 memoir that while “reality TV can make you very famous,” there’s not whole lot of money in it, and that her life isn’t that different than it would have been without the show. Though she does live very comfortably in a house that’s worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, so we’d guess that she’s doing all right.
4. Amber Portwood
All the way back in 2011, it was revealed that Amber Portwood made a whopping $ 280,000 a year. In the years since, her salary has reportedly doubled.
5. Catelynn Lowell
We don’t have an exact number for Catelynn, but we have heard that she and Tyler have both bought new cars for their mothers. And don’t forget, Catelynn also has struggled with a pretty heavy marijuana habit, which, you know, isn’t free.
6. Kailyn Lowry
In 2013, it was reported that Kailyn makes $ 75,000 per season, plus a $ 20,000 bonus. Back then, Kailyn wasn’t the mess she is now, so it’s likely her salary has gone up significantly — we’d guess she’s making around the same $ 300,000 that Chelsea is said to be making. Kailyn has also released three books, and she’s about to graduate with a degree in communications, so it’s probably safe to say she’s set.