How Much Does The Cast Of Teen Mom Get Paid?
MTV has hit it big with reality TV shows like "The Real World" and "Laguna Beach" in the past. So, in 2009 they tried their hand at a new kind of series, a reality show about young mothers titled "Teen Mom." The show was a spin-off of another series called "16 and Pregnant," which featured an episode dedicated to one young woman who was dealing with teen pregnancy. From there, the network chose some of the more popular girls like Maci Bookout, Amber Portwood, Catelynn Lowell, and Farrah Abraham to join the cast of "Teen Mom" and continue telling their stories (via Us Weekly).
The show was so popular that they created another series titled "Teen Mom 2," which featured cast members such as Jenelle Evans, Kailyn Lowry, Leah Messer, and Chelsea Houska. The show also tried its hand at "Teen Mom 3," but fans weren't as enthusiastic about that show. Over the years, there has been plenty of drama surrounding the "Teen Mom" cast. They've endured scandals like sex tapes, multiple divorces and pregnancies, custody battles, drug addiction, and more, per Monsters and Critics.
Although the cast members are no longer teenage mothers (via Hollywood Life) and are in their late 20s and early 30s, the franchise lives on and has become quite lucrative for its stars.
The Teen Mom stars aren't paid equally
According to Distractify, the original stars of "Teen Mom" are said to be paid anywhere from $250,000 to $300,000 per each season of the show. Meanwhile, the dads who appear on the show reportedly make about $25,000 per episode. However, not all of the "Teen Mom" stars are paid equally. However, In Touch Weekly reports that Maci Bookout was making about $400,000 per season of "Teen Mom OG," while Chelsea Houska was raking in around $500,000 per season before leaving the show in 2020. Meanwhile, Amber Portwood is said to pull in around $280,000 a year from the reality series.
Former "Teen Mom 2" star Kailyn Lowry was also said to be making around $500,000 per season. She also has her own podcast, as well as endorsements. In addition, she's written multiple books. According to Mommy Things, Catelynn Lowell makes around $350,000 per season, and Leah Messer earns an estimated $400,000 a year.
It seems that the "Teen Mom" cast is being paid very well for their time on reality TV. This likely explains why the cast members have been seen buying expensive cars and their dream houses over the years as the show became more and more popular among viewers.
Teen Mom has changed over the years
Over the years, the "Teen Mom" franchise has undergone a lot of changes. Cast members like Jenelle Evans, Chelsea Houska, Kailyn Lowry, and Farah Abraham have all left the show. Meanwhile, others like Cheyenne Floyd and Briana DeJesus have joined the series. Recently, MTV announced that there would no longer be multiple "Teen Mom" shows. Instead, they would be creating a series titled "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter," which would feature multiple cast members such as Amber Portwood, Ashley Jones, Catelynn Lowell, Leah Messer, Jade Cline and Maci Bookout, as well as Floyd and DeJesus (via Variety).
The show now follows the "Teen Mom" stars as they navigate the ups and downs of parenting, as some of the moms have very young children, while others are now parenting teenagers, per The U.S. Sun. They're all also in different stages of life. Some are single, others are dating, and some are married. Of course, the moms now interact much more than they ever have, as they're shown in scenes hanging out together and talking about their struggles with one another.
Despite dealing with some scandals, the "Teen Mom" cast has gained some serious fame and fortune alike from starring on the MTV reality series.