The cast of Sister Wives, including Kody, Meri, Christine, Janelle and Robyn Brown, do not make as large of a salary as you might think for their reality show. Keep reading to learn how much the TLC stars get paid after 16 seasons.
The reality TV family earns about 10 percent of the show’s per-episode budget, according to CheatSheet. TLC reportedly spends around $250,000 to $400,000 on every episode, meaning the Brown family receives about $25,000 to $40,000 to split among them.
It’s estimated that the family has made somewhere around $3 million in total from filming alone since their series began in 2010, which equates to about $375,000 annually. While that seems like a lot of money, the Brown clan has over 20 members in it and most of Kody’s wives have their own jobs on the side.
That being said, it’s been reported by multiple outlets that the Brown family actually took a pay cut years ago in order to keep their show on the air.
After reportedly receiving low ratings for season 11, TLC allegedly canceled the reality show about the polygamous family, Soap Dirt reported. However, Kody haggled with the network to stay on the air. The My 4 Wives alum reportedly even offered to do the show for the price of just one salary. It’s unclear what the final deal ended up being, but Sister Wives is still cranking out seasons.
Some fans wonder how such a large family is able to support themselves, specifically because they have lived in very large homes the entire time they’ve been in the public eye.
While Kody has been vague about his employment history, he previously worked as a salesman before finding reality TV fame.
However, he reportedly quit his job in 2010 to focus on building the family’s brand. He has since written a New York Times bestselling book.
As for his wives, Meri owns a bed and breakfast called Lizzie’s Heritage Inn in Utah and is an independent LuLaRoe Fashion retailer. Janelle is a certified health coach while Robyn runs their online store, My Sisterwife’s Closet. As for Christine, she launched a legal business, Brown Quest LLC, in May 2020.
Kody and his family also make money as social media influencers and get paid to create Cameo videos for fans.