How Much Money Do The Real Housewives Of Atlanta Make

Part of being a full-time cast member onThe Real Housewives franchise is showing off one's vast wealth. The homes they live in, the islands they vacation on, the cars they drive, and the famous people they know... It's a large reason why viewers tune in week after week. Their lives are so outlandish at times, it's hard to look away.

And while the ladies earn an income from other ventures outside of the show, Bravo pays some of these women a pretty penny to show their lives on-screen. Some popular faces started off earning a couple of thousand dollars per season, but that has now grown to more zeros as the seasons went on.

Updated on October 21st, 2021, by Lynn Gibbs: The personal lives of the Housewives is why fans tune in week after week for various cities in the franchise.The longer a Housewife is on the show, the more money they make by Bravo and the higher their net worths grow. Sutton Strack, for instance, is newer to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills but her net worth of $2 million (via Cheat Sheet) proves that she doesn't need the show for financial gain. Nevertheless, she's entertaining to watch. Other Housewives, however, make their living off of The Real Housewives but there's only one highest-paid Housewife...

10 Eileen Davidson: $750,000 Per Season (RHOBH)

Eileen Davidson was a main Housewife for three seasons (seasons 5 through 7) before leaving on her own accord. Davidson was a part of some of the best seasons of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She did come back as a guest in seasons 8 and 10, but guests and friends are paid differently than Housewives on the main roster.

As an actress mainly known for her soap opera career, Davidson earns good money working in Hollywood, but she also made $750,000 per season onRHOBH,according toRadar Online. If that's the number Davidson started out with on season 5, that's $2.2 million for three seasons. And while Davidson earned more per season than OGs like Lisa Vanderpump, Lisa Vanderpump's net worth far exceeds Davidson's $3 million with $90 million.

9 Melissa Gorga: $750,000 Per Season (RHONJ)

Melissa Gorga was a guest in season 2 ofRHONJ but made it to the main roster by season 3. As Teresa Giudice's sister-in-law, Melissa has a solid foundation in the series and doesn't appear to be leaving any time soon. It doesn't hurt that Melissa's husband, Joe, is as entertaining as she is. Along with the other husbands of RHONJ, Joe adds depth to Melissa's storylines.

While Gorga's salary is sure to have changed over the years (she has been a part of the franchise for 12 years), Nicki Swift noted that as of 2020 she takes home $750,000 per season ofRHONJ.

8 Denise Richards: $1 Million Per Season (RHOBH)

Denise Richards started her time onRHOBH in season 9 and agreed to do four seasons at the time. As a well-known actress and a famous face, Denise signed on for $1 million per season, according to The Things, making her around $4 million by the time her original contract was done.

However, after a bumpy two seasons, Denise had enough of the drama and opted out of her contract after two seasons. Denise will forever be known for her honest quotes and storyline with Brandi Glanville. She still made $2 million out of the deal though. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Denise's net worth is $12 million, so she didn't need the show like some of the Housewives.

7 Teresa Giudice: $1.1 Million Per Season (RHONJ)

Distractify noted that Teresa Giudice earns over $1 million per season onRHONJ these days. She's an OG for the franchise and has one of the rockiest storylines inReal Housewives history. From family dynamics to jail time to a deportation scandal — fans tune intoRHONJ strictly to see what's going on with Teresa. There are a handful of things that she'll never live down after appearing on the series for over 10 seasons.

Furthermore, she has alliances in the cast that always seems to have her back even when it seems suspicious. In a lot of ways, Teresa earns that $1 million per season because she's the backbone of the franchise.

6 Bethenny Frankel: $1+ Million Per Season (RHONY)

Bethenny Frankel was another Housewife who was a part ofThe Real Housewives of New York from the start. In the first season, Bethenny had no idea what to expect from the franchise or from Bravo and signed on to season 1 for just $7,250, according to Reality Blurb. But as the show progressed and Bethenny became more famous, that dollar amount shot up. Bethenny has had some of the most iconic lines and storylines inRHONY history.

According toReality Blurb,in 2018 Bethenny was making around $1 million per season. And that's just fromThe Real Housewives. Bethenny also makes megabucks from her Skinnygirl line and other projects she works on. She currently has a net worth of $70 million.

5 Phaedra Parks: $1.3 Million Per Season (RHOA)

Phaedra Parks came on The Real Housewives of Atlanta in season 3 but in a lot of ways, she feels like a part of the original cast in season 1. She got along with some of the ladies so well and had such a presence on TV. Aside from her relationship with her ex-husband Apollo, Phaedra's career as a lawyer (and beyond) was extraordinary. She was the whole package.

Phaedra also brought the drama onRHOA when her (then) husband was arrested for fraud, which was shown on Bravo. Nevertheless, with all of those things tied into a pretty bow, Phaedra's $1.3 million, according to Cinemaholic, paycheck for season 9 was worth it. Sadly, Phaedra hasn't been back since.

4 Porsha Williams: $1.3 Million Per Season (RHOA)

It's hard to believe that Porsha Williams didn't join the series until season 5 because she's such an important part of the franchise now in season 13. Every Housewife transforms over the years, either for the better or the worse, and Porsha definitely changed for the better. She matured on camera, found herself on the right path, and became one of the most likable Housewives.

With Porsha being such a special part of the series, it makes sense that she's getting paid the big bucks to stick around on Bravo. According toRadar Online, Porsha made $1.3 million for season 12. Sadly, in September 2021, Porsha announced she was leaving the series after nine seasons, according toPeople.

3 Cynthia Bailey: $1.8 Million Per Season (RHOA)

Fashion model Cynthia Bailey has a calming presence onRHOA. After joining in season 3, she's been a part of the best seasons in the series, leading into season 13. Fans have seen how gracefully she raised her daughter, the rise and fall of her marriage to Peter Thomas, and even her new marriage to Mike Hill.

Cynthia's relationship with the ladies varies but she was a rock in the series. As of season 12, Cynthia got a pay raise of $1.8 million per season, according toRadar Online, but has since noted that season 12 was her last.

2 Kandi Burruss: $2.3 Million Per Season (RHOA)

Like Denise Richards forRHOBH, Kandi Burruss was already a big name when she signed on to doRHOA in season 2. As an award-winning singer and songwriter, Kandi wasn't just known in Atlanta, she was known worldwide. Luckily for Bravo, the network has been able to keep her on the main roster for almost 13 seasons.

What makes Kandi a legendary, current Housewife is how honest she is with the cameras about her life (the good and the bad), which is why viewers tune in. As of June of 2021,Reality Blurb stated that Kandi makes a whopping $2.3 million per season.

1 Nene Leakes: $2.85 Million For Her Final Season (RHOA)

Nene Leakes may as well be the most popular Houswife inReal Housewives history. Her one-liners, facial expressions, and comedic effects made fantastic reality TV.

Leakes kicked off the franchise in season 1 before taking a break for seasons 8 and 9, but she ultimately came back for three more seasons before calling it quits before season 13. Because of Nene's fame andReal Housewives image, she was earning $2.8 million per season, according to The Things, when she was on her final stretch of the franchise. According toCelebrity Net Worth, Leakes has a net worth of over $14 million.

NEXT: 10 Best Nene Leakes Quotes From The Real Housewives Of Atlanta

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About The Author

Lynn Gibbs (1401 Articles Published)

Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she's not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn's your gal.