How Much Kody Brown and His Family Gets Paid on ‘Sister Wives’: Inside Their Salaries

The cast of Sister Wives, including Kody, Meri Brown, Christine Brown, Janelle Brown and Robyn Brown, do not make as large of a salary as you might think for their reality show. In Touch breaks down how much the TLC stars after appearing on the show for 19 seasons.

How Much Does the Cast of ‘Sister Wives’ Get Paid?

Sister Wives has been on the air for 19 seasons as of April 2025, though the stars and TLC execs have not revealed their income from the show.

However, The Daily News reported that Kody, Robyn, Meri, Janelle and Christine earn $40,000 per episode in season 19. The latest season includes 24 episodes, meaning that each adult cast member will make approximately $960,000 for season 19.

The Cast of ‘Sister Wives’ Reportedly Took a Pay Cut

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. 

What Do the Stars of ‘Sister Wives’ Do for Work?

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 former 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. As for Christine, she launched a legal business, Brown Quest LLC, in May 2020 and also sells products for LuLaRoe. Additionally, Christine is set to release her memoir, Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family and Finding Freedom, in September 2025.

Meanwhile, Janelle and Christine both work with the brand Plexus. In September 2021, the women explained they partnered with the company that supports weight management and nutrition by using personal care products and dietary supplements. Both Janelle and Christine regularly promote the brand via their social media posts and often pose for photos with the products together.

Kody’s last remaining wife, Robyn, previously ran their online store, My Sisterwife’s Closet.

While Kody and his four wives appear on Sister Wives, Christine booked her own show, Cooking with Just Christine, in February 2022 after she announced her split from the Brown patriarch in November 2021.

Kody and his family also make money as social media influencers and get paid to create Cameo videos for fans.