These Rules Reveal What Life on The Bachelor is Really Like

Yup, all that drama, travel, and sleepless nights? Totally unpaid. Contestants on The Bachelor aren’t compensated for their time on the show. The only paycheck goes to the lead, who reportedly earns upward of $100,000 for their season. Everyone else is expected to do it for “the experience.”

For some, the gamble is worth it. If you play the long game and become the next Bachelorette, the payday finally arrives. Until then, contestants cover their own wardrobes, leave their jobs behind, and sacrifice weeks of their lives — all for free — in pursuit of love.