Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

There are few reality series as iconic as any show in the Real Housewives franchise. The series first premiered with The Real Housewives of Orange County in 2006, and it quickly picked up steam and began rolling out seasons in cities all over the United States. But while the drama and fighting are certainly what make the show entertaining, the luxury and excess of all the women featured also make it fun to watch.

Interestingly enough, many of the women on the Real Housewives don't really need a paycheck from the show, but they still get one. In fact, some of their paychecks today are ridiculously high, but they weren't always that way. Most of the Housewives, who were already wealthy when they started the show, had paychecks their first season that were usually pretty small. Of course, the longer they stayed with Bravo and the more drama they brought, they usually got raises. Still, looking at how much the Real Housewives were paid during their first season is pretty interesting because times have seriously changed.

Real Housewives star Bethenny Frankel wasn't paid much her first season

How much do the Real Housewives make per episode? According to a report from The Daily Beast, the stars of Bravo's Real Housewives series earn at least $30,000 an episode and sometimes up to $100,000. (Feb 03, 2021) 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Teresa Giudice's net worth How The ' Real Housewife of New Jersey' Makes Her Money Teresa went to prison for 15 months, and Joe served 41 months when his wife was released, per E! The Housewife will make $62,000 an episode, according to.

Some Housewives from the Real Housewives franchise definitely didn't start out on the series as successful as they are now. Bethenny Frankel from The Real Housewives of New York City is the perfect example of that. The self-made businesswoman has been through many life changes since she first appeared on the show, and the biggest evidence of that is Frankel's salary increase.

How much does real housewives make per episode? The cast earned no salary for the first season, according to the New York Post, but after the show became a smash success, Entertainment Weekly reported that the stars secured $10,000 per episode for season two and at least $100,000 per episode by 2011. Well, per Real Housewives tradition, there are some big hitters in the group! While the former pageant winner and reality TV star’s net worth is listed at $2 million.

'I'm a good negotiator,' she told CNBC Make It. 'In the first season of Housewives, I made $7,250 for the entire season, but was the only person to put in my contract [that] anything I ever do, I own.' Of course, Frankel is known for her shrewd business skills, so that should come as no surprise. 'And that ended up being a pretty good thing when it came to Skinnygirl,' she said of her cocktail company.

Obviously, Frankel is worth a lot more than that now — close to $70 million — and she reportedly earned up to $40,000 per episode of The Real Housewives of New York City in later seasons, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Frankel has come a long way since her first Real Housewives episode, and $7,250 is basically pocket change to her now.

Vicki Gunvalson made nothing for her first Real Housewives season.. literally

When it comes to Real Housewives, there is only one original cast member who kicked off the franchise and lasted for 14 seasons: Vicki Gunvalson. The longstanding cast member of The Real Housewives of Orange County may have gone into retirement in 2020 (via Entertainment Weekly), but there was a time she was on the show when she didn't even get paid.

On an episode of her podcast, Whoop It Up with Vicki, Gunvalson revealed that, while she learned other Real Housewives got paid a few grand for their first seasons, she 'got zero!' She said, 'I got zero, zero. So you have to pay your dues.' However, Gunvalson also added that her lack of salary didn't last long. Indeed, according to Celebrity Net Worth, she eventually made $500,000 per season, but she was smart with that money. 'When I got that up front, all of it went to taxes,' she explained. 'Then when I do my four months of pay, half of it goes to taxes. My last paycheck was all mine.' Fans know Gunvalson is all about planning and finances, so that part makes sense. Gunvalson truly increased her value as a Real Housewife, that's for sure.

Lisa Rinna pulled in a huge salary for her first season of Real Housewives

On The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the wealth is on a whole other level compared with wives in other cities. In fact, it's home to most of the richest Real Housewives, and that's clear when you see their homes, cars, and designer bags. When Lisa Rinna joined the series, she only added to that image of wealth, as the former actress had had plenty of success in life already. Still, her first paycheck from Bravo was reportedly huge, though fans wouldn't expect anything less from Rinna.

Specifically, multiplesources have reported that Rinna pulled in a $450,000 paycheck from just her first season on the show in 2014. As Rinna became a staple on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, it's likely that her salary probably increased over the years. With a $10 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Rinna isn't really desperate for cash, but that doesn't make earning nearly half a million dollars for her first season any less impressive.

Denise Richards was seriously making bank when she joined Real Housewives

Much like Lisa Rinna had a successful acting career before she joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, so did Denise Richards, who joined the cast in Season 9. Obviously, most people will recognize Richards from her many acting gigs, such as her roles in Bond movie The World Is Not Enough and Drop Dead Gorgeous, as well as her appearances in Friends,Love Actually, and Two and a Half Men. Richards has done quite well for herself, so it should come as no surprise that her paycheck from Bravo reflected that.

Specifically though, according to Radar Online, Richards signed a $4 million contract to do four years of the show, with the intent to receive $1 million per season, the highest salary of anyone on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Of course, fans know that Richards had a rough go of things during her second season on the show, and she left before Season 11 kicked off. Still, she probably got a good amount of that $4 million, which only helped to increase her value. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Richards is worth $12 million, so her role on Real Housewives wasn't all that necessary for the actor to make ends meet.

Real Housewives star Stephanie Hollman truly makes Dallas shine

On The Real Housewives of Dallas, the ladies of the Lone Star state show the rest of the world that everything truly is bigger in Texas, including houses, families, and net worth. Stephanie Hollman, one of the original Dallas Housewives, certainly has plenty of money to go around, but since she's a fan-favorite, no one is complaining about her wealth. Still, as entertaining, sweet, and fun as Hollman is the watch, her salary from Season 1 of The Real Housewives of Dallas was literally a fraction of her own net worth.

How Much Money Do The Real Housewives Make Per Episode

While Hollman has never really talked about her salary, multiple sources have claimed that she makes $275,000 per season, so she likely made around that amount her first season. That's pretty impressive considering that The Real Housewives of Dallas is one of the newer cities of the franchise and has only been around since 2016. Still, Hollman's net worth is estimated to be around $18 million, according to the Gazette Review, so her salary from the show isn't really all that important, but with as hilarious as she is on camera, many would say that she's definitely earned every penny.

Real Housewives star Tamra Judge didn't make much at first

Wealth and excess are definitely the norm on The Real Housewives of Orange County. But when Tamra Judge, one of the eventual 'Tres Amigas' and pillars of the show, first joined, her salary wasn't a lot to brag about. Legal pokemon coins woth real money. Judge joined the show in Season 3, back in 2007, making her practically an original cast member. But being an early cast member didn't necessarily mean her salar

How Much Money Does Real Housewives Make Per Episode