• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited

2

Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt

3

After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'

1

U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited

2

Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt

3

After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'
Arts & Entertainment

How Much Contestants on ‘Survivor’ and Other Reality Shows Earn

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 16, 2018, 11:20 AM ET

Survivor is a ratings thoroughbred for CBS, having been a reliable ratings grabber for 18 years. And while it’s well known that the winner takes home a $1 million check, it has been less clear what other players make, if anything.

Now, a former contestant is giving out a few numbers about the reality show and they’re bigger than you might imagine.

Jon Dalton is better known to Survivor fans as Jonny Fairplay, who notoriously fooled viewers and his fellow contestants into thinking his grandmother had died during the show’s “visit from loved ones” episode. In a conversation with TMZ, he talked about compensation.

Dalton says the first person voted off the show, who is there just three days, walks away with $3,500. Jury members, who vote on the ultimate fate of the final three, pocket $40,000. The two runners up earn a hefty $110,000 and the winner takes home $1,010,000.

The discussion came amidst a mini-tempest about an upcoming Survivor season, where two future contestants posted an Instagram picture of themselves together, raising questions about whether they violated the show’s strict NDA. (Alliances and romances on the show are often dramatic high points. By posting the picture, Alex Merlino and Kara Kay, who will appear on the show’s 37th season, hinted they were a couple in some form. They reportedly could face fines of up to $5 million.)

Survivor, of course, isn’t the only show that pays contestants. Stars of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are paid $100,000, according to some reports, with some making much more. And the top 24 American Idol hopefuls collect a performance fee of $1,571 plus meals for two-hour Idol shows, They make $1,303 for one-hour shows and $910 for half-hour results shows, after they join the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The 12 who go on tour after the show earn an extra $150,000.

Reality stars make far less than established TV figures (such as Judge Judy, who earns $47 million per year), but often parlay that screen time to other projects (including White House positions) or speaking engagements.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

ms
Arts & Entertainmentbaby boomers
Why the economy forces boomers to work longer, then vilifies them for it
By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams and The ConversationMay 31, 2026
4 hours ago
Several musicians said they were misled about the ‘Great American State Fair’ and dropped out. So Trump is stepping in as the main act
PoliticsDonald Trump
Several musicians said they were misled about the ‘Great American State Fair’ and dropped out. So Trump is stepping in as the main act
By Jesse Bedayn, Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 30, 2026
19 hours ago
After a judge ordered Trump’s name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will ‘soon be closed, probably never to open again’
LawDonald Trump
After a judge ordered Trump’s name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will ‘soon be closed, probably never to open again’
By Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 30, 2026
21 hours ago
Warren Buffett’s son Peter didn’t know his dad was a billionaire until his 20s—he found out from a rich list
SuccessWarren Buffett
Warren Buffett’s son Peter didn’t know his dad was a billionaire until his 20s—he found out from a rich list
By Sydney LakeMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
guitar
AIMusic
AI is splitting the music world. This 49-year-old guitarist used it to keep playing after Parkinson’s
By Mustakim Hasnath and The Associated PressMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
ts
CybersecurityLaw
Taylor Swift just exposed a blind spot in AI law — and it’s bigger than copyright
By Daryl Lim and The ConversationMay 30, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
Politics
U.S. says deals with Iran for safe Hormuz transit are prohibited
By Jack Wittels and BloombergMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt
Economy
Surging Treasury yields expose a brutal truth: America has no margin for error on its $39 trillion debt
By Shawn TullyMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'
Law
After a judge ordered Trump's name be removed from the Kennedy Center, president says it will 'soon be closed, probably never to open again'
By Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMay 30, 2026
21 hours ago
After Blue Origin rocket explosion, NASA's entire moon exploration program depends on SpaceX for now as Musk eyes blockbuster IPO soon
Innovation
After Blue Origin rocket explosion, NASA's entire moon exploration program depends on SpaceX for now as Musk eyes blockbuster IPO soon
By Jason MaMay 30, 2026
23 hours ago
Damn the torpedoes — More ships are quietly slipping through the Strait of Hormuz as helicopters scare off Iran's fast-attack boats
Energy
Damn the torpedoes — More ships are quietly slipping through the Strait of Hormuz as helicopters scare off Iran's fast-attack boats
By Jason MaMay 30, 2026
1 day ago
Meet the Black women on Fortune's Most Powerful Women list shaping business leadership
MPW
Meet the Black women on Fortune's Most Powerful Women list shaping business leadership
By Cheyann HarrisMay 29, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.