The cast of MTV's Teen Mom franchise is predominantly comprised of women who really know how to
hustle.
Whether they're promoting tons of products on Instagram, writing books, or launching
brands, these young moms do way more than stir up irresistible drama for the channel
that used to be non-stop music videos.
Though some cast members have been more forthcoming than others about how much they make on the
show, it's clear that over the years, they've all gone from their tough high school pregnancies,
to living pretty comfortable lives.
So how are they raking in that bank?
Here's how the stars of Teen Mom really make their money.
Mom brand
Teen Mom fan favorite Chelsea DeBoer got lots of support from her father, Dr. Randy Houska,
when she had daughter Aubree with then-boyfriend Adam Lind.
Since then, she probably doesn't need the help anymore thanks to a slew of Instagram
endorsements, including sunglasses, waist trainers, and mommy-focused lifestyle brands.
According to Business Insider, so-called "social media influencers", like DeBoer who has north
of five million followers as of 2018, have the potential to earn "six-figure incomes
and as much as $9,000 per post."
"You were staring at me."
"That was leaned up, like, wonder if she thinks I'm cool."
"You were cool, obviously"
On top of that, she and her current husband, Cole DeBoer, have actual jobs.
He's a "traffic control specialist" in their home state in South Dakota and Chelsea works
as an esthetician at a spa.
"Where ya sittin?
Oh my goodness, right there?"
"He's mine."
That's not even counting the salary Chelsea makes for Teen Mom, which her ex, Adam Lind,
claimed in an Instagram rant was $250,000 for the 2015 season of the show, and upwards
of $300,000 for subsequent seasons.
Making it Reign
Stay-at-home mom Catelynn Lowell and husband Tyler Baltierra have admitted they're not
sure what they want to do with their lives, so it's a good thing they have reality TV
to sustain them until they figure it out.
"One day I'm gonna marry this kid.
He might not know it, but he's f——-.
He's f——-...He's gonna be my husband."
On top of making bank off of Teen Mom, they tried to cash in on another reality series
for MTV called Reunited, which ended up turning into a "one-time special."
The duo also appeared on VH1's Couples Therapy in 2013, for which they were rumored to make
an estimated $100,000.
Outside of TV, Baltierra and Lowell wrote a book, Conquering Chaos, and launched a clothing
line called Tierra Reign.
Back in 2014, Lowell told In Touch that she and Baltierra were "financially stable," holding
down gigs "caring for developmentally disabled adults", although it's unclear these days
whether they're still punching that clock.
Both Lowell and Baltierra also seem to be monetizing their Instagram accounts with sponsored
posts.
Instagram idol
While she's had a few jobs during her time on Teen Mom, including gigs as a tanning salon
clerk and a Mary Kay consultant, Leah Messer still seems to be searching for the perfect
career.
She took a crack at cosmetology school and briefly enrolled at West Virginia State University.
However, her struggles with depression and anxiety, as well as the difficulties of balancing
a job with taking care of her three children, have recently taken top priority.
"Like sometimes you can crash by trying to be too much, y'know?
And I don't want that to happen either."
As far as side hustles go, Messer has been known to promote assorted products.
In Touch reported that she repped lipstick company LipSense in 2017, and in 2018, she
got involved with a customized clothing line called Live Your Standard, which she plugs
on Instagram.
Thankfully, Messer also has income from the show as well as child support from both her
exes.
One of them, Jeremy Calvert, reportedly takes home around $200,000 a year as a pipeline
engineer, according to OK!.
If she keeps going with those potentially lucrative Instagram promos, the sky's the
limit.
Business savvy
According to The Herald Bulletin, Amber Portwood disclosed in a court hearing that she made
"$140,000 for a six-month contract with MTV" in 2010.
Assuming she's been able to negotiate up from there since then, that's a nice chunk of change
to be making on its own.
She also wrote a book, started a house-flipping company, and launched a makeup line and clothing
boutique.
She explained her multifaceted approach to money-making, telling IBT,
"I like to be independent in that way.
I like to invest my money in a lot of things instead of just living off of it.
[…] I don't see how any of us could star on Teen Mom and go and work [for] somebody.
[…] I think we need to be smart."
Jenelle's Jacksons
Revealing in a 2015 radio interview that she'd made over half a million dollars on Teen Mom
since first appearing on the series in 2009, Jenelle Evans has since earned a degree in
medical assisting and written a book.
According to E! News, Evans' role on the show was in question in 2018, after her husband,
David Eason, got booted for allegedly making homophobic remarks on social media.
Evans then openly lamented being unable to leave the show, due to her contractual obligation.
But she also has a few other side streams going.
Her makeup and clothing lines launched in late 2017.
Evans has even entered the the tech sector with an emoji app.
Bookout's book smarts
According to an interview with The Ashley's Reality Roundup, Maci Bookout graduated from
Chattanooga State Community College with an associate's degree in media technology in
2015.
She put those book smarts to use by founding her own social media marketing company, telling
IBT,
"I don't brand it as me from MTV or on TV, if people don't watch the show then they would
never know that I'm on TV.
I don't bring it up."
On top of that, Bookout is involved with her husband's apparel company, Things That Matter,
which is routinely featured on the show.
"Shouts to Maci she planned everything."
"And I didn't tell anybody"
She's also hip to the Instagram branding game, promoting everything from movies, to fitness
products and weight loss tea.
Not enough for you?
Bookout has also written two books.
Scandalous stacks
Though she's no longer on the series, Farrah Abraham is arguably the most successful outside
of it, thanks in part to her forays into adult forms of entertainment.
But Abraham also makes plenty of loot in other ways, promoting weight loss teas and other
items on social media, as well as operating a boutique, a furniture store, and a froyo
shop.
She even acted in a few B-movies, dabbled in pop music, and managed to land a spot on
Couples Therapy by allegedly faking a relationship.
As a result, she clocked an estimated net worth of more than $1 million in 2017, according
to The Squander, which is far and above any of her MTV peers.