How Much Did The Stars Of The Hills Get Paid Per Episode?

"The Hills" debuted in 2006 so it's safe to say that it was one of the first breakout reality TV shows. After gaining popularity on "Laguna Beach," Lauren Conrad and many of the stars from the high school-based series moved onto their next journey, a spinoff called "The Hills." It followed the cast as they lived, worked, and fell in love in Los Angeles. Conrad was the star for four seasons, but the series continued on without her for another two seasons before officially ending in 2010 (via Deadline).

At the time "The Hills" graced our television screens, we weren't simultaneously scrolling Instagram or seeing rumors and photos of moments that happened during filming. This made the show feel authentic, but it also left a lot of unknowns, including how the cast actually made any money. According to The Daily Beast, many fans often wondered how the young adults lived such luxurious lifestyles with their entry level jobs and unpaid internships. Years later, we finally got our answer.

According to Go Banking Rates, the amount reality TV stars get paid can vary greatly. For example, the lead on "The Bachelor" probably earns about $100,000 per season, while the cast of "Jersey Shore" made about $100,000 per episode by the time the show became super popular in 2011.

As for the cast of "The Hills," their salaries for appearing on the series help to explain their extravagant lifestyles and spacious Los Angeles apartments. As the show-runner and main star, Lauren Conrad made the most money. According to The Daily Beast, she made $125,000 per episode, which totals to around $2.5 million per year. Her deal also reportedly included a clause that did not allow any of her fellow cast mates to make as much as she did while she was on the show. While this number is big, especially for between 2006 and 2010, the star is now worth $40 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Although the other stars of "The Hills" weren't making quite what Conrad was, their paychecks were quite impressive, too.

According to The Daily Beast, Audrina Patridge, Lauren Bosworth, and Heidi Montag all made out from the show. Each earned about $100,000 per episode. After Lauren  Conrad departed the show, her former high school rival Kristin Cavallari stepped up as the show-runner but was said to only make about $90,000 per episode. Other supporting cast mates made a bit less. Spencer Pratt, who was somewhat of the villain throughout the series, reportedly made $65,000 per episode; Brody Jenner made the least at $45,000. 

These salaries weren't the only source of income for the reality stars. According to OK! Magazine, Conrad was able to launch her first fashion line while still on "The Hills" and continued to make money from the show even after she left. Her and the rest of the cast also made money through personal appearances, according to The Daily Beast. Some of the cast made between $20,000 and $25,000 for these.

Today, most of the cast of "The Hills" has found other forms of success on their own, but it seems that "The Hills" is about to open a new chapter. According to Deadline, MTV officially green lit "The Hills: Next Gen," which will feature a brand new cast of twenty-somethings as they navigate the same path of the stars who started it all.