Bringing in the big bucks? Over the years, the Below Deck franchise cast has played coy about their earnings — only offering small glimpses about the money they bring home.
The hit Bravo series, which debuted in 2013 and has spanned several spinoffs, follows the lives of crew members who work and live on super yachts during charter season. The cast earns money working on the boat, which is supplemented by tips from guests and their involvement in the reality series.
In May 2022, Eddie Lucas sparked a conversation about paychecks when he revealed that he won’t be coming back for season 10 of Below Deck after appearing in six seasons.
“I was not invited back to do another season,” the first officer told the New York Post in May 2022. “I actually didn’t even get a phone call from them saying they hired someone else — which kind of goes to show what the production entails. Everyone on Below Deck is expendable.”
The Maryland native also called out the ups and downs that come with working on deck and having to film at the same time. “There is somebody monetizing off of the show, but it’s definitely not us,” he noted. “Below Deck — regardless of it being the most popular show on Bravo — we are the lowest-paid cast members.”
For the Bravo personality, it was difficult to grasp why his paycheck didn’t reflect the hard work that he put into each season. “While we do get paid better than a normal yachtie, of course, we are still not getting paid what people like the Housewives are making, which is a little frustrating, because they’re not really working — they’re just going out to dinner and fighting,” he added at the time.
After a Below Deck fan page reposted Lucas’ quotes on Instagram, several former franchise stars weighed in on the confession.
Below Deck Mediterranean alum Jessica More replied, “Yep 
I see all facts in his statements.” Meanwhile, Below Deck Sailing Yacht stew Dani Soares added, “
.”
Ciara Duggan, who appeared in season 1 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, also claimed that Lucas is “not wrong” when it comes to how much the cast has been paid. Fellow alum Tiffany Copeland pointed out in the comments section, “Would be nice to get residuals when reruns air at least!”
Executive producer Jill Goslicky, who works on Below Deck Sailing Yacht, previously revealed that the crew members don’t earn money from one direct source. “They get paid in a few different ways,” Goslicky wrote via Reddit in March 2021. “They do get a salary for being hired as part of the yacht crew, they do get to keep their tips, and they do get a production fee.”
Goslicky also noted that guests are “actually paying for their vacations,” even though it has been confirmed that there is a discount for people who agree to film their time on the boat for Below Deck.
Scroll down for everything the Below Deck cast has said about their earnings over the years:
In response to Eddie's comments about the Below Deck cast's salary, Captain Sandy noted that she wasn't of the same opinion. "All I know is negotiation is an art either you're good at it or you're not," the captain told Us in July 2022. "There [is] no favoritism here. It's about budgets and that's really the reality of it. And if we were paid lower than the rest, I don't know what to say about that. I love what I do. You show up because of the passion in what you do [and] the money comes in other ways." Laurent Basset/Bravo
"Just want to thank @BravoWWHL for all the free OF publicity! I love waking up and seeing that in a couple hours, I’ve made more money than #Bravo paid me for 6 weeks," the season 3 stew tweeted in June 2022, shortly after missing the reunion. Laurent Basset/Bravo
"Salaries, as far as I'm concerned, are normal. I don't have any issue with the salaries," the Below Deck Sailing Yacht star exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2022. "We do very well in tips. We get tips, whether there's cameras or not, and often they're very good. But I think during the show, they're, maybe, even a little bit better. So, I have no complaints about money." Laurent Basset/Bravo
The former bosun questioned the money that he earned after filming six seasons for Below Deck. “There is somebody monetizing off of the show, but it’s definitely not us,” he shared in May 2022. “Below Deck — regardless of it being the most popular show on Bravo — we are the lowest-paid cast members.” Laurent Bassett/Bravo
In October 2019, the former chef stew offered some insight about how tips factor into a successful paycheck for the crew. “On a yacht of that size, [a good tip] would be $5,000 a person, for seven days of work,” the Florida native explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “Five grand a crew member, usually. Our charters are a little bit shorter, just so we can make the show, [but] everything else is exactly the same. So, it’s prorated. We usually get around $2,000 to$ 2,500. Anything less than $1,000 would be depressing, which sounds crazy, doesn’t it?” Karolina Wojtasik/Bravo
During an interview with Bravo Insider in 2021, Captain Lee noted that the crew has seen an uptick in tips since the show originally debuted. "I’m not sure exactly what the catalyst is, I just hope it doesn’t quit," he said at the time, referring to some "good ones" in season 8. "And I'm very grateful for it." Laurent Bassett/Bravo
The former Below Deck Med star, who created her own training academy for yachting, previously confirmed that the cast members bring in more than they typical would because of the show. “A 6 week season is a Below Deck season and Below Deck is filmed which is another job altogether!" she tweeted in January 2021. The Australia native broke down the costs to more than $6,000 a month for a chief stew position on a 40-meter yacht. That becomes more than $70,000 a year. Broadimage/Shutterstock
During an interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet in 2021, the Below Deck Med alum admitted that yachting changed his outlook on making money. “I’d probably start right out of college at age 22 and then put in about five years of work on yachts,” he said. “Depending on where you live, you could even save enough money to buy a house.” Courtesy of Colin Macy-O’Toole/Instagram
After filming several seasons for Below Deck, the bosun admitted that the paycheck wasn't worth an onscreen return. “I would do another season and I’ve been asked back. It’s just the monetary [aspect]. And the stress you go through," Johnson told Showbiz Cheat Sheet in January 2021. “For me, the monetary value that they pay the crew members just isn’t enough for how long you have to deal with the show. Because you’re only six weeks worth of filming and then you’ve got, you know, the few months before it airs.” Virginia Sherwood/Bravo
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