You won’t believe what they have to say!

As far as reality television goes, you’d be hard-pressed to find a show as wholesome and successful as Farmer Wants a Wife (FWAW).

Over 14 seasons of the matchmaking series, 16 couples have stayed together, many getting married and starting their own families.

But not every female participant gets what she is looking for out of the show, with only a few farmers available and plenty of lovely ladies vying for their attention and affection.

So, if they don’t get a love to last a lifetime, what do the participants on FWAW get in exchange for their appearance on the show?

Scroll on to find out!
Ellen has described the pay as “paltry”. (Credit: Channel Seven)

How much are the Farmer Wants a Wife contestants paid?

While much has circulated online as to what the contestant salaries are for similar reality television series, such as I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, Married at First Sight, The Block, and MasterChef, the amount the FWAW contestants are paid has been kept tightly under wraps…until now!

Ellen Dunger, who was in the running to secure Farmer Todd’s heart on the 2024 season before being sent home in episode 15, took to Instagram shortly after the 2025 season began airing to reveal exactly how much she was paid during her time on the show.

“Eureka Productions only pays $80 per day of filming, and 40 percent of that is withheld until after the show airs. So essentially, you’re waiting for six months for 40 per cent of $80 a day,” she shared.

“And even while you’re filming and you’re trying to get the little money that they give you out of them, it’s actually a really difficult task. I think we had to send heaps of ridiculous emails, like the girls on my farm, to actually get paid,” she alleged.

The ex-contestant then explained how it didn’t surprise her that so many women voluntarily quit the show each year, citing that they’d probably earn more money in their normal, non televised life.
Sophie says while the pay “wasn’t great”, it was all worth it to meet Farmer Dustin. (Credit: Channel Seven)
This isn’t the first time a former contestant has shed insight into the take-home pay for appearing on the show, with Sophie Trethowan (who found love with Farmer Dustin in 2024), telling Yahoo Lifestyle that she earned approximately $3,200 for two months of filming.

“So it’s $80 a day for when you’re filming and travel days, and I got paid $80 for the reunion as well,” she detailed to the online publication.

“It’s not a lot of money, but at the end of the day, you don’t go there for that. I never looked at it like that. I was like, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

She also confirmed that while some expenses, like food, were covered by the production team, she still spent “a lot of money” on out-of-pocket expenses like doing her hair and makeup, and supplying her outfits.

“Some girls quit their jobs, you can’t work for months, and I was still paying off a house loan. I was lucky I had savings, but you have to have that in mind if you’re applying,” she added.

Fellow 2024 contestant Daisy Lamb (who did succeed in winning Farmer Todd’s heart) has also spoken up about the paltry pay, telling So Dramatic! that there were days when the contestants were on “$5 an hour for filming.”

In an additional interview with Chattr, she also confirmed that the ladies were paid “$80 a day,” which she described as “sweet f*** all.”

Daisy also confirmed that Channel Seven only paid the ladies 60% of what they are owed during filming, with the remaining 40% being paid out once the show finished airing.
Daisy Lamb has described the pay for contestants as “below minimum wage.” (Credit: Channel Seven)

How much are the farmers on Farmer Wants a Wife paid?

In the same interview, Daisy revealed that the farmers are paid with a 60/40 split like the ladies, but they took home significantly more.

“I think they get paid around $3000 when they first start, and then after the show is [done], they end up with about $6000 or $7000.”

While the leading men on The Bachelor have been paid as high as half a million to take part in the show, the farmers on FWAW are paid significantly less, but still much more than the ladies looking to steal their hearts.