How much did Wife Swap families get paid?

Dave Hogan/Getty Images

"Wife Swap" is one of the most bonkers shows in reality television. As you can tell by the name, the popular reality program involves wives from different backgrounds switching families for two weeks. In the first week, the women are only allowed to operate under the guidelines given to them by the original wife, but in the second week, they're allowed to run the household as they please. More often than not, chaos ensues.

The reality series originated in the U.K. and was adapted by various countries worldwide, including the U.S. The U.S. version of "Wife Swap" aired on ABC from 2004 to 2010 — until it was picked up by Paramount in 2019 for a much-awaited reboot. "Wife Swap" was canceled again when the network decided it would focus primarily on movies.

Only time will tell if new seasons of "Wife Swap" will end up on the airwaves again, but for now, fans can watch reruns to enjoy its former glory. It's also not surprising why people are clamoring for a comeback since getting cast on the show involves some serious money.

Families on Wife Swap reportedly get paid thousands to join

It's no secret that a career in reality TV is often lucrative, but it's a different case for shows like "Wife Swap," as contestants were only shown in one-off episodes. But per a casting call obtained by Boing Boing in 2005, families were offered a whopping $20,000 to be on the show.

At the time, Boing Boing (a tech-heavy website) was contacted directly by ABC in the hopes of having a "very techno-savvy family on the show" get featured on the program. Their requirements include "families who apply consist of two parents that have at least two children, over the age of 5, living at home," and ideally, "both parents and their children are into the latest and greatest that technology has to offer."

Interestingly, the offer was lower in the reboot. According to Auditions Free, families would receive a $10,000 compensation when they get chosen. And if someone else referred a family that got cast, they would receive a $1,000 "finders fee" for their troubles. The requirements were also not as strict in the reboot, with a Facebook post from Pitman Casting noting that the family doesn't need to be a "traditional" family. Apparently, this meant they could be "LGBTQ+, multi-generational, polyamorous, and non-traditional religions."

Some families capitalized on their Wife Swap fame

Some families featured on "Wife Swap" decided to live a quiet life after filming, while some capitalized on the fanbase they acquired. For instance, the Beaver family, who gained widespread attention for their liberal beliefs, are often found on TikTok thanks to the daughter, Emily Beaver's account. The parents, Amy and Jeffrey, often participate in viral challenges — and in a Q&A video on YouTube, Emily revealed that they're "trying to be full-time content creators."

Meanwhile, it appears that Justin Startling — who appeared on the "Starling/Sweany-Ernst" episode and was reprimanded by his swapped mother for loving motocross — pursued his passion and is still competing today. As of writing, he has 27,000 followers on Instagram, an account he uses to post his motocross adventures and what looks to be a bike tape business.

So there you have it! In case you're holding out hope that "Wife Swap" gets rebooted again in the future, you now know how much compensation to expect if you're interested in joining the show.