This is how much the cast of Below Deck actually earn

I still haven’t got over when photographer Johnny Eyelash and his entourage got caught with coke and they all had to sail back to port on the very first episode of Below Deck. But while rich guests causing havoc on the high seas is great, the REAL drama comes from the staff. And although they get treated like absolute shit while on the show, it turns out the Below Deck cast get paid massive salaries.

Refinery 29 claims they’ve worked out how much each staff member earns. Their analysis takes into account the average salary of the crew working on superyachts, the likely fee they will receive for appearing on the show, as well as the average tips they get from the charter guests.

So, without further ado, here’s what cast members of Below Deck actually earn while working on the show.

I want to be Captain Lee when I grow up

The captain of a yacht the size of those used on Below Deck earns between $150,000- $210,000 per year, and that’s before tips.

A chief stew could expect to earn up to $6,000 per month, while the second or third stews would rake in around $5,000.

The chefs could get anywhere between $7,000-$10,000 depending on experience. It’s no wonder that the legend that is Ben Robinson has a net worth of around $2.5m.

Chef Ben looking like he’s put his finger in a plug socket

The deck hands are unsurprisingly at the lower end of the pay scale, but are still getting $5,000 a month. Not bad at all.

But wait a minute. This is all before tips. Each Below Deck cast member gets around $5,000 in tips for every six weeks they work. That means that for just a month and half’s work, chief stews like the unforgettable Hannah Ferrier, could have pulled in a whopping $24,000.

On top of this, the Below Deck cast don’t work for the full yachting season so it’s highly plausible that they could go and work on different yachts and get more dollar for the rest of the year.

I think it’s time I learnt how to drive a boat.

Related articles recommended by this writer:

• Below Deck: Take this quiz and we’ll tell you which rank you’d be on a charter yacht

• Below Deck: Who is Chef Ben and where is he now?

• Below Deck: Where is Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier now?