If you’re a fan of the Duggars, and you think TV’s favorite fundamentalists deserve all the money in the world, we have good news and bad news:
The good news is, Jim Bob and company are still worth a lot of money.
The bad news is, the family media empire isn’t quite as valuable as it used to be.
There’s no telling what the future holds for the Duggars, but their finances have been on a downward trajectory for several years.
And with all the mouths they have to feed, saying goodbye to television and just getting regular folk jobs isn’t really an option.
So who’s doing the best job at supplementing their income and keeping their head above water?
Well, here’s an in-depth look at the Duggars’ current financial situation:
Family Finances
Jim Bob and his 19 children are worth an awful lot of money. Unfortunately, the family’s not as rich as it used to be, and the money that’s still coming in has to be divided up among many, many Duggars.
Always Hustling
By now, you probably know the story of the Duggars’ rise from massive, upper-middle-class family to even more massive, fabulously wealthy family.
Win-Win
With 16 kids to feed and more on the way, politician Jim Bob cut a deal with the now-defunct Discovery Health network — they would help him build a larger home for his family, and he’d allow them to shoot a series of documentaries about his brood.
The Big Money
The rest, as they say, is history. Discovery execs passed the Duggars off to their fledgling TLC off-shoot, and the family quickly became the network’s biggest draw.
Devastation
The Josh Duggar sex scandals very nearly brought the family media empire crashing down, but Jim Bob was able to work out a deal in which the family would return to TLC with a new title — Counting On.
Failure to Launch
Unfortunately, while Jim Bob’s offspring have followed in his footsteps in terms of enthusiastic reproduction, they haven’t been able to reproduce his financial success.
Jim Bob on Top
And so it is that Jim Bob is still the family’s top earner, with a net worth estimated at $3.5 million.
The Math
Jim Bob and Michelle are notoriously secretive about their finances, but E! News was able to work out an estimate with the help of longtime reality TV producer Terence Michael.
The Reality of Their Situation
Michael says about 10 percent of reality show budgets go to the cast, and episodes of Counting On are budgeted at $250,000 to $400,000, which would mean the Duggars rake in between $25,000 and $40,000 for a week of filming.
Big Baller
Jim Bob is also a producer on the show, so he probably earns even more than that.
His Mind On His Money
Jim Bob has several side businesses, as well. And then there are the reports from Derick Dillard that he pockets the earnings that are supposed to go to his kids … but that’s a conversation for another time.
Top Dog
Assuming Jim Bob doesn’t steal his kids’ money (big assumption) then the offspring do quite well, themselves — but not nearly as well as the patriarch.
Chip Off the Old Block
Jinger may not always share her father’s ultra-conservative views, but she’s certainly inherited his earning power.
Interesting Storyline = Bigger Bucks
Jinger’s net worth is currently estimated at $2 million. That’s mostly a result of her Counting On appearances, as the LA resident has reportedly worked out a deal with TLC that pays her more than her siblings.
Side Hustles
As one of the more popular Duggars, Jinger also benefits greatly from posting sponsored content on Instagram. Insiders say her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, also has a nice chunk of change saved up from his days as a pro soccer player.
Pilot John
Coming in behind Jinger is John David Duggar. Sources say he saved a whole lot of money by living at home until he married Abbie Burnett in late 2018.
Flying High
John David has also been bringing in extra cash from his career as a charter pilot. His net worth is estimated at roughly $1 million.
The Cinderella Duggar
Next we have John David’s twin, Jana. She’s been dubbed “the Cinderella Duggar” for remaining on the compound and helping to raise her younger siblings — but staying at home has its economic advantages.
On the Rise
Jana is estimated to be worth about $500,000 and that number is sure to climb thanks to her popular new YouTube channel.
The Seewalds
Next up are Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald, the couple is estimated to be worth about $400,000 thanks to their appearances on Counting On and comparatively meager earnings from sponsored content and their personal website.
All Tied Up
Here, we have a several-way tie, as insiders estimate that several Duggar couples — including Joe and Kendra and Josiah and Lauren — are also worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $400,000. They haven’t been earning quite as long as Jessa and Ben, but they also have fewer kids, and fewer expenses.
Breaking Away
Although Joseph might soon rise through the ranks thanks to supplemental income. Insiders say he recently earned his commercial driver’s license and is working on earning a license to sell real estate.
Hard Times
Slightly lower on the list are Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard, who have not appeared on Counting On as a couple since he was fired for online harassment back in 2017.
Getting Worse
And these days, their situation is made worse by Derick’s increasingly ugly feud with Jim Bob, which has severely limited the couple’s earning potential.
Bright Future?
Derick is in law school these days, but he’s currently paying the bills as a Grub Hub driver. The couple’s net worth is estimated to be well below $100,000.
Bringing Up the Rear
And then there’s Josh. His rampant sexual misconduct nearly brought down the family media empire, and while he’s managed to avoid prosecution, he’s been paying a financial price ever since word of his behavior got out back in 2015.
Not Great
Little is known about Josh’s financial situation these days, but with six mouths to feed, you can bet it isn’t good.
Couldn’t Have Happened to a Worse Guy
Josh works on a used car lot that’s mostly owned by his father, and it’s rumored he and his family are living in a storage shack on his parents’ land. We don’t feel bad for the guy — but his wife and kids deserve better