‘7 Little Johnstons’ vs. ‘Little People, Big World’: Who Makes More Money?
TLC’s 7 Little Johnstons Season 13 continues to show Amber and Trent Johnston with their five kids. The family draws viewers in after each season, and they’re not the only family featuring little people on the network. Little People, Big World started years before 7 Little Johnstons. So, which cast members make more money? Here’s what to know.
Who makes more money — the cast of ‘7 Little Johnstons’ or ‘Little People, Big World’?
TLC stars can make a lot of money per episode, and the stars of 7 Little Johnstons and Little People, Big World are no different. So, which cast members make more money?
Reality producer Terence Michael says that families on reality TV typically make about 10% of the budget. While TLC hasn’t published the budget for 7 Little Johnstons or Little People, Big World, Michael estimates that the network budgets around $250,000 to $400,000 per episode. This means that the Johnstons and the Roloffs would make between $25,000 and $40,000 per episode.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the families actually make the same amount of money, though. Little People, Big World started in 2006, whereas the Johnstons started their show nearly a decade later. It’s likely that TLC pays the Roloff family more than the Johnstons thanks to their tenure. Additional reports claimed that Zach Roloff, a staple on Little People, Big World, makes around $7,000 per episode. This is likely more than any of the Johnstons make per episode.
Additionally, because TLC viewers are generally more familiar with the Roloffs, the Roloffs have other sources of income from their fan base. Fans frequently visit the Roloff Farms pumpkin patch every October, and they also purchase fudge from Amy Roloff’s Little Kitchen. Amber and Trent Johnston have jobs unrelated to the show, so they’re not bringing in additional income from fans.
‘Little People, Big World’ is likely to end soon
While fans have been keeping up with the Roloffs and the Johnstons on Little People, Big World and 7 Little Johnstons for years, Little People, Big World might end soon. The last season of the series showed how divided the Roloff family became over the issues surrounding Roloff Farms. And Tori Roloff, a staple in the series, told her fans that she knows her time on the show is ending.
“How long do you plan to be on television?” the fan asked Tori at the end of the last season.
“I think our time is definitely coming to a close, but we’re trying to enjoy it while it’s here!” Tori answered.
With that said, Amy Roloff told her fans that she’s currently filming and expects the show to last for one more season at least.
Do the families know each other?
Do the Roloffs and the Johnstons know each other?
It appears they do. The 7 Little Johnstons stars and Little People, Big World family have appeared in each other’s Instagram posts in the past. A photo posted by Trent Johnston from July 2022 shows him with Matt Roloff. “Check it out! Friends before TV,” Trent captioned the post.
Additionally, the Roloffs and the Johnstons typically attend the LPA National Conference in Spokane, Washington. Matt has posted about catching up with Trent and Amber at the conference in the past.
It’s unclear how close the Roloffs and the Johnstons have become through the years. But it’s also likely that if TLC holds events for their recurring cast members, then the Roloffs and the Johnstons would reconnect there as well.
This story was originally reported by In Touch Weekly.
7 Little Johnstons Season 13 airs at 9 p.m. ET on TLC
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