The hustle is real! Sister Wives star Meri Brown has starred on the long-running TLC reality series since its premiere in 2010, but how else does she make a living? Keep reading to find out details about Meri’s job, what she does for work and more.

What Is Meri Brown’s Job?

It’s no secret being a reality star is one of Meri’s main jobs, as she’s starred on Sister Wives for all 17 seasons. However, before the show premiered, Meri worked in the mental health field and aspired to work with at-risk youths. Once the series aired, though, the TLC personality’s overnight fame was allegedly too much for her old employer, even though they were reportedly aware of her polygamous lifestyle. 

“They felt that they needed to protect the company, I think,” Meri said during a TV interview in October 2010  – just one month after the first season of Sister Wives aired. “It actually makes me really sad because I loved my job. It breaks my heart, definitely. … But I understand where they’re coming from.”

How Much Does Meri Brown Make Per Episode of ‘Sister Wives’?

The reality TV family earns about 10 percent of the show’s per-episode budget, according to CheatSheet. TLC reportedly spends approximately $250,000 to $400,000 on every episode, meaning the Brown family receives anywhere from $25,000 to $40,000 to split among them. 

Though it is unclear exactly how much Meri makes per episode, Business Insider reported that her pay could top more than $10,000 per episode – depending on the success of the show.

‘Sister Wives’ Updates 2022: Breaking News, Top Stories
Courtesy of TLC

“For those docu-ensembles, especially if they’re nobodies, per episode it ranges from low-end, like $1,500 an episode, to $3,000 at the high end,” the outlet reported. “And then after three years of success, it can go up to $7,000 to $10,000 an episode. After that, you start moving into the Kardashian level.” 

Meri Brown Runs Lizzie’s Heritage Inn

Meri runs Lizzie’s Heritage Inn, a bed-and-breakfast and historical landmark located in the town of Parowan in Southern Utah. Though the quaint B&B has good reviews, fans were shocked after Meri revealed that she was charging $4500 to upwards of $6500 for a four-day, three-night retreat at the property in October 2022. 

“Wow! That pricing is absolutely insane! You have officially lost my respect. You are using whatever ‘celebrity’ status you have to cheat people out of a ton of $,” one person wrote on Instagram after Meri promoted the October retreat, while another commented, “What are you serving for breakfast….gold? $4500.00????”

Another retreat titled “Love Yourself!” – which is scheduled for February 16 through February 19, 2023, and is sold out – runs in a similar price range and has three packages: Supreme ($4,000), Elite ($5,000) and Super Elite ($6,000).

Meri’s four-day, three-night retreat boasts “accommodations in beautiful Southern Utah, three meals for the two full days, dinner on the first night and breakfast on the last morning, two to five daily activities focused on self-love and empowerment, relaxation, rejuvenation and restoration, a goody bag, transportation throughout retreat, photos, bonding with Meri” and more, per the Lizzie’s Heritage Inn website.

While giving fans more information about the event in January 2023, the Sister Wives star was met with more scrutiny about pricing, with multiple fans claiming that their international vacations cost less than Meri’s Utah getaway. 

“Spent nearly 3 weeks in Paris, Lisbon and Porto Portugal. With flight from Canada cost me around $3000. A weekend in Utah for $6000?!” wrote one outraged follower, while another added, “My husband and I are going to Ireland for a week….. under $4K (including airfare and hotel for the week!) Those prices are absolutely insane! Good luck with that, lol!”

How Else Does Meri Brown Make Money?

Meri is also a New York Times best-selling author, having penned Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage alongside ex Kody Brown, former sister wives Janelle Brown and Christine Brown, and Kody’s only remaining wife, Robyn Brown

Additionally, Meri serves as a “trainer” with LuLaRoe, a company that sells clothing like leggings, sweatshirts, dresses and more in unique prints, patterns and colors – something she’s been doing since 2016 and describes as her “passion.”

What Is Meri Brown’s Net Worth?

The travel enthusiast is reportedly worth an estimated $400,000, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

When Did Meri and Kody Brown Split?

Meri and Kody confirmed their breakup after nearly 33 years of marriage in a joint statement posted to Instagram in January 2023, writing in part, “After more than a decade of working on our relationship in our own unique ways, we have made the decision to permanently terminate our marriage relationship.” 

Their split came less than a month after In Touch exclusively broke the news that Janelle had left the Wyoming native after 30 years together, and a little over a year after Christine revealed she ended her spiritual marriage with the businessman after 27 years.