The Stars of 'Life Below Zero' Make More Money Than You Might Think

For some people, getting through the day when the temperature is less than 70 degrees is bad enough. But there are some truly cold climates out there that people call home. The cast of Life Below Zero knows that all too well since they live in remote Alaska where the days are minus 60 degrees regularly, according to the network that airs the show, National Geographic.

But the fight for survival must be made a little easier thanks to some big network paychecks, right? Life Below Zero has been on the air since 2013 and fans are curious: How much do the people on the show make? It may not be what you'd expect, but there are still some big numbers. Here's what we know.

There's no official word on how much they make, but reports say that Sue Aiken gets paid $4,500 per episode and $200,000 per year to star in the show. Glenn Villeneuve was also said to make $200,000 a year.

Other cast members like Chip and Agnes Hailstone and Jessie Holmes reportedly also make $4,500 per episode of Life Below Zero. Andy Bassich reportedly makes about $100,000 a year.

Andy also has a girlfriend named Denise Becker. She moved to Alaska to be with him from Florida. She's a nurse so it's possible that she made a good amount of money before she and Andy even got together. But it's not clear how much she makes from the show as a whole.

But Chip, whose real name is Edward, has had less time to make money from the show compared to others. He's been in prison for part of the time since Life Below Zero has been on the air. During filming Season 10, he served time for perjury and making false statements to the police. In the meantime, his wife Agnes and their kids maintained life on the outside.

The Sun reports that Sue and Jessie are said to be worth $500,000 each while Andy is said to be worth half that $250,000. Chip and Agnes reportedly have a net worth of $200,000 in total.

Other reports online list Glenn's net worth as between $500,000 and $1 million.

But Glenn seems to always find ways to make more money. There are a few posts on his Instagram of him selling different gear. In October 2021, he was looking to sell a "one-of-a-kind one-person four-season heated tent" that he modified so it could withstand "extreme Alaskan conditions." In July of the same year, Glenn posted on Instagram that he sold an archery bow and got a gun.

You can watch Life Below Zero and the spinoff Life Before Zero: New Generation on National Geographic and Disney Plus.