Rachel Lindsay first captured the nation’s heart as a season 21 contestant on ABC’s The Bachelor. Although she did not receive the final rose of the season, viewers knew she was one to watch, especially as the franchise faced backlash for a lack of diversity. Lindsay’s journey to love, which was cut short after she did not receive Nick Viall’s rose, certainly paid off since fans of the Bachelor Nation took to her bubbly personality almost immediately.
Because people responded so strongly to the 40-year-old’s charm, she was ultimately selected as the first Black woman lead in the show’s then 16-year run. Her season of The Bachelorette ended in an engagement that ultimately led to a wedding, but her circumstances have changed. Since the show, things have not been all roses and rainbows (or one-on-one dates), but she is still making career moves. Here’s what we know about Rachel Lindsay’s net worth, which undoubtedly has skyrocketed since her time on The Bachelor.
Before fame, Lindsay studied law at the University of Texas at Austin
Rachel Lindsay has always been a very ambitious woman. Upon entering as a contestant vying for Nick Viall’s heart, she had already accomplished so much in life. As her website shows, Lindsay got her B.A at The University of Texas at Austin in sports management. Afterwards, she attended the Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee with a concentration in sports law. Then she began working at a prestigious law firm, Cooper & Scully, P.C., in Dallas.
She made an incredible first impression with these impressive accomplishments and natural beauty, even earning the first rose in Viall’s season. Nevertheless, Lindsay has humble beginnings with no real media experience before her stint on The Bachelor (and eventually becoming an iconic fixture within the franchise).
She wasn’t making money while competing for Nick Viall’s heart
The Southern Belle had lived a pretty conventional life before the show. As she describes it to Essence, “I literally went on reality TV to find what was missing for me. In the process, I’ve learned so much about myself. That’s because I did it outside of the box. I opened myself up and did things that I normally wouldn’t do. I always tend to consider other people. For the first time in a long time, I was selfish and it worked out for me.” So branching out and trying something new benefited her in the long run, but not necessarily monetarily at first.
As The List reports, “Despite the amount of time they spend on camera, contestants are not paid to appear on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. Plus, they have to leave work for up to six weeks of shooting, which means missing out on a significant amount of income.”
Since her time on The Bachelor, Lindsay has somewhat gotten back to normal life. She even once rebuked the idea of broadcasting her most intimate moments with a comment on her off-screen wedding with final rose winner Bryan Abasolo. Per People Magazine, she explained, “We don’t need TV. We don’t need to get paid. We’re doing this because this is what we want to do. And I think it has more meaning.” Despite these comments, Lindsay has continued to make money moves and capitalize on her popularity among Bachelor Nation.
She joined the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast in July 2019 and even started appearing on Extra as a special correspondent in the same year. Lindsay became a correspondent on the latter by 2020 and stayed in the role until 2023. She has also shown her love for sports by being involved with some projects with ESPN, showcasing her diversity.
After over 100 episodes, Lindsay walked away from Bachelor Happy Hour in April 2021. Per InTouch, the reality TV star was candid about her decision at the time. “For me, I’ve been struggling. That’s no secret. And it’s been really, really hard for me lately,” she confessed. “And a lot of things that we talk about on this podcast are also about taking care of yourself and finding your peace and protecting that peace and protecting your mental health. So, for me, I just feel like I’ve come to the end of doing the podcast.”
These days, the Dallas native co-hosts ‘Higher Learning’ and ‘Morally Corrupt’
When asked about her thoughts on work and love, Lindsay vocalized to Essence, “My career used to impact my love life a lot: I was a lawyer at work, and then I’d come home with that same mindset. I was interrogating my significant other, second-guessing everything he said or [dissecting] his argument. It was bad. It took someone calling me out on it to realize what I was doing.” So, although she is a highly talented and knowledgeable lawyer, Lindsay knows that work is not everything.
As her official website says, she is still an attorney but has leaned into her newfound media personality career. The former Bachelorette lead currently co-hosts The Ringer’s Higher Learning podcast and the Morally Corrupt podcast, but also acknowledges her history as a legal professional in her social media handles.
What is Rachel Lindsay’s net worth?
Rachel Lindsay has a net worth of around $3 million according to Just Jared. She is among one of the wealthiest former stars of The Bachelorette. This quick jump in the ranks is due to her capitalization on the moment of stardom the show gave her. Her various media appearances and opportunities have allowed her to create many income streams. Even if her career circumstances change, the star can fall back on her career as a lawyer too.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Rachel get paid on The Bachelor?
Rachel Lindsay did not get paid as a contestant on The Bachelor, but it is worth noting that the television star did make money as the lead of The Bachelorette. According to Cosmopolitan, it is rare that the lead for the show makes less than six figures for their involvement.
Why did Rachel and Bryan divorce?
After what seemed to be a happy marriage, Rachel Lindsay got a divorce from her husband, whom she met on her season of the show. The couple split from irreconcilable differences in 2024, but finalized their divorce in January 2025.
