Reality shows can prove a very diverse affair; some shows are incredibly popular and offer massive earnings, while others languish, offering their contestants pitiful rewards in exchange for their hard work.
Perhaps the popularity of reality TV stems from the genuine glimpse into the human condition which they offer. Some contestants are selfish and betray others, while other contestants are friendly and hope to get by with the help of friends and alliances. Some are villains, some are heroes, some are antiheroes, and it's all in the name of money. Some reality shows offer staggeringly high monetary rewards, resulting in a cutthroat and often highly entertaining game.
Survivor
Survivor is one of the most popular reality shows ever made. Its first season, in particular, proved to be a national pop-culture phenomenon, with the finale generating over fifty million live viewers.
Competing on the show is incredibly difficult both physically and mentally, and the very concept of people surviving on a deserted island proves wonderfully unique within the reality show sphere. Winners of Survivor are awarded a $1 million cash prize, with Winners at War, the show's 40th season, gifting its winner a special $2 million.
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race was another enormously popular reality program of the early 2000s, with most of the praise going towards the show's production values. The concept of the show was unlike anything seen on TV at the time, as various teams of two race around the world while completing various objectives and "checking in" at numerous pit stops.
The editing was both frenetic and commendable, helping portray the ferocity and speed of the race itself. Like Survivor, winners were awarded a $1 million cash prize, which was split evenly between the two contestants.
Big Brother
Big Brother was yet another product of the early 2000s reality TV boom. Like Survivor, the first few seasons of Big Brother proved to be a cultural phenomenon. The show saw various contestants trapped inside a house, with the last remaining contestants spending up to three months isolated from the outside world.
Aiding the show's popularity are the online "live feeds," allowing viewers to watch the contestants inside the house in real-time. Winners of Big Brother are awarded a solid $500,000, which, for three months of work, is quite a decent chunk of change.
The Circle
Netflix's The Circle is based on the British reality show of the same name. It sees contestants trapped inside their own small apartments, their only method of communication with each other being a text-based and voice-activated app.
The Circle mixes reality show with some sly social commentary, with some contestants faking their own personalities in order to appear nicer or more welcoming—or even pretending to be someone they aren't. The winner is awarded a cool $100,000.
The Challenge
Serving as a spin-off of both The Real World and Road Rules, MTV's The Challenge sees contestants, most of them taken from other MTV reality shows, competing in various extreme challenges. The total prize money varies depending on player performance, and the amount can grow quite high.
As of writing, the top three earners on The Challenge are Jordan Wiseley with $833,000, Ashley Mitchell with $1.12 million, and Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio with $1.18 million.
American Ninja Warrior
Based on the Japanese series Sasuke, American Ninja Warrior sees contestants competing in grueling and physically arduous obstacle courses. Should they complete the courses and advance to the final stage, they are invited to the national finals on the Las Vegas Strip.
The total prize money has varied throughout the years. A guaranteed prize of $100,000 has been offered from the tenth season onwards, the second season had an award of $250,000, the fourth through sixth $500,000, and the seventh through the eleventh$1,000,000.
American Idol
American Idol is the OG musical competition show, with contestants performing various songs for a group of judges and hoping to avoid a weekly elimination. Despite the presence of professional judges, the winners are chosen by the show's viewers. Winners of American Idol are awarded a different kind of prize, that being potential fame and fortune.
Winners are awarded a record deal, and past winners like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Phillip Phillips have become nationally renowned artists and millionaires.
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is essentially American Idol, but, instead of just singing, it features a wide-ranging variety of "talents." Of course, those talents often involve singing. Winners of America's Got Talent are awarded $1 million, either taken as a lump sum or an annual payment of $25,000 paid out over 40 years.
Furthermore, winners are given the chance to headline their own show in Las Vegas. Perhaps the most notable winner in recent years is Grace VanderWaal, who recently opened for Florence + The Machine on their High as Hope Tour.
Top Chef
Cooking-based reality programs are incredibly popular, and Top Chef is one of the leading names in the genre. The show sees prospective chefs competing in various food challenges and being judged by professional chefs and industry experts.
Contestants are systemically eliminated until only the winner remains. The prize initially began at $100,000 but was increased to $125,000 beginning in the sixth season. The only exceptions are All-Stars and All-Stars LA, which featured prizes of $200,000 and $250,000, respectively.
Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen is just one of Gordon Ramsay's many reality shows. The show sees two teams of chefs competing in various challenges and attempting to create three-star meals worthy of Ramsay's restaurants. It makes sense, as the winner is given a head chef job at a prestigious restaurant. They also take home a cash prize of $250,000.
Some prominent winners include Christina Machamer, who earned a $250,000/year salary at Ramsay's London West Hollywood restaurant, and Christina Wilson, who became executive chef at Gordon Ramsay Steak.