Gabby Windey’s Net Worth Reveals How Much She Made as the Bachelorette vs. Her Real Job

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

As Bachelor Nation’s newest leading lady (one of which, anyways), it makes sense why fans want to know what Gabby Windey’s net worth is and how much she makes as The Bachelorette.

Gabby, a 31-year-old ICU nurse from O’Fallon, Illinois, is one of two leads on The Bachelorette season 19, along with Rachel Recchia, a 26-year-old flight instructor from Clermont, Florida. Gabby and Rachel were both contestants on The Bachelor season 26 with Clayton Echard, where they were eliminated in the final three after Clayton chose Susie Evans, a 29-year-old wedding videographer from Virginia Beach, Virginia, as his winner. Gabby and Rachel were announced as the season 19 Bachelorettes at The Bachelor season 26 “After the Final Rose” special in March 2022. The Bachelorette season 19 will be the first Bachelor or Bachelorette season to have two full-time leads. The Bachelorette season 11 started with two Bachelorettes, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Britt Nilsson, but Kaitlyn was chosen as the sole Bachelorette by the contestants in episode one.

More from StyleCaster

“It was a huge learning process for everyone because it was such new territory,” Gabby told People in July 2022. “But the experience Rachel and I had as Bachelorettes was so special and memorable. I don’t think we would have had it any other way.” She continued, “I think people do know at this point that we do each have our own love stories. Of course it was so nice to have each other to lean on and have that built-in support as we were moving through.” Rachel added, “It’s just really amazing. We both get to have our own journeys and our own stories, but still have each other along the way.”



Watch ‘The Bachelorette’ $6.99+

Buy Now

Rachel also confirmed to People that there won’t be any drama between her and Gabby on The Bachelorette season 19 due to their constant “communication” through the process. “I think Gabby and I just went into it talking to each other and knowing that throughout everything, we just had to have communication,” she said. “And that really just worked for us throughout the whole thing.” Gabby added, “I think going in, knowing a little bit about it from Clayton’s season and stuff, I feel like we both had the attitude to put each other first. We know each other the best, our relationship above all is the most important. Plus a man that’s worth it isn’t going to have us fight over him, nor would we ever compromise our relationship for it.”

Click here to read the full article.

She continued, “It’s only natural to be attracted to the same guys, here and there. We’re human, but it would never be anything that Rachel and I couldn’t figure out on our own, especially always putting our relationship in the forefront of everything.”

As for how their season ends, Gabby and Rachel confirmed that they’re happy with the outcome. “I think we feel good honestly. And you learn so much about yourself going through this. So I feel like ultimately it’s just an amazing life experience together,” Gabby said. Rachel added, “I think we’re both so grateful to have been given this and to be there together. We’re both just really happy.”

But back to Gabby. So…what is Gabby Windey’s net worth and how much does she make as the Bachelorette? Read on for what we know about Gabby Windey’s net worth and what she made from her job before Bachelor Nation and how much it compares to her salary as the season 19 Bachelorette. (For spoilers about The Bachelorette 2022, click here.)

"Bachelor Nation" by Amy Kaufman
"Bachelor Nation" by Amy Kaufman

Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman

Buy: ‘Bachelor Nation’ by Amy Kaufman $13.89

What was Gabby Windey’s job before The Bachelorette?

Gabby W., "The Bachelor" 2022
Gabby W., "The Bachelor" 2022

What was Gabby Windey’s job before The Bachelorette? Gabby listed her job on The Bachelor season 26 as an “ICU Nurse.” Gabby worked as a registered nurse in the medical ICU at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, according to her Linkedin.  In an interview with The Athletic in 2020, Gabby opened up about what it’s like to work on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re all leaning on each other, and it really becomes a new normal kind of fast,” she said. “All of health care is ever-changing because we’re always trying to make sure we’re doing things the best way, which comes with evidence-based practice and re-evaluating the way we’re doing things. So we are used to change. But it is hard and, of course, this is different because of the seriousness of it and how many people it’s affecting.”

She continued, “There is always kind of a thought and worry of working so close to it, there’s obviously a risk of transmission. But we have the suitable PPE and have been trained extensively how to take it on and off carefully so we don’t give it to ourselves while we’re taking it off. You have to be vigilant and you have to pay attention to what you’re doing at all times. “I haven’t had to reuse any other PPE, but putting it out there early on that we need to not be wasteful has really helped us now.”

Along with her job as an ICU nurse, Gabby is also a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos. In 2021, Gabby, who’s been cheering for the Denver Broncos since 2016, became the first woman to receive the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award, an honor usually given to football players. “Windey is the first female and NFL cheerleader in the history of the award, which has traditionally been awarded to NFL players,” Pop Warner Little Scholars said in a press release. (Kansas City Chiefs lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif also received the honor.) “Both Windey and Duvarney-Tardif’s selflessness and commitment to helping others are an embodiment of sacrifice and teamwork, making them model representatives for young student-athletes across the nation.”

So what did Gabby make from her jobs before The Bachelorette? According to Zip Recruiter, ICU nurses make an average of $101,845 in Colorado, where Gabby worked. Salary.com, however, reports that the average salary for an ICU nurse in Colorado is between $71,156 and $85,812, while Glassdoor reports that the average salary is $103,914. As for how much Gabby made as a Denver Broncos cheerleader, Cheat Sheet reports that the common rate for NFL cheerleaders is $150 for each game day, and $50 to $75 for public appearances. NFL teams have a around 10 home games per season, which includes two pre-season games and eight regular season games. Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader Tiffany Monroe told Money in a past interview that being an NFL cheerleader felt like it was “two full-time jobs” due to the low pay and long work. “I really felt like I had two full-time jobs during the season,” she said. “And our season never really ended. We got a little bit of a break in February.”

What did Gabby Windey make from The Bachelor?

Gabby, "The Bachelor"
Gabby, "The Bachelor"

What did Gabby Windey make from The Bachelor? Gabby was a contestant on The Bachelor season 26 with Clayton Echard, where she was eliminated in the final three. This may come as a surprise to fans, but contestants on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette aren’t paid. Along with no salary, contestants also have to pay for their styling, including their rose ceremony suits and dresses, themselves, which is why many contestants walk away from their time on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette with significant debt. Many contestants also quit their jobs to be on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, which can film for a long as three months. “I know that there are women in the past who cashed out their 401(k)s for the show,” TV blogger Dana Weiss told Mic in 2016. “Some have gone into serious credit card debt.”

What did Gabby Windey make from The Bachelorette?

"The Bachelorette" 2022: Gabby
"The Bachelorette" 2022: Gabby

What does Gabby Windey make as the Bachelorette? Gabby is one of two leads on The Bachelorette season 19 along with Rachel Recchia, a flight instructor from Clermont, Florida, and another contestant from The Bachelor season 26 with Clayton Echard. The current salary for Bachelors and Bachelorettes is $100,000, according to Reality Steve. Though Gabby’s Bachelorette salary hasn’t been confirmed, it’s believed that she’s also paid the $100,000 rate, which would include around two to three months of filming as the Bachelorette, as well as press as the season airs. It’s also unclear if Gabby and Rachel will split the $100,000 rate or if they’ll receive separate salaries.

Season 14 Bachelorette contestant Jason Tartick confirmed in a podcast in May 2021 that he and his cast mates, Colton Underwod and Blake Horstmann, were all offered $100,000 to be The Bachelor. Still, though most Bachelors and Bachelorettes make at least $100,000 these days, that wasn’t always the case. Like most jobs, there are some Bachelors and Bachelorettes who have been able to negotiate more money than other leads. Some also made less than the standard. Dean Unglert, a contestant on The Bachelorette season 12, revealed in a past interview that he was offered $75,000 to be the Bachelor.

Emily Maynard, who was the season 8 Bachelorette in 2012, is often cited as one of the highest-paid Bachelors or Bachelorettes, with a pay of $250,000. In Touch reported at the time that Emily, thanks to intense negotiations, was paid to star as the lead of The Bachelorette, which was more than any other Bachelor or Bachelorette at the time. “The producers have completely changed the format this season in order to meet Emily’s demands,” a source told In Touch at the time. In Touch also reported that Emily was also specific about the type of men she wanted on her season. “She wanted only the best-looking, most mannered guys,” the source said. “She’s whittling it down to a handful of candidates who she will spend a lot more time with. If she doesn’t like a guy, he’s gone.”

Ashley Hebert, who was the season 7 Bachelorette in 2011, has had a lot of controversy around her Bachelorette salary. Us Weekly reported at that the time that Ashley made $30,000 for her time as the Bachelorette, which would’ve been $70,000 less than her peers at that time. Reality Steve, however, countered Us Weekly’s reporting and wrote in a blog post at the time that Ashley made around the standard $100,000. “I’m sorry, but Ashley would have to be the worst negotiator in the history of negotiations if she ever accepted that gig for $30k,” he wrote at the time. As one of the first Bachelorettes, Meredith Phillips’ salary wasn’t much. She starred as the season 2 Bachelorette in 2004. In Bachelor reporter Amy Kaufman’s 2018 book, Bachelor Nation, Kaufman reports that Meredith was paid $10,000 for her time as the Bachelorette more than a decade ago. The salary is about a tenth of what leads make today. In the book, Kaufman writes that it would be “incredibly rare for someone to make less than six figures” today.

What is Gabby Windey’s net worth?

"The Bachelorette" 2022 Gabby
"The Bachelorette" 2022 Gabby

What is Gabby Windey’s net worth? According to Popular Net Worth, Gabby Windey’s net worth is $1.1 million, which includes what she made as a Denver Broncos cheerleader and an ICU nurse before The Bachelor, as well as her $100,000 salary as the season 19 Bachelorette. If Gabby also becomes a contestant on Dancing With the Stars—which many past Bachelors and Bachelorettes have starred on—she’s also set to earn a lot more. According to TMZ, season 17 Bachelor Sean Lowe made $125,000 from Dancing With the Stars, which included $10,000 for weeks three and four; $20,000 for weeks five, six, and seven; and $30,000 for weeks eight and nine, per his contract.

Who is Gabby Windey?

"The Bachelorette" 2022: Gabby
"The Bachelorette" 2022: Gabby

Who is Gabby Windey? Gabby is a 31-year-old ICU nurse from O’Fallon, Illinois, who currently lives in Denver, Colorado. Her Instagram handle is @gabriela.windey. She was eliminated in the final three after Clayton chose Susie Evans—whom he eliminated the episode before but invited back to the show—as his winner, sending home both Gabby and Rachel. “I actually don’t know who you are at all. “I’m pissed because I spent the last two months away from my friends and family who actually give a shit about me, and you don’t,” Gabby told Clayton after he eliminated her. She continued, “You asked me to stay because you were pissed because Susie left and your pride was hurt.” She also added during the “After the Final Rose” special, “Watching it back, everything is so muddled, and you are clearly pitting us against each other. It really seems like a competition, which I had expressed to you that I didn’t want to be a part of.”

In her Bachelor bio, Gabby described her dream man as someone who has a “quiet confidence.” “Gabby is much more than meets the eye. Not only is she beautiful, but she also has a lot of substance, emotional depth and a wealth of lived experiences,” her bio read. “Gabby is looking for a man with quiet confidence. She doesn’t have a physical type but says that if he doesn’t have a personality, then it’s a hard pass. Her ideal man will challenge her, communicate his feelings and work hard to equally carry the weight of the relationship.”

Her bio continued, “The one nonnegotiable for Gabby? Whatever man captures Gabby’s heart must also have room in their life for her four-legged friend because she and her goldendoodle Leonardo are a package deal. While Gabby would love to find a man, she isn’t the type to lose herself in a relationship. She’s hoping to find a man who will love her for the independent woman she is.”

For her fun facts, Gabby listed the following:

• Gabby is terrified of humpback whales but would love to see one in person from a safe distance.

• Gabby loves to write cards.

• Stomping grapes in Italy is at the top of Gabby’s bucket list.

Clayton also wasn’t Gabby’s first Bachelor Nation relationship. Gabby is the ex-girlfriend of both Dean Unglert from The Bachelorette season 13 with Rachel Lindsay and Blake Horstmann from The Bachelorette season 14 with Becca Kufrin. Dean, who also starred on Bachelor in Paradise season 5 and 6, confirmed the relationship on an episode of his “Help! I Suck at Dating” podcast in October 2021. “She was, like, one of the main exes. She was my girlfriend from college,” he said. “Producers called me and were like, ‘Hey, we’re thinking of casting this person — what do you think of her? We know that you dated 10 years ago.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, she’s great. If she gets selected for the show, she’ll either win the show or she’ll be the next Bachelorette.’ And I firmly believe that.”

Blake, who was also on Bachelor in Paradise season 6, also confirmed that he dated Gabby for a “couple months” on an episode of the “Behind the Rose” podcast in October 2021. “We like the same girls, man. I didn’t know Dean until obviously, like, 2018, but Gabby was a good friend of one of my very good friends from college, they were roommates,” he said. “I met Gabby long before I was on The Bachelorette, like, I want to say maybe 2015 or 2016. We hung out for a little bit, so I know her very well. And Dean, I don’t know how it came up, but one time, me and Dean were sitting there — I think we were in Buffalo, and he mentioned Gabby — and I was like, ‘How do you know Gabby?’ And he was like, ‘Dude, she was, like, my girl in college, you know, we were in love and blah blah.’”

He continued, “She’s fun. She has a very outgoing personality, very loud, like, when she walks into a room, you know she’s in a room. You never know if the lead is going to be into something like that. You never know if they like the more shy, quiet type or they like the loud, outgoing type, but she’s definitely very loud, very outgoing, she has a lot of friends. So if Clayton’s into that, I see her getting hometowns, for sure. She’s a beautiful woman. … They’re gonna have the football player, cheerleader story line.”

In an interview on the “Talking It Out With Bachelor Nation” podcast in January 2022, Gabby claimed that she and Blake “hung out for a little” but weren’t ever in an official relationship. “Blake and I had mutual friends,” Gabby said, noting that they met after she graduated from college in 2014. “We never actually went on a date. There was no drinks paid for. No dinner paid for. [Blake’s] saying we dated… He’s definitely friends of friends. You know, we had spent time together and stuff but definitely no, like, official dating, like, no really kind of formal, no exclusivity and again, it was a really long time ago.”

She called Dean, however, one of her “first loves.” “It was just so long ago,” she said. “It’s a distant past from my experience on ‘The Bachelor’ and you know, Clayton [Echard] and I’s story, it’s very much its own thing. I’m always really grateful that it was so far in the past, so I could focus more on Clayton and kind of separate [that].”

The Bachelorette airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC and is available to stream on Hulu. Here’s how to watch it for free.



Watch ‘The Bachelorette’ $6.99+

Buy Now

"Bachelor Nation" by Amy Kaufman
"Bachelor Nation" by Amy Kaufman

Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman

Buy: ‘Bachelor Nation’ by Amy Kaufman $13.89

To get more of an inside scoop, check out Los Angeles Times writer Amy Kaufman’s book, Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure, for a deep dive into the Bachelor franchise. The book uncovers the secrets of Bachelor Nation, from how much the Bachelor and the Bachelorette are paid to the rules contestants have to follow, that producers don’t want fans to know. It’s a must-read for any Bachelor Nation member.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

New Entertainment Newsletter
New Entertainment Newsletter

Best of StyleCaster