How much do Surrogate Mothers Get Paid?



To be able to help someone build a family is bliss. When you choose to be a surrogate, you embark on an emotional and physical journey with lots of ups and downs. There’s no doubt that the primary reason for becoming a surrogate was to help intended parents extend their family. Still, there’s nothing wrong in asking – How much do surrogate mothers get paid?

You give your time, energy, and emotions in the surrogacy process, so you have all the right to know how you will be compensated for it.

You help intended parents who are struggling to conceive a child on their own by carrying their baby in your womb and bringing it out into the beautiful world.

You are emotionally and financially stronger by choosing to become a surrogate mother. Not only you, but it is also an emotional journey for your family as well.

The joy and happiness you bring into the life of a couple is unmatched and is difficult to be compensated just in terms of money.

At Rite Options, we can’t give you an exact amount you will receive as a surrogate; it depends on several factors. The best way to understand surrogate mother compensation is to study the factors or components that make up the surrogate mother pay.

Base Compensation for A Surrogate

How much you will make as a surrogate mother depends on more than one factor? The most important role is played by the intended parents you work with. Every couple or intended parent sets a budget for the surrogacy process. How much are they willing to pay to the surrogate will depend on their individual requirements and services they need from the surrogate

When going through commercial surrogacy, you are entitled to a base compensation over and above your medical expenses. Altruistic surrogacy, as opposed to commercial surrogacy, is when you carry a child for a relative or close friend without expecting any monetary returns.

The base compensation you receive in commercial surrogacy varies from agency to agency, intended parents’ budget, and your experience with surrogacy.

Per industry guidelines, the base pay for a first-time surrogate is $25,000-$35,000 and for experienced can go up to $60,000. The amount is paid in monthly installments and usually, after pregnancy is confirmed

Medical Expenses Related to Surrogacy

Apart from the base pay, the surrogate mother also gets reimbursement on all the surrogacy related expenses. As a surrogate, you are already giving your time and efforts to help another couple experience parenthood; you shouldn’t be required to bear the medical expenses at all.

Intended parents are both obligated and legally bound to cover the medical and other surrogacy related expenses. This includes everything from screening costs to medical appointments and legal expenses. You’ll get all this beyond the monthly payment you are already getting as the base compensation.

The expenses are calculated at the beginning of the surrogacy process and are outlined in the legal surrogacy contract. The medical expenses are covered by the intended parents even when you are completing an altruistic surrogacy.

The monthly expenses you’ll be reimbursed for include but does not limit to the following:

• Maternity clothes

• Travel compensation for doctor’s appointments

• Childcare expenses

• Healthy and pregnancy recommended meals

• Housekeeping

• Telephone and video call expenses to cover the cost of calling agency, doctors, and intended parents

• Health supplies and surrogacy medications like prenatal vitamins

• Insurance

• Other miscellaneous surrogacy related expenses

Apart from base compensation and medical expenses, you and your spouse will also be compensated for lost wages due to surrogacy appointments. This means, whenever you or your spouse has to take leave from work due to surrogacy appointments, your lost wages will be covered by the intended parents.

Medical expenses that are not covered by insurance will be handled by the intended parents. Depending upon the surrogacy contract, you may receive additional surrogate compensation for certain elements of the surrogacy medical procedures.

Your Surrogacy Experience

Apart from the agency and intended parent’s budget, your surrogacy experience also dictates how much you will get paid for being a surrogate mother.

Women who have proven experience in successfully completing previous surrogacies get paid more than the ones who are going to be first-time surrogates.

So, coming back to our main question - How much do surrogate mothers get paid? It depends on various factors that we covered until now. Hence, the best way to calculate your surrogate pay is to talk to the surrogacy agency.

You can get in touch with our surrogacy professional now to know more about surrogate mother compensation.