Surrogate mothers are women who carry babies for others who can’t do so on their own. Becoming a gestational surrogate is a one of the most giving and selfless things that a woman can do someone else. Because being a surrogate mother is a big emotional, mental and physical commitment, women who become surrogates are compensated for their time, energy and effort during the surrogacy journey. So, how much do surrogates get paid?

One of the most-asked questions from women who are interested in becoming surrogate mothers is, “How much does a surrogate make?”

Surrogate pay can vary, depending on where a surrogate lives and whether or not she’s an experienced gestational carrier. Typically, a first–time surrogate will be paid a base fee, usually between $25,000 to $35,000. At Reproductive Possibilities, our base fee starts at $35,000. In addition to the base fee, surrogates are compensated throughout their journeys at various milestones and for necessities during pregnancy. These additional benefits are added to her base fee, so the total compensation package that a surrogate mother can receive is around $45,000-$50,000.

When do surrogate mothers get paid?

In most cases, a surrogate’s base fee would be paid to her equally over the 9 months of pregnancy. At Reproductive Possibilities, the first payment a surrogate receives is usually a “transfer fee” of $500 that would be sent to her upon completion of an embryo transfer. The next payment is usually not sent until there is a confirmation of pregnancy. (This is hopefully about two weeks after the embryo transfer.) The third payment would be paid once the surrogacy agency receives the confirmation of heartbeat(s) via ultrasound (this is usually around week 6).

From this point forward, surrogates will receive their base fee payments monthly.

Additional payments and benefits

A surrogate contract can and may have additional surrogacy costs, expenses and/or reimbursements listed that the surrogate mother may be entitled to, such as:

  • Term life insurance ($500,000 amount)
  • Maternity clothing ($500/$750 multiples)
  • Carrier’s transfer fee $500
  • Cancelled transfer fee after the start of injectable medications $350
  • Mock cycle fee $500
  • Invasive Procedure (Amnio, CVS, Termination, Selective Reduction, D&C) $500
  • Delivery Via C-Section $1500
  • Medical expenses (not covered by carrier’s insurance policy) for doctor visits, delivery, lab work, etc.
  • Psychological counseling
  • Travel & transportation expenses

The intended parents or the surrogacy agency should be paying for a surrogate’s travel expenses (flight, hotel, car service if needed). There are some cases when a surrogate may need to pay for incidentals such as meals or an Uber to the clinic, but these expenses should be submitted on the surrogate mother’s expense form as they will be considered for reimbursement.

The surrogate’s contract can and may have additional compensation for requirements during her surrogacy journey, such as:

  • Reimbursement for childcare (for when the surrogate travels or attends doctor visits)
  • Reimbursement for mileage driving to and from monitoring or doctors
  • Housekeeping expenses if the surrogate is required by her doctor to be on bed-rest
  • You may also be able to be reimbursed for lost wages if you need to take time off from work for the surrogacy process (such as for a screening visit, embryo transfer, doctors appointments, recuperation time after delivery, etc).

A list of ALL possible payments you can receive as a Reproductive Possibilities surrogate can be found here.

How can I apply to become a surrogate?

It’s easy to apply to become a surrogate mother! A great first step is to review the list of surrogate requirements on our website to ensure you qualify. If you do, you can fill out the surrogate mother application to begin the application process. If you meet our qualifications and your application is received, someone from our team will reach out to you to continue the process.

We’re always looking for women to become surrogates to help others have the families of their dreams. If you're interested in learning more about the surrogate process, or feeling ready to apply, visit our website today!