RuPaul’s Drag Race Judges’ Net Worths: You Wouldn’t Believe Their Fortunes

RuPaul’s net worth

Net worth: $60 million
Seasons: 1 to present

According to Celebrity Net Worth, RuPaul is worth $60 million, which accounts for the money she makes from Drag Race, as well as other outlets. Along with Drag Race, RuPaul has released 13 studio albums. She’s also an executive producer and creator of the Drag Race spinoffs, like Canada’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race. TV Guide reported in 2013 that RuPaul made $50,000 per episode of Drag Race—no doubt that has increased rather considerably thanks to inflation.

In January 2020, RuPaul also was the creator and star of the Netflix series, AJ and the Queen. The show was canceled after one season. RuPaul’s net worth also includes the money she made from other projects, such as her 2013 makeup line with Colorevolution, her perfume “Glamazon” and the sales from her books: 1996’s Lettin’ It All Hang Out and 2010’s Workin It!.

Santino Rice’s net worth

Net worth: $500,000
Season/s: 1-6, 7 (as guest)

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Santino Rice has a net worth of $500,000. He’s an American fashion designer and television personality. In 2005 he competed in the reality TV series Project Runway and was a judge for the Miss Universe 2006 pageant.

While he was an integral part of the show’s beginnings, his fashion critiques became less relevant, as ScreenRant observed: “The show became less about fashion and more about drag culture and presenting drag excellence, which wasn’t Santino’s area of expertise.” He has never addressed why he left the show.

Merle Ginsberg’s net worth

Net worth: $900,000
Season/s: 1,2

Merle Ginsberg is a fashion editor, blogger, and television personality who served as a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race for the first two seasons. There’s not a whole lot known about her wealth, but JustJared.com estimates her fortune at around $900,000. No explanation for her departure from Drag Race was ever given but we can imagine it’s similar to Santoni Rice; that her fashion expertise was no longer needed for the direction of the show.

Billy B’s net worth

Net worth: $950,000
Seasons: 3, 4

Billy B is a makeup artist who appeared on Drag Race for seasons three and four. We don’t have an explanation as to why he left, but since he’s appeared on shows such as Project Runway and Transformations. As of 2022, Billy B. still shares his work as a makeup artist on social media as well as posting throwbacks to reflect on.

Michelle Visage’s net worth

Net worth: $5 million
Season/s: 3 to present

Michelle Visage, born Michelle Shupack, is an American singer, actress, radio DJ, television personality, producer, and author. According to Celebrity Net Worth, she has a fortune of $5 million. In an interview with the Daily Mail, she spoke of how she gave up drinking at 17 because hangovers distracted her from “the hustle.” She explained: “I realized that what I wanted to achieve in life was going to take focus because I did not come from money. I did not come from anybody who could help me break into the entertainment industry.”

Her pop music career encompassed being in the 80s girl band Seduction and later The Soul System and at times, felt like she was exploited by the industry. “I was taken advantage of in every situation possible. I always lead with my heart. I trust everybody until you prove me wrong. I was proven wrong 50 times and I still took the bait because I was naive enough to think, ‘This time around that won’t happen.’ So I lost a lot of money and probably a few pieces of my soul here and there. I slept with all the wrong people for all the wrong reasons.”

Ross Mathews’ net worth

Net worth: $2 million
Season/s: 4 (as a guest), 7 to present

Ross Mathews rose to fame as an intern and a correspondent for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; he was known as “Ross the Intern” on air. Mathews became a correspondent for the show after five years and held that position from 2006 to 2013.

He joined Drag Race in season four as a guest judge and then joined the permanent crew in season 7. Thanks to his solid entertainment resume, he’s accumulated a net worth of around $2 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Carson Kressley’s net worth

Net worth: $8 million
Season/s: 7 to present

Carson Kressley burst onto the scene in the original cast of the makeover show Queer Eye, which premiered from 2003 to 2007, as the fashion expert. In 2011, Kressley competed in Dancing with the Stars, finishing in eighth place.

He joined the cast of Drag Race for season 7 (2015) and has been a judge ever since. “Visibility is so important. You could be in Malaysia or Milwaukee, and you can see people on Drag Race being celebrated for exactly who they are,” he told Gay Times in March 2023. “Often, they’re people that have not had an easy time getting to where they are. They may not have been celebrated much before, but a light has been shone on them and their craft.” 

Ts Madison’s net worth

Net worth: $1 – 5 million
Season/s: 14 (as a guest); 15 to present

Ts Madison is an American reality television personality, actress, and LGBTQ activist. She was a guest judge on Drag Race in season 14 and in season 15, when the show moved to MTV, she was added to the permanent rotation.

On the LGBTQ&A podcast, Madison said she started doing sex work after being fired from multiple jobs for being trans. “I was hell-bent on me not being broke anymore in life. Me not having to worry about where I’m going to live, how I’m going to pay my bills because I came from that time of me having to really worry. And this was a place of security for me.”

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