These Bachelor Nation Stars Returned To Their Day Jobs

Summary

• Reality TV can bring fame and fortune to stars like Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Bethenny Frankel, but not everyone uses it to launch new ventures.
• Many Bachelor Nation stars choose to return to their regular day jobs after the show, despite their time in the spotlight.
• Stars like Desiree Hartsock and Ivan Hall have returned to their previous professions post-reality TV success.

Being on a reality TV show has proven that it can make just about anyone rich and famous. Stars like Jersey Shore's Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi gained a massive net worth not only from the show, but landing her own spin-off and becoming a best-selling author. The Real Housewives of New York alum Bethanny Frankel created her successful business, Skinnygirl Cocktails, and her net worth remains high despite being axed from the reality show.

However, not every individual that has found themselves on a reality TV show has ventured into other businesses or used their appearance to gain fame. Case in point, the many Bachelor Nation stars who decided that they were just fine going back to their 9-5 day jobs.

10 Michelle Young

Day Job: School teacher

Michelle Young worked as a school teacher in Minnesota when she came into Bachelor Nation as a contestant on Matt James' Season 25 of The Bachelor, where she was the runner-up. She was then announced as Season 18's The Bachelorette, but continued to teach while her season was on air. Speaking on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, Michelle shared:

"Being back in a classroom has made me feel so much like myself and it's nice ... This world can kind of get overwhelming at times ... I feel like being in a classroom, being with my students, I'm there, and I'm truly Miss Young, and I'm able to have that old piece of my routine and my old life with me still."

Us Weekly reported that in May 2022, Michelle put teaching on hold, but was going to continue obtaining her master's degree in administration.

9 Gabi Elnicki

Day Job: Sales Executive

Gabi Elnicki arrived to Season 27's The Bachelor as a senior account executive from Houston, Texas. She became the runner-up in Zach Shallcross' season, and did not return to Bachelor Nation. However, Gabi did return to her day job right after the show wrapped up.

Speaking on the Off The Vine podcast in 2023, she shared, "It was a lot, but I also think it's a nice distraction of [getting] back into normal life that doesn't feel like this simulation of whatever the world was." Gabi also shared that her clients were not even aware that she had left to be on reality TV.

8 Bryan Abasolo

Day Job: Chiropractor

Bryan Abasolo won The Bachelorette Season 13's Rachel Lindsay's heart and proposed to her in the season finale. Rachel was a lawyer when her season aired, but left to pursue a career in entertainment. However, Bryan kept his 9-5 job as a chiropractor after the two wed, and continues to work in the field.

Unfortunately, Bryan announced that he had filed for divorce from Rachel in January. Their divorce has since gotten extremely messy, with Bryan seeking spoual support. Because of this, Rachel has had to pay her ex a hefty amount from their shared funds.

7 Desiree Hartsock

Day Job: Bridal Designer

Desiree Hartsock's profession was a bridal stylist when she appeared as a contestant on Sean Lowe's season of The Bachelor. She was later named the star of Season 9 of The Bachelorette, where she met and fell in love with mortgage broker Chris Siegfried, with whom she is still married to today.

Desiree returned to bridal design after The Bachelorette, and created her own bridal line in which she creates stunning wedding gowns from scratch. However, in a October 2023 Instagram post from her bridal page, the reality star shared that she was closing up shop to focus on homeschooling her children, "minstrey and speaking."

6 Kaity Biggar

Day Job: Traveling Nurse

Kaity Biggar won Zach Shallcross' season of The Bachelor, and both stars went back to their regular jobs when the season concluded. Still together, Kaity and Zach live in the Austin, Texas area where Zach continues working as an account executive while Kaity went back to working as a traveling nurse.

In a November 2023 TikTok, Kaity detailed her life as a traveling nurse and what made the job difficult. Stating that she drove from Toronto, Ontario to Texas because American nurses get better pay, she added, "One of the most challening things for me as a travel nurse was learning different charting systems at different hospitals. Travel nurses will ususally sign on for a 13 week contract, you can get extended or you could not get extended."

5 Ivan Hall

Day Job: Engineer

Ivan Hall was a contestant on Tayshia Adams' season of The Bachelorette where his job title was Aeronautical Engineer, which meant that Ivan's job entailed the design, development, and production of aircrafts. Ivan went pretty far in the season and was one of three men left, but Tayshia pulled him for a one-on-one to let him know she wasn't feeling it.

After the show, Ivan went back to working as an engineer. Speaking on the Here For The Right Reasons podcast in 2022, Ivan shared, "I've always worked as an engineer. I still have the same job. I work from home full-time, so it's. very flexible in that regard."

However, like several Bachelor Nation alums, Ivan admitted that he was making a lot of money as an influencer.

4 Riley Christian

Day Job: Lawyer

Fans first met Riley Christian on Season 16 of The Bachelorette, where Tayshia Adams eliminated him in Week 7. However, he would go on to win Season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise, where he became engaged to contestant Maurissa Gunn, although they have since split.

In the meantime, Riley had been very busy at his law firm. In January 2022, he shared with his Instagram followers that he was chasing his dreams of establishing his own law practice. He did just that, and that March, Riley opened Christian Law, an entertainment and sports law firm in New York.

3 Ashley Hebert

Day Job: Pediatric Dentist

Ashley Hebert was Season 7's The Bachelorette and worked as a children's hospital event planner. That season, Ashley fell head over heels to contestant J.P. Rosenbaum and the couple tied the knot in 2012. However, they announced their separation in 2020.

Ashley did not return to the job she had when she appeared as the lead, but she did continue working a normal job. As Us Weekly notes, the reality star became a pediatric dentist and continues to work at her Coral Gables, Florida office today.

2 Ryan Sutter

Day Job: Firefighter

Ryan Sutter, a former NFL player, won the very first season of The Bachelorette, which saw Trista Sutter as the show's lead. Ryan worked as a firefighter when he was a contestant and continued to work at his Colorado fire station thereafter.

Ryan's LinkedIn states that he currently works as a Lieutenant for the Town of Viall Fire Department and has done so for over 20 years.

1 Arie Luyendyk Jr.

Day Job: Race Car Driver/Real Estate Agent

Arie Luyendyk Jr. was a professional race car driver before he made his appearance as the lead for Season 22 of The Bachelor. After his season's scandalous finale, Arie continued professional racing, but in his off-season, he has a very successful career as a realtor.

According to Exp Realty, Arie obtained his real estate license in 2004, but after a lengthy pause in his real estate career, he went back to it in 2016. Working for eXp Realty since 2021, he sold over $20 million in real estate that year.

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