The Highest-Paying Surrogacy Agencies [What to Look for]

Even if you’re not pursuing surrogacy for the money, there’s no denying that the compensation is part of the allure of being a gestational carrier. You might be weighing your options and trying to find the highest-paying surrogacy agency.

As you begin your search for surrogacy professionals, you will likely find that many professionals boast that their surrogacy rates can range from $60,000–$80,000.

• While this sounds tempting, it might not be everything that it seems. 
• Many surrogacy professionals know that compensation is important to women considering surrogacy, so claiming to have high surrogacy pay rates is a popular marketing strategy.
• No matter how high they claim their compensation pay is, there is a good change that you might not receive all that money.  

To learn more about what to look for when a surrogacy agency claims to pay their surrogates the most, continue reading below. 

Highest-Paying Surrogate Agencies Might be too Good to be True 

When browsing for the highest-paying surrogacy agencies, it’s easy to fall into advertising traps on the internet. Some surrogacy agencies use search results to draw in prospective surrogates who are looking for the highest surrogate compensation rates, claiming numbers that range from $60,000 to $80,000. These incredible rates are likely to catch your attention and get you to click on the link. However, you might not be getting the whole story. 

• Many surrogacy agencies use these tempting rates as a tactic to grab your attention, but don’t always follow through with this promise.
• The reality is, when you begin receiving your base pay, you won’t be receiving nearly as much as you were promised.
• This is because the numbers advertised by these agencies often combine the actual base pay rates with reimbursement payments for pregnancy and medical costs that you will be paying yourself. So, really, you’re just making back money you already spent on pregnancy- and surrogacy-related costs. 

The reason these “highest-paying” surrogacy agencies can claim to offer such high rates is because the reimbursement payments on top of the base pay add up, and these numbers look better on paper than just the base pay alone.  

What to Look for when Comparing Surrogate Compensation Between Agencies

So, how do you figure out which agencies can back up their compensation claims?

• Dig a little deeper. Don’t just take the numbers that show up in the search results at face value. Visit the agency’s website and see if you can find a breakdown of their compensation package.   
• Also pay attention to the language they use. Phrases such as “average compensation, including expenses” indicate that those numbers aren’t solely money in your pocket.
• You could also call the surrogacy agency to get a verbal confirmation and breakdown of how much money you will be receiving in terms of base pay. 

Even when speaking with the professional, asking how much you will receive in base pay might not be enough to get a straight answer. There are three big questions you should be asking: 

1. What Expenses does the Base Pay Include and Not Include? 

Since many surrogacy agencies get away with claiming to offer the best surrogate compensation by combining their base pay with the expenses they will be reimbursing you for, it’s important to determine what expenses are included in the base pay. Until you know how their surrogacy rates are broken down, comparing surrogate compensation between agencies will be difficult.

Your base pay should only consist of payments that you are free to spend however you want, not money that is reimbursing you for pregnancy and surrogacy costs. This might require some thorough research on your part, but truly great surrogacy professionals will always be upfront with you. This leads us to the next question you should be asking. 

2. Is Your Surrogacy Professional being Transparent with You? 

When figuring out how high an agency’s base pay really is, it’s important that you understand how this base pay is calculated. Is it money that’s really yours, or is some of it meant to go toward surrogacy- and pregnancy-related expenses?   

• The only way a surrogacy agency will truly have the highest rate is if all that money is money that you will be paid directly and that you are free to spend however you want.
• When asking your surrogacy professional about their compensation, are they forthcoming with their answers or do they dance around the question?
• If they refuse to go into detail about your compensation, this is a good sign you should be working with this professional. They’re not looking out for your best interests; they’re only interested in getting more clients. 

3. Do they Offer Support other than the Highest Surrogate Compensation? 

While surrogacy pay is an important part of choosing a professional, it shouldn’t be the only qualifier. You will be committing yourself emotionally, physically and mentally to being a surrogate. You’re going to need support in one form or another.  

It’s important that you work with a surrogacy professional whose service aligns with your surrogacy goals and who demonstrates that they care about you as a gestational carrier. Work with a surrogacy professional who will be by your side every step of the way and who wants the best for you and the intended parents. 

The more specific your questions are, the easier it will be to get the real number you will likely be receiving in base pay. However, don’t let this distract you from what’s really important. While being fairly compensated is important, it’s also important to have a surrogacy agency that listens to you and can offer you the support you need. Surrogacy is a rewarding but complicated journey… You are doing something amazing to help another family become whole, and you deserve to feel seen and you deserve to feel seen and supported at all times throughout the surrogacy process. To get the support you need, contact a professional today.