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Circle Surrogacy's Surrogate Mother Pay & Benefits Program

Circle’s generous compensation packages are designed to be customizable and flexible. Use our form below to calculate your estimated surrogate base pay, then read below to see additional benefits and compensation offered by Circle Surrogacy. Earn up to $60,000+!

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You can receive up to $46,850

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First-time surrogates in high-demand states with insurance recieve a base pay of $40,000, plus the additional benefits below.

See if I Qualify for Surrogacy Recalculate My Payment

Our Surrogate Pay & Family Protection Program

Circle has the most comprehensive benefits package of any agency.

At Circle, we understand the monumental emotional, physical and mental commitment of our surrogates – and their families – bring to each and every surrogacy journey. Our compensation and benefits program was created for surrogates, by surrogates; and provides the utmost security, benefits and protection of any surrogate program.

Our new Surrogate Pay & Family Protection Program provides the following:

  • Payments that start before you are pregnant and continue throughout your pregnancy and beyond
  • Competitive Pay (your base fee plus additional benefits)
  • Protection for the surrogate and her family throughout the journey
  • All expenses paid, from travel to meals to gas and more
  • Full transparency on what's included
  • Built with surrogates and their families in mind
  • Benefits you won't find at any other agency

If compensation is the only thing holding you back from applying with Circle, just chat with us about what other agencies are offering and we can match it.

We promise you'll have the best surrogacy experience with us.

how much does a surrogate make?

How does surrogate pay work?

Your surrogate compensation is paid to you throughout the duration of your surrogacy journey with Circle. Surrogates do not have to wait until the end of their surrogacy to receive payments. In fact, you will receive payments even before you are pregnant!

Surrogate pay with Circle includes the following:

• Base compensation. This is what your base pay to be a surrogate with Circle Surrogacy (think of it like a 'salary' at a job). Use the calculator above to see how much a surrogate can make in your state.
• Payments before and during your pregnancy. Circle will compensate you as you complete tasks and milestones associated with your surrogacy journey, and we will provide pay for necessities like maternity clothing, housekeeping, lost wages and childcare and more.
• 4th Trimester Care Package. We know the journey doesn't end with the baby's birth. You'll continue to receive compensation and support for months after your delivery. And if you decide to pump breast milk for your intended parents, you will be paid for pumping supplies and to ship breast milk , and more.
• Additional benefits. In addition to getting paid as a surrogate, there are other priceless benefits to becoming a surrogate mother to ensure your protection and a smooth surrogacy journey. Circle offers additional support in the form of social work support, legal counsel, life insurance, and more.

Guaranteed Surrogate Pay & Benefits

Our Surrogate Pay & Family Protection Program

Surrogates will receive compensation and benefits from the very start of their journey, throughout the pregnancy and after the birth. Surrogates' spouse/partner/primary support person will also be cared for and paid lost wages for travel and the delivery.

Our primary goal is ensuring our surrogates receive the compensation they deserve, and their families receive the protection and support they need.

If you have any questions, please email us at: [email protected]

How Circle's Pay & Family Protection Program Is Different from Other Agencies

  • Circle does not offer "All In" or "Flat Rate" compensation because those programs transfer the risk to the surrogate, and don't compensate you fairly
  • All of your surrogacy expenses will be covered, as well as lost wages for your travel companion and your partner/spouse after delivery
  • If there's a benefit during your surrogacy that's important to you – but you don't see it listed – just ask!
Download Surrogate Pay Sheet

Our Surrogate Pay & Family Protection Program

Surrogate Base Compensation $30,000-$40,000 ($40,000-$45,000 for California)
Return carriers earn $5,000+ with each surrogacy.

Your base compensation is paid monthly in nine installments beginning with the confirmation of heartbeat, which occurs around six weeks gestation

Pre-Pregnancy Payments $3,750
This payment includes:

• Social Work Screening Advance*: $500
• Signing Advance*: $1,000
• Medical Screening Advance*: $500
• Medical Clearance to Transfer*: $1,000
• Transfer Payment: $750

*Paid from base fee
Personal and Home Care Payments $3,900
This payment includes:

• Monthly Surrogate Spending: $200/month for 15 months (estimate). Begins with cycle medications.
• Maternity Clothing: $500 (singleton)/$750 (twins)
• Housekeeping: $400
Childcare, Travel & Lost Wages $5,000+
This payment includes:

• Travel and meals for screening & transfer: $5,000 (average)
• Mileage (related to obligations under your contract such as travel for medical screening and transfers, local monitoring and OB appointments): IRS standard rate
• Childcare or Lost Wages (for surrogate) while fulfilling surrogacy contract: Varies, no cap
• Travel companion's lost wages (work missed for screening and transfer): Varies, no cap
4th Trimester Self Care Package $5,350+
At Circle, we continue to support and compensate you even after you give birth. Our 4th Trimester Self Care Package enables our surrogates to take the time needed to recover, reconnect with their families, and have funds for whatever they need post pregnancy. We even compensate your partner for lost wages during your recovery.

This payment includes:

• Post Pregnancy Flex Spending: $250/mo for 2 months
• Post Birth Recovery Lost Wages or Childcare: $2,500/$4,000 (avg) Up to 4 weeks (vaginal), up to 6 weeks (c-section)
• Partner Post Birth Recovery Wages: $150/$625 (avg) Up to 2 days (vaginal), up to 5 days (c-section)
• Family Meal Gift Card: $200
• Pumping supplies reimbursement: Up to $1,000
• Pumping payment: Up to $250/week (assumed 4 weeks)
Life Insurance, Complications Insurance and Maternity Insurance Included
Included and paid for by your Intended Parents.
TOTAL COMPENSATION & BENEFITS PACKAGE $50,000-$60,000+

Plus, these additional Benefits, Specific to YOUR Journey

Mock Cycle +$500
If the fertility clinic requires you to have a mock cycle – testing the IVF medications to ensure your body reacts – you will be compensated.
Cancelled Cycle +$500
If your cycle is cancelled for any reason, you will be compensated for your time and effort, both emotionally and physically.
Invasive Procedure +$500 per procedure
An invasive procedure could be an Amniocentesis or Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS).
Pregnancy Termination or Selective Reduction +$1,000
Should you have to terminate or reduce the pregnancy, you will be compensated.
Bed Rest Varies, no cap
In the event your pregnancy requires bed rest, you will be compensated for lost wages or childcare.
Multiples +$5,000
A multiples pregnancy can require more from you physically and emotionally.
C-section +$2,500
If you deliver via C-section, you will be compensated.
Loss of Reproductive Organs +$5,000 partial loss, +$7,500 full loss
If the very rare instance that you suffer a loss of reproductive organs as a surrogate, you will be compensated.
Best surrogacy program for surrogates with our exclusive Circle Surrogate Promise.

The Circle Surrogate Promise

The Circle Surrogate Promise was created because we truly care about our carriers, and we want each of them to have the most successful and rewarding journey possible.

In the past, our carriers shared thoughts and improvements with their social workers, or during their exit interviews, and we took all of those conversations and suggestions to heart and improved on our offerings to our gestational carriers.

Guaranteed Pay, Security and Support

The Circle Surrogate Promise is a program exclusive to Circle Surrogates; no other agency can offer the same level of security and support.

Circle Surrogacy promises:

  1. Guaranteed Compensation. Circle Surrogacy financially backs their Intended Parents, so a surrogate’s escrow account is always funded to ensure she is always paid in full and on time.
  2. No medical bill liability. Circle Surrogacy takes on the liability of medical bills. We listened to our past surrogates and their frustrations with medical bills and we’ve made big changes. While we can never stop having you receive medical bills (since you are the “patient”), our new Fixed Cost programs for Intended Parents allow us to protect both the surrogates and the intended parents, and ensure all medical bills will be paid in a timely manner.
  3. $5,000 compensation, even if you leave the program. If you are accepted into our surrogate program and you are medically cleared and matched with intended parents – but you don’t achieve a pregnancy – we will compensate you for your time, energy and dedication thus far in your journey (up to $5,000 total).
  4. Empowerment in birth choices. Not every gestational carrier has the same desires when it comes to the birth of their surro baby. At Circle, our surrogates have choices for her preferred birth options, such as doula care, a hospital birth, or using a birth center with a midwife.
  5. Personalized, small agency feel, with the resources of a large agency. The first person you speak with at Circle will be an experienced carrier who guides you through the process until you are matched with intended parents, personally introducing you to your dedicated social worker and journey support team, all of whom are in house at Circle. You’ll always be supported by a Circle employee, who knows all the details about you and your journey (you’ll never have to worry about working with a third party who doesn’t even know your name!) Plus, with our expanded team, we are able to offer support groups, virtual events, one-on-one surrogate mentorship and more.

Plus these extras, only for Circle surrogates.

Benefits beyond your surrogate compensation come from working with an agency who has supported the needs of surrogates for over two decades. We have experienced gestational carriers on staff and at your disposal for questions, advice and so much more.

Connection with experienced surrogates.

You will be connected with experienced surrogates on our staff from your first moment of communication.

Surrogate meetups.

Honoring and connecting surrogates across the country to share their stories and make new friends.

Private Facebook group.

A private and safe online space for surrogates to connect and express feelings, experiences and reciprocate support.

How to compare surrogate pay between agencies

As you research surrogacy, you may find that you're seeing different surrogate pay from different agencies. Some agencies are offering way more than others – is it too good to be true?

There is more than the final dollar amount to consider when comparing agencies, and it can all be a little bit overwhelming.

Circle offers a free surrogate pay comparison analysis, done by our experienced Surrogate Advisors. Just email us and we'll set up a time to compare the compensation from multiple agencies; no commitment whatsoever!

See above for a breakdown of Circle Surrogacy surrogate pay and benefits.

Every gestational carrier who comes to us is unique. If there is something in our benefits package that doesn't work for you – or you feel something is missing – we are happy to craft a compensation package that's personalized to your circumstances.

Plus, if you find a payment or benefit at another agency that better fits what you're looking for, we'll do our best to match it!

How do I get paid as a surrogate?

Your base compensation is paid monthly in nine installments beginning with the confirmation of heartbeat, which occurs around six weeks gestation. However, you will receive compensation in the time leading up to that for transfers as well as the medical screening and signing your contract.

Become a Surrogate

Why should I trust Circle to arrange my surrogate compensation?

That’s a great question. Circle is a world leader in surrogacy services, with over 25 years of experience helping families grow. We’ve also partnered with premier fertility clinic organizations and advocacy groups as part of our ongoing work to promote American surrogacy.

But most importantly, our team includes many women who have completed the surrogacy journey themselves, and we bring that wealth of experience and passion to you throughout the surrogacy process. It’s through this devotion to our work that Circle has risen to such prominence in surrogacy services. We really do think of ourselves and our parents and surrogates as one big family.

Ready to become a surrogate?

If you are ready to help a family by giving them the gift of parenthood and to help your family by earning surrogate pay with Circle, apply now!


Apply now