Tutor Girl! What Is Bethany Joy Lenz’s Net Worth? How the Actress Earns Money After ‘One Tree Hill’

She’s not just Tree Hill High School’s Tutor Girl anymore! Bethany Joy Lenz is most recognized for her role as Haley James Scott on the hit WB (and later CW) teen drama One Tree Hill . Though the 2000s TV series contributed greatly to her net worth today, the actress’ career spans far beyond One Tree Hill . She’s also dipped her toes into music, writing and even jewelry making.

What Is Bethany Joy Lenz’s Net Worth?

Bethany has a net worth of $1 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth .

How Does Bethany Joy Lenz Earn Money?

Bethany started her acting career as a teenager, first landing roles in commercials for the show Swans Crossing , Eggo Waffles, Dr. Pepper and more. She also appeared in the 1996 horror film Thinner , based on Stephen King ’s novel of the same name, as a sophomore in high school.

The actress caught her big break at 17 years old when she landed a series regular role as the teenage clone of Reva Shayne on CBS’ daytime soap opera Guiding Light . She was later recast as Michelle Bauer Santos.

Bethany reached a new audience when she was cast as Haley in One Tree Hill in 2003. The show, which followed rivals-turned-friends and half-brothers Lucas Scott ( Chad Michael Murray ) and Nathan Scott ( James Lafferty ), became an instant hit and ran for nine seasons, ending in 2012. It is still beloved today and considered one of the classic teen series of its time.

In 2021, Bethany even launched a One Tree Hill rewatch podcast with former costars Hilarie Burton Morgan and Sophia Bush , who played Haley’s best friends Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis, respectively.

After One Tree Hill , Bethany went on to appear in Dexter , Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Pearson and more. She also starred in multiple TV Christmas films, such as A Biltmore Christmas and Poinsettias for Christmas .

Bethany has dabbled in directing and producing, having gone behind the camera for episodes of One Tree Hill , as well as The Notebook Musical and an episode of Nasty Habits in 2017.

Bethany’s music career also took off during her time on One Tree Hill , with her songs “Feel This,” “When the Stars Go Blue,” “Halo” and more appearing on the show. In 2008, she formed the band Everly with her friend Amber Sweeney , but they split in 2012. The band released four EPs.

Finally, the singer-songwriter has ventured into other business areas, including a jewelry line that she created with Stilnest in 2016. Bethany also launched a broadsheet newspaper for women called Modern Vintage in 2023.

Bethany Joy Lenz Spent 10 Years in a Cult

In 2024, Bethany announced her memoir , Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult) . The book, set for release on October 22, 2024, details her time on One Tree Hill while also exploring her 10 years of involvement in the cult-like church covenant known as The Big House Family.

“An only child who often had to fend for herself and always wanted a place to belong, Lenz found the safe haven she’d been searching for in a Bible study group with other Hollywood creatives. However, the group soon morphed into something more sinister — a slowly woven web of manipulation, abuse, and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family,” the book’s synopsis reads.

The description continues, “Piece by piece, Lenz began to give away her autonomy, ultimately relocating to the Family’s Pacific Northwest compound, overseen by a domineering minister who would convince Lenz to marry one of his sons and steadily drained millions of her TV income without her knowledge. Family ‘minders’ assigned to her on set, ‘Maoist struggle session’–inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counseling with ‘Leadership’ were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal.”

“Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to leave and spare her child from a similar fate,” the synopsis concludes. “After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help of a One Tree Hill superfan), she finally managed to escape the family’s grip and begin to heal from the deep trauma that forever altered her relationship with God and her understanding of faith.”

Bethany was married to musician Michael Galeotti from 2005 to 2012. The pair welcomed a daughter in 2011.