Jessenia Cruz is an American reality television personality, social media marketer, former beauty pageant contestant, and Bachelor Nation alumna. She first gained national attention as a contestant on Season 25 of ABC’s The Bachelor, where she competed for the heart of Matt James, the franchise’s first Black Bachelor. She subsequently appeared on Seasons 7 and 8 of Bachelor in Paradise, making her one of the contestants whose Bachelor Nation journey extended beyond the original series.
Cruz was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and has a background in communications, social media marketing, and pageantry. Before appearing on television, she earned a degree in communications and media studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio and won the Miss El Paso title in 2016.
Her television career brought her considerable attention, particularly because of the relationships and conflicts she experienced during her appearances in the Bachelor franchise. Although her initial Bachelor journey did not result in a relationship with Matt James, her later appearances on Bachelor in Paradise gave viewers a much closer look at her personality and approach to relationships.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Jessenia Cruz |
| Date of Birth | October 31, 1992 |
| Age | 33 years old |
| Birthplace | San Antonio, Texas |
| Hometown | San Antonio, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Social Media Marketer, Reality TV Personality |
| Education | University of Texas at San Antonio |
| Degree | Communications and Media Studies |
| Pageant Title | Miss El Paso 2016 |
| Height | Approximately 5 feet 7 inches |
| Known For | The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise |
| Bachelor Season | Season 25 |
| Bachelor Lead | Matt James |
| Husband | Not married; engaged to David Arbona |
| Fiancé | David Arbona |
| Children | None publicly reported |
| Estimated Net Worth | Approximately $150,000–$500,000 |
Jessenia Cruz Age
Jessenia Cruz is 33 years old as of 2026. She was born on October 31, 1992, in San Antonio, Texas, United States. In addition, her zodiac sign is Scorpio.
When Cruz appeared on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor in 2021, she was 27 years old. The official season information and contemporary coverage identified her as a 27-year-old social media marketer from San Antonio.
Jessenia Cruz Early Life and Family
Cruz was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. Her Texas upbringing has remained an important part of her public identity, and her official Bachelor biography described her as a San Antonio native.
Despite her public career, Cruz has not extensively disclosed information about her immediate family. The names and occupations of her parents and details about siblings are not consistently documented in authoritative public sources.
This means that many websites claiming to provide detailed information about her parents or other relatives should be approached carefully. There is currently insufficient reliable information to confidently identify all members of her immediate family.
Cruz has, however, shared aspects of her personal life through social media, including her dogs and relationships. One biographical source notes that she has three dogs, which appear to be an important part of her personal life.
Education
Jessenia Cruz attended the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she studied Communications and Media Studies. Her educational background is particularly relevant to her professional career because she subsequently worked in social media marketing.
Rather than entering television journalism or traditional broadcasting, Cruz developed expertise in digital communication, branding, and social-media strategy. Those skills also became useful when she entered reality television and developed a public following.
Jessenia Cruz and Pageantry
Before becoming a reality television personality, Cruz participated in beauty pageants. One of her most notable accomplishments came in 2016, when she won the title of Miss El Paso. Her pageant experience helped her develop skills in public speaking, presentation, media appearances, and interacting with audiences. Those abilities later translated naturally into her reality-TV career and social-media presence.
Her pageant background was also highlighted by ABC when Cruz was introduced as one of the contestants on The Bachelor.
Jessenia Cruz’s Career Before The Bachelor
Cruz worked as a social media marketer before joining The Bachelor. The official cast information described her occupation as a social media marketer, while current biographical databases sometimes use the title social media manager.
Her work involved digital communication and social-media strategy, providing her with professional experience outside entertainment. Her career subsequently expanded into reality television, social media influencing, brand partnerships, and public appearances associated with Bachelor Nation.
Jessenia Cruz on The Bachelor
Jessenia Cruz appeared on Season 25 of The Bachelor, which premiered in January 2021. The season starred Matt James, a real-estate broker and charity founder from North Carolina. James made franchise history as the first Black man to serve as the lead of The Bachelor.
Cruz entered the competition as a 27-year-old social media marketer from San Antonio. Her season was particularly notable because of the large cast and several dramatic interpersonal relationships among the contestants.
Cruz developed a connection with James but ultimately did not reach the final stages of the competition. She was eliminated during Week 7, according to the season’s contestant records.
Jessenia Cruz and Matt James
Cruz’s relationship with Matt James was one of the major reasons she became known to Bachelor viewers. During the season, she was able to develop a romantic connection with James, but their relationship did not progress far enough for her to become one of the finalists.
After her elimination, Cruz remained connected to the broader Bachelor Nation community and eventually returned to television through Bachelor in Paradise. Her post-bachelor appearances ultimately became an even more important part of her reality-TV story.
Jessenia Cruz on Bachelor in Paradise
After appearing on The Bachelor, Cruz joined the cast of Season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise. The series brings former contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette franchises together in a tropical setting where they have opportunities to develop new relationships.
Cruz became involved in a relationship with Ivan Hall, another Bachelor Nation personality. Their relationship became part of one of the season’s storylines, although it ultimately did not last. Cruz was eliminated during Week 3 of Season 7.
She later returned for Season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise. Her second return to the beach lasted longer, but she ultimately left the show during Week 5. IMDb credits Cruz with appearances across The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise during 2021–2022.
Jessenia Cruz Husband: Is She Married?
No, Jessenia Cruz is not publicly known to be married. However, her relationship status has changed significantly since her Bachelor Nation appearances. In March 2025, Cruz announced her engagement to David Arbona, a healthcare consultant. People reported that the couple had been together since September 2024 and that Arbona proposed to her in Ravello, Italy, on the Amalfi Coast.
The proposal took place at sunset, and Cruz shared photographs of the engagement on social media. She described Arbona as her best friend and expressed excitement about spending the rest of her life with him. Therefore, referring to David Arbona as her husband would currently be inaccurate based on the available reporting. He is her fiancé.
Who Is David Arbona?
David Arbona is a healthcare consultant who has maintained a considerably lower public profile than Cruz. The couple went public with their relationship in September 2024. Cruz shared photographs from a trip to Culebra, Puerto Rico, and described the experience as finding love in paradise.
Their relationship appears to have developed away from the intense public scrutiny that accompanied Cruz’s earlier Bachelor Nation relationships. Their engagement in Italy in 2025 marked a new chapter in Cruz’s personal life after several years of reality-television dating experiences.
Jessenia Cruz Children
There are no publicly confirmed children associated with Jessenia Cruz and David Arbona. Cruz has shared aspects of her family life online, particularly her affection for her dogs, but she has not publicly announced having children.
If she and Arbona marry or start a family in the future, those details may become part of her public profile, but as of the available information, she does not have publicly documented children.
Jessenia Cruz Height
Jessenia Cruz’s exact height has not been officially confirmed. Some secondary biography sources list her at approximately 5 feet 7 inches (1.70–1.71 meters). Because the figure does not appear to come from an official Bachelor or personal source, it is best treated as an estimated height rather than a confirmed measurement.
Her pageant background and modeling-related work have contributed to public interest in her physical statistics, but Cruz has not made height a major part of her public profile.
Jessenia Cruz Net Worth
Jessenia Cruz’s has an estimated net worth of approximately between $150,000 and $500,000, based largely on her work as a social media marketer, reality-TV personality, model, and social media influencer.
However, this figure should not be regarded as an audited or officially confirmed amount. Cruz’s potential sources of income include her professional social-media work, television appearances, sponsored social-media content, brand collaborations, modeling and pageantry-related activities, and other entertainment opportunities.
Reality-TV contestants generally do not receive the same type of publicly disclosed compensation associated with traditional television stars. Consequently, estimating their total wealth is particularly difficult. A more cautious description would be that Cruz has likely built a six-figure personal net worth, but her exact financial position remains private.
Jessenia Cruz Social Media Career
Social media has played a major role in Cruz’s career. Her background in social-media marketing gave her an advantage when she transitioned into reality television because she already understood online branding and audience engagement.
Following her Bachelor appearances, she developed a sizable audience on Instagram, where she shares photographs related to travel, fashion, lifestyle, relationships, and her personal experiences. Famous Birthdays reports that her Instagram following has reached approximately 80,000 followers.
Jessenia Cruz’s Personality and Interests
Cruz has been portrayed throughout her Bachelor Nation appearances as confident, outgoing, and relationship-oriented. Her interests extend beyond reality television. Public biographical information indicates that she enjoys 1980s fashion and dogs.
Her interest in fashion is consistent with her pageant background, while her social-media career has allowed her to combine fashion, lifestyle content, travel, and personal branding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Jessenia Cruz?
Jessenia Cruz was born on October 31, 1992, making her 33 years old in 2026.
Where is Jessenia Cruz from?
She was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas.
How tall is Jessenia Cruz?
Her height has not been officially confirmed, but some secondary sources estimate that she is approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall.
What does Jessenia Cruz do for a living?
She has worked as a social media marketer and reality-TV personality. She has also worked in areas related to modeling, pageantry, and social-media influencing.
What season of The Bachelor was Jessenia Cruz on?
She appeared on Season 25 of The Bachelor, starring Matt James.
How far did Jessenia Cruz get on The Bachelor?
She was eliminated in Week 7.
Was Jessenia Cruz on Bachelor in Paradise?
Yes. She appeared on Seasons 7 and 8 of Bachelor in Paradise.
Who is Jessenia Cruz engaged to?
She is engaged to David Arbona, a healthcare consultant. He proposed to her in Ravello, Italy, in March 2025.
Is Jessenia Cruz married?
There is no reliable report that she is married. As of the latest available information, she is engaged to David Arbona.
Who are Jessenia Cruz’s parents?
Although Cruz has said she was raised in San Antonio, the identities and occupations of her parents have not been reliably disclosed in major public sources.
What is Jessenia Cruz’s net worth?
Secondary sources estimate her net worth at approximately $150,000–$500,000, although there is no verified public financial disclosure confirming the amount.
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