It’s said to be a seven-day-a-week job during filming, so if you’re wondering how much do Dancing with the Stars pros make per episode, we can tell you they’ve earned it. Unsurprisingly, their earnings go up the further into the season they go, too, so there’s a lot of incentive to be at the top of your game.
DWTS is the American version of the British television series, Strictly Come Dancing, which started airing on the BBC in 2004. Since its premiere, the Dancing With the Stars franchise has expanded to over 74 countries, including India, Brazil, France, New Zealand, and many more.
The competition is pretty straightforward: Celebrities are paired with professional ballroom dancers, and together they practice themed choreographed routines each week. The pairs then go on to perform their routines in front of a panel of judges, who each score their performances on a scale of one to 10. Viewers in the audience and at home are also given a chance to place their votes for their favorite dancers.
These votes by the judges and viewers are combined, and the couple with the lowest cumulative score is eliminated. This process continues for each round until the final when one couple is finally declared the winner and takes home the Mirrorball Trophy. Now that we know exactly how Dancing With the Stars works, we can dive into how much those Dancing With the Stars pros make per episode.
Dancing With The Stars airs on ABC at 8pm ET on Tuesdays.
How much do Dancing With the Stars contestants make?
Dancing With the Stars contestants are estimated to receive a starting salary of $125,000, according to Variety. This salary includes their rehearsal period, which takes place for 20 hours a week for several weeks before the start of the season, along with the first two weeks of their competition on the show. But their earnings don’t have to stop there.
For stars who make it past the first two weeks of the competition, they can expect to see their salary increased biweekly. Celebs who make it to weeks three and four get an additional $10,000 per week, while those who make it to week five get a bonus of $15,000. Weeks six and seven bring an added $20,000 per week. Those who last until weeks eight and nine receive an extra $30,000 per week.
Things get even sweeter for those lucky enough to make it to the semi-finals and the finale. According to multiple reports over the years, celebrities at this stage in the competition bring home an additional $50,000, plus the Mirror Ball trophy if they win the competition. Altogether, these weekly bonuses can add up to over $360,000 depending on the length of the season. However, according to one report by Variety, the most a contestant can make in the competition has been capped at $295,000 as of 2020.
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How much do Dancing With the Stars pros make per episode?
How much do Dancing With the Stars pros make per episode? While the salaries of stars, pros and judges have not been publicly disclosed, Us Weekly reported in 2022 that when pros first start out on the show, they earn $1,200 per episode. This increases the longer they stay with the series and those who returned frequently were making closer to $5,000 per episode. This puts their total salary for the season around $100,000.
In 2014, star Amy Purdy told The LA Times how intense their schedule is. “I know how hard everyone on the cast is working. This show is no joke. The other day someone asked me what I do on my off days. My off days??? There are no off days,” she said.
“Everyone is dancing every day, building right up until Mondays/show days, when you arrive on the set at about 7 a.m. and you are there all day and all night. Then last night we had dance practice after the show until midnight. Then we all start our routines for next week today. It’s exhausting, but it’s also a total blast.”
