# What 'Dancing With the Stars' pros actually earn

> The salaries behind the sequins are surprisingly low for most dancers on the hit competition show.
- Title: What 'Dancing With the Stars' pros actually earn | Shortify
- Summary: The salaries behind the sequins are surprisingly low for most dancers on the hit competition show. DWTS pros start at $1,200 per week and max out around…
- Keywords: dancing with the stars, dwts, professional dancers, salaries, troupe dancers, jenna johnson, hailey bills, lindsay arnold, tom bergeron, abc, reality tv, entertainment industry
- Source: Cosmopolitan — https://cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a73759181/dwts-pro-salaries
- Author: Mehera  Bonner
- Published: 2026-09-16T14:32:55+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: dancing with the stars, dwts, professional dancers, salaries, troupe dancers, jenna johnson, hailey bills, lindsay arnold, tom bergeron, abc, reality tv, entertainment industry
## Pros start at $1,200 weekly
Professional partners begin at $1,200 per week. The highest-paid dancers make around $5,000 per episode, totaling $50,000 to $75,000 per season.
## Influencing supplements their income
The show offers major exposure for pros. They usually end up influencing, which puts more money in their pockets as a byproduct of being on the show.
## Troupe dancers earn even less
Background dancers make more than half less than pros. Lindsay Arnold said the salary isn't livable in L.A. when you factor in rent, food, and gas.

> I guess it depends on the kind of life that you live, but living in L.A., paying rent, buying food there, paying for gas, like, you'd be really tight.
## Tom Bergeron made $150K per episode
The former host earned $150,000 per episode in his heyday, which added up to over $1 million per season.
## Celebrities earn up to $295K
Cast members start at $125,000 for rehearsals and the first two weeks. The maximum anyone can take home is $295,000, plus a negotiable signing bonus.

> Your signing bonus, I think you can negotiate a bit, like, to sign to say you're going on the show.
## Key takeaway

DWTS pros start at $1,200 per week and max out around $5,000 per episode, earning $50,000-$75,000 per season.