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‘DWTS’ stars and pros make it look easy — but the real surprise is in how much they actually earn

"As a backup dancer, back when I did it, yes, because there were two seasons a year. But, with one season a year, no [I don’t think it’s livable]," Lindsay Arnold said.

Over the last 33 seasons, many renowned celebrities like 'The Bachelor' alum Joey Graziadei, TikTok sensation Charli D'Amelio, and 'Euphoria' actress Zendaya have showcased their dancing skills on 'Dancing With The Stars' to win the prestigious mirrorball trophy, and with time, the show has built a loyal fanbase. At the moment, the die-hard fans of the ABC dance competition are eager to know how much money these celebrity contestants and their professional dance partners make during their time on the beloved dance show. Don't fret; we have got you all covered about the salary details for 'Dancing With The Stars' competitors.

According to a report by Variety, all the celebrity contestants competing on the show get a starting salary of $125,000 for the first two weeks of their appearances, which includes the rehearsals as well. It has been reported by the media outlet that the contestants receive increasing salaries for every additional two weeks they last on the show. For the celebrities who make it to weeks three and four, they get an additional bonus of $10,000 per week. 

For stars who advance to week five, they get an additional $15,000 deposited in their bank account; meanwhile, in weeks six and seven, the contestants get paid $20,000. Furthermore, the weekly payout for contestants in weeks eight and nine is $30,000. And the lucky contestants who make it to the semi-final and final can get an additional $50,000 prize money every week. After an 11-week season of 'Dancing With The Stars' comes to an end, the stars who manage to reach the finale likely walk away with a staggering $360,000 if the rumored figures are correct. The above breakdown could result in $345,000; however, Variety reported in 2020 that the most a celebrity contestant can make on the show is reportedly $295,000. 

On the other hand, when we talk about the salaries of the professional dancers featured on the show, they are significantly lower. During their time on 'Dancing With The Stars,' the pro dancers are expected to train their celebrity partners at least 20 hours a week, choreograph the dance routine, and then perform on the stage. As per a report by IB Times, the initial salary of a pro dancer is $1,600 per episode, but for pros who have been a part of 'DWTS' for several seasons now, the speculation is that their salary is negotiable and it can be as much as $5,200 per episode. However, the pro dancers still have to stay in the competition to collect it. The outlet reported that the maximum payout for a pro dancer is $100,000 per season.

As per US Weekly, while appearing on an episode of Jason Tartick’s “Trading Secrets” podcast, pro dancer Lindsay Arnold, who was bumped down to the troupe, said, "As a backup dancer, back when I did it, yes, because there were two seasons a year. But, with one season a year, noI don’t think it’s livable], 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.” Up until this moment, ABC has never made any official statement regarding the salaries of the stars and the pro dancers.