Ever wonder how much ‘DWTS’ hosts earn? It’ll definitely make you rethink your job

If you knew how much ‘DWTS’ hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro really earn, you’d probably want their job (we do too)
PUBLISHED MAY 25, 2025
Photo of hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough from the sets of 'DWTS' Season 33 (Cover Image Source: Instagram | @dancingwiththestars)
Photo of hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough from the sets of 'DWTS' Season 33 (Cover Image Source: Instagram | @dancingwiththestars)

'Dancing with the Stars' season 34 is set to premiere in the fall of 2025, with Robert Irwin, son of Steve Irwin, confirmed to be appearing as a celebrity dancer. Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough are also reprising their roles as hosts in the latest iteration of the show, as confirmed by People. For the unversed, Hough joined the show as a professional dancer in season four, while Ribeiro has been a host ever since season 31. Needless to say, the two are a huge part of the show, which might make one wonder how much the hosts of 'DWTS' earn.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Dancing With The Stars #DWTS (@dancingwiththestars)


 

Hough has been the highlight of 'DWTS' ever since her first year on the show. She even won the Mirrorball Trophy in season four along with celebrity dancer, Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno. Hough then went on to repeat history in season five as she took the 'DWTS' trophy home with race car driver Helio Castroneves. Hough's tenure as a pro dancer lasted from seasons four to eight. After which, Hough even became a judge on the show for three seasons, her role then transformed into that of a host from season 32.



 

As reported by Style Caster, the 'DWTS' veteran was earning $100,000 as a professional dancer. Her salary saw a rise when she became a judge on the show, as she started earning $500,000 per season. Hough's salary saw a further bump when she became a host on the show. This was after her appearance as a judge on 'America's Got Talent,' which further cemented her as an established personality.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough)


 

As reported by Style Caster, while Hough's salary hasn't been officially revealed, Tom Bergeron, who was the host of 'DWTS' from season one to 15, was earning around $150,000 per episode. This would put Hough's salary as a host between $1.5 and $1.8 million per season. Ribeiro, before joining the show in season 31 as a host, was a contestant on the show in season 19 and even appeared as a guest judge in season 21.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough)


 

Ribeiro rose to prominence for his role as Carlton Banks in the NBC sitcom 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.' He even won season 19 as a celebrity dancer alongside pro dancer Witney Carson. As of writing, confirmed numbers for Ribeiro's salary aren't available, but in a report by AS, it was revealed that the 52-year-old earns a salary similar to Hough, which is $150,000 per episode.

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