Here’s how much money Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders *actually* make

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The new documentaries from Netflix America’s Favorite: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has taken over the internet – and for good reason. These ladies work hard to make the team and be competitive all season long. But the series also highlighted how much the cheerleaders are paid, and fans are not happy.

“Please say Sike,” one TikToker captioned her video about DCC salaries, which currently has over 25,000 likes.

“It’s an elite level but not paid like an elite player,” one fan added. “Football players have a ‘love and passion’ for the game and there aren’t many ‘elite level opportunities’ in football either… but how much are they paid?!” another wrote.

As you watch the series, you may notice that many of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have second jobs. The leader of the first group, Kelcey Wetterberg, is a trained pediatric nurse, while newcomer Reece Allman gets a job in a flower shop. And that’s because, despite all their hard work, NFL cheerleaders don’t make that much money.

“I would say I make something like a substitute teacher (salary),” DCC graduate Kat Puryear says in a confessional. “I would say I do something like a Chick-Fil-A worker working full time.”

Throughout the series, fans see the ladies of DCC training for hours a day – and working long nights – in addition to their other jobs. In December 2023, the crew worked 21 days in a row thanks to additional Christmas shows, said DCC director Kelli Finglass.

Of course, the series delves into everything that comes with being a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, from the highs – like representing the team at charity events and performing with celebrities like Dolly Parton – to the lows – like dealing with pressure and sometimes even sexual harassment or assault.

But how much do the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders make? Here’s everything you need to know about their salaries.

How much money do Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders make?

NFL cheerleaders typically earn about $150 per game, ESPN reported in 2017, for an average annual salary of about $22,500. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which equates to an annual salary of $15,080.

In comparison, NFL waterboys typically earn $53,000 per year and NFL mascots make $25,000 per season, NBC Sports Boston wrote in 2022.

There are ways to earn more: Cheerleaders also receive between $50 and $75 for public appearances, according to the outlet.

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are actually one of the highest paid squads. They earn around $15-20 per hour or $500 per game. This puts her annual salary at around $75,000, according to NBC Sports Boston.

Since the show came out, America’s Sweetheart Director Greg Whiteley said he “never” got a clear answer as to how much a DCC earns. “I think it’s because it depends on how old you are in the group,” he said Shine. “You might even get paid more if you’re a group leader, but I never knew that.”

He confirmed that the DCC are paid more than other NFL cheerleaders. “When it comes to NFL cheerleaders, I can say with great certainty: the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are at the highest end of that pay scale,” he said. “I’ve heard horror stories about what a typical NFL cheerleader makes, but the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders fall into a new category. None of them are rich. None of them get paid much money, but it’s not the same lack of pay that I think other NFL cheerleaders have to experience.

How much money does Kelli Finglass make?

So if the DCC makes about $75,000 a year, how much does its leader, Director Kelli Finglass, make in comparison?

Although not much is known about her exact salary, she has a net worth of $1.5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

NFL cheerleader salaries have always been low.

Unfortunately, this is not a new problem. According to PBS, some NFL cheerleaders earned as little as $5 an hour in 2014. In America’s FavoritesArchival footage shows that the DCC once earned as little as $15 per game.

“I think my game day fee was $35, and we basically donated that back,” said Tina Kalina, who cheered for the DCC in 1989 America’s Favorites. “These millennials, X-Gen – whatever they’re called – see it as a job, whereas us old-timers see it more as a privilege.”

These low salaries are because NFL cheerleaders are independent contractors and not employees, meaning teams are not necessarily required to pay cheerleaders salaries consistent with state or federal minimum wages, according to NBC Sports Boston.

Charlotte Jones, chief brand officer of the Dallas Cowboys and daughter of team owner Jerry Jones, told Netflix cameras that the cheerleaders “don’t come here for the money.”

“They have a passion for dance. There aren’t many opportunities to perform at an elite level in dance,” she said. “It’s about being part of something bigger than yourself.”

Cheerleaders have sued the NFL over low wages.

Many NFL cheerleaders have turned to the legal system to fight for better salaries. In 2014, former Oakland Raiders cheerleader Lacy Thibodeaux-Fields filed the first class-action lawsuit against the NFL regarding cheerleaders’ compensation, alleging wage theft and gender discrimination The Guardian.

More lawsuits followed, including one from a Buffalo Bills cheerleader who claimed she was paid just $105 for an entire season after paying more than $600 for her uniform. As of fall 2020, ten of the 32 NFL teams had been sued for wage theft, harassment, unsafe working conditions or discrimination, the medium writes.

Former Dallas Cowboys public relations chief Richard Dalrymple was accused of secretly filming cheerleaders in their locker room in 2015. A fan also accused Dalrymple of taking indecent photos of Charlotte Jones Bleacher Report.

According to NBC News, the team settled the case in 2022 for $2.4 million, with around $400,000 going to each of the four accusing cheerleaders. Dalrymple retired in February 2022.

Many of these lawsuits were settled privately The Guardian. In subsequent years, many NFL cheerleading teams have made changes, including changing their uniforms, adding men to their squads, or even disbanding the teams entirely.

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