“Dancing With the Stars” Season 33 Prizemoney: How Much Do Celebrities and Dancers Get Paid?

If you’ve ever tuned into Dancing with the Stars, it is the ultimate blend of sparkly costumes, fancy footwork, and, of course, tons of drama. But here’s a question that’s probably crossed your mind: how much do the celebs and pro dancers actually make for all those hours of rehearsal and hard work?

You’ve seen the moves, but what about the money behind it all? Celebrities come for the fame, but they sure do stay for the cash—same goes for the pros. No doubt, the stars (both celebs and dancers) are getting paid big bucks to be part of the action.

Sure, the competition is fierce, but there’s also a lot of cash to be made. Let’s take a look at how much the celebrities and professional dancers make and what the grand prize really looks like.

What is Dancing with the Stars About?

If you’re not already obsessed with Dancing with the Stars, you might be wondering what it’s all about. The show is an American reality TV competition where famous people (aka celebrities) are paired up with professional dancers.

Together, they perform various types of dance routines, from the cha-cha to the tango, all while trying to impress the judges and get as many votes as possible from the audience. The goal is simple: make it as far as possible and win that shiny Mirror Ball trophy. Celebs don’t just get judged for their dancing—the viewers at home get to vote too.

So, it’s not just about doing a good job on the floor—it’s about winning over the hearts (and votes) of the audience. The competition is tough, and there’s a lot of drama in every season. Who’s getting along? Who’s feuding? Who’s secretly better at dancing than we thought?

It’s a combination of talent, strategy, and of course, a little bit of chaos. Throughout the season, contestants battle it out week after week, trying to stay in the game long enough to make it to the finale. The longer they last, the bigger their paycheck.

How Much Do Celebrities Make on Dancing with the Stars?

Well, according to Variety, the starting salary for a celebrity on Dancing with the Stars is $125,000. But wait—there’s more. This is just for their participation in the show, which includes a lot of hard work.

Celebs have to train for hours and hours each week, practicing their routines, all before the season even starts. But the longer a celebrity stays in the competition, the more money they make. If a celeb makes it to week three or four, they earn an extra $10,000 per week.

By week five, they get an additional $15,000 a week. It just keeps getting better as they keep dancing their way through the competition. By the time they hit weeks six and seven, they get $20,000 per week.

And if they make it to weeks eight and nine, that jumps up to $30,000 a week. Now, let’s do the math here: if a celebrity makes it all the way to the finale of the season, they could end up making around $360,000 in total. A source told GossipCop via International Business Times:

Contracts are renegotiated each season, and obviously there’s going to be pay increases based on longevity and other factors.

Even with the cut, though, it’s still a pretty solid paycheck. So, if you’ve ever thought about signing up for Dancing with the Stars, now you know—there’s some serious money involved if you make it all the way to the top!

How Much Do the Dancers Make on Dancing with the Stars?

Now, we all know the celebrities are making the big bucks, but what about the real stars—the professional dancers? They might not get the same level of fame as the celebs, but they’re the ones doing all the hard work behind the scenes.

So, how much are they getting paid to teach those celebrities how to dance? As reported by Parade, the starting salary for a professional dancer is around $1,600 per episode. Doesn’t sound too bad, but it’s not the millions you might expect for being on TV every week.

However, for the dancers who’ve been on the show for several seasons and have built up a fan base, the pay can get better. Some of the more popular pro dancers can negotiate their salary and make up to $5,200 per episode. Now, that’s more like it. But, of course, they still have to make it through the entire season to get that paycheck.

The longer they stay in the competition, the more money they make. All in all, the cap for a professional dancer’s earnings per season is reportedly around $100,000. It’s still not the kind of paycheck a celebrity can pull in, but it’s pretty good for someone who’s dancing for a living.

What is the Prize Money for Winning Dancing with the Stars Season 33?

Here’s the million-dollar question: how much can a celebrity win if they manage to take home the Mirror Ball trophy? Well, the prize money for Dancing with the Stars isn’t exactly a secret, but it’s not always clearly stated either.

Still, we have a pretty good idea of what the stars could be making at the end of the season. First off, celebrities who make it into the semi-finals and beyond can win an extra $50,000 every week. If they make it all the way to the finale, they could walk away with up to $360,000 in prize money, depending on how many weeks they survived.

But, the prize money has changed over the years. Back in 2019, the top earners only got a max of $295,000 (via Variety). Even though it was cut down a bit, it’s still a huge payday for a few weeks of dancing.

And then there’s the Mirror Ball trophy, of course, which is the ultimate symbol of victory on the show. Who doesn’t want to hold that thing up and bask in the glory of winning? But while the glittery trophy is nice, it’s the paycheck that really makes the whole experience worth it.

Dancing with the Stars is available to stream on ABC platforms and Disney+!