Contestants on Dancing With the Stars are often curious about their compensation for participating in the glitzy competition. While the figures may vary, there are established payouts for the competitors, as outlined by various sources.
Initial Earnings and Weekly Payments
According to a 2019 report from Variety, contestants typically receive a base pay of $125,000 for the rehearsal phase and the first two weeks of the competition. Should they advance beyond the initial stages, they can earn additional money on a weekly basis. The maximum potential earnings reported at that time reached up to $295,000.
A Personal Insight: Bobby Bones’ Experience
Radio personality Bobby Bones, who won Season 27 alongside Sharna Burgess in 2018, has indicated that his earnings surpassed these estimates. In a September 2025 episode of Jason Tartick‘s podcast, Trading Secrets, Bones detailed the pay structure: “That show pays OK. Like, first episode, no money. Second episode, $10,000. I think it’s like, $10,000, $10,000, $20,000, $20,000. It ends up being $50,000 an episode if you last.”
He went on to disclose that he had a base salary of around $110,000, ultimately making close to $400,000 throughout his time on the show.
No Official Confirmation from ABC
Despite these insights, ABC has not officially confirmed any of the figures circulated by the press or shared by contestants. This leaves some ambiguity around the actual payment structure for participants in Dancing With the Stars.
