How much do Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders make? Salary details, explored

The America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders docuseries on Netflix offers a lot of insight into the behind-the-scenes circumstances of the cheerleaders. One aspect of the cheerleading career that remains contentious is how much they're paid.

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders fare better than most in this regard, as their rates as of the NFL 2022-23 season are $15-20 per hour, which translates to $500 per match or $75,000 per year, according to an NBC Sports Boston report.

However, there is still a major pay discrepancy between cheerleaders and NFL players and coaches.

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How much do Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders make in salaries?

Katherine Puryear has retired from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. (Image via Netflix)

In America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Katherine Puryear speaks out bluntly about the status of her pay:

"I would say I'm making, like, a substitute teacher [salary]...I would say I'm making, like, Chick-fil-A worker that works full-time."

Many of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have second jobs alongside their cheerleading duties. This is because cheerleaders are classified as independent contractors, not full-time employees, allowing their employers to circumvent minimum wage laws when deciding their compensation.

Still, by the standards of cheerleading teams, the DCC is relatively lucrative, with a rate of $15-20 an hour that converts to $500 per match and $75,000 per year.

However, this still pales in comparison to even players on the practice squads, who make around 80 grand more than the cheerleaders per year, according to a Huffington Post report.

Cheerleaders can earn additional income by charging for event appearances, which, in the case of the DCC, can amount to around $100 per event. However, unlike NFL players, they are not allowed to take on brand sponsorship deals or sign on with influencer agencies.

Charlotte Jones has admitted to the pay issues faced by cheerleaders. (Image via Netflix)

The issues with cheerleader pay are even acknowledged by Dallas Cowboys higher-up Charlotte Jones, who openly says that money isn't the main priority for those signing up for the DCC.

"There’s a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders, and as it should be. They’re not paid a lot. But the facts are that they actually don’t come here for the money. They come here for something that’s actually bigger than that to them."

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Cheerleading has always paid less

Reports of low pay and exploitative working conditions are nothing new for cheerleaders. Even the DCC used to make as little as $15 per game in the past. As Tina Kalina, mother of Victoria Kalina, said in America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders:

"I think my game-day fee was $35, and we basically donated that back. These millennials, X-Gen—whatever they're called—they do look at it as a job, where as us old-timers look at it as more of a privilege."

Cheerleading is also an incredibly demanding profession. Cheerleaders must master strenuous dance routines, rigorously monitor their weight, and rehearse for long hours.

The pressures of cheerleading have led many of those auditioning for or already in the profession to struggle with physical and mental health issues such as body dysmorphia, eating disorders, and anxiety. According to Vivian Williams, who auditioned for the DCC in 2013 and 2014:

"When I’d have a ‘cheat’ meal, I’d have to punish myself by going to the gym for an extra hour or not eating for an extended amount of time. And it was just because I had to be a certain weight. And I didn’t care how I got to that weight."

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Cheerleaders have taken legal action over low-pay

Cheerleaders have resorted to legal means to fight back against their alleged exploitation. In 2014, Lacy Thibodeaux-Fields, who used to be part of the Oklahoma Raiders cheer squad, filed the first class-action lawsuit against the NFL for alleged gender discrimination and wage theft.

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have also faced legal action when Erica Wilkins sued them, claiming she made less money than the team mascot. As a consequence, the cheerleaders' per-game rates were increased.

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With its unfiltered look at the business of cheerleading, America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has delved into the sensitive matters of cheerleader compensation, bringing to the surface an issue that has been simmering for decades.

While there continue to be contentions between cheerleaders and the NFL teams that employ them, open conversations can go a long way toward understanding and addressing such grievances.

America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is currently streaming on Netflix.