While dancing for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is considered a prestigious honor in itself, it doesn\u2019t come with a salary to match<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say I\u2019m making, like, a substitute teacher [salary],\u201d Kat Puryear<\/strong> said during the first season of Netflix\u2019s America\u2019s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders<\/a>. <\/i>\u201cI would say I\u2019m making, like, [the same as a] Chick-fil-A worker [who] works full time.\u201d<\/p>\n In order to make ends meet, many DCC stars supplement their incomes. Several of the girls have multiple jobs, whether it\u2019s a corporate gig or working retail. Chandi Dayle<\/strong> even revealed in season 2 of the Netflix hit that she had four side hustles<\/a> to make ends meet.<\/p>\n Keep scrolling to learn more about the DCC stars\u2019 salaries \u2014 and what they\u2019ve said about the staggering amounts:<\/p>\n Kristin Westbrook<\/strong> danced with the DCC from 2019 to 2022, making $15\/hour for practice<\/a> and then a $400 flat fee for each NFL game.<\/p>\n \u201cFlat fee for appearances \u2014 $100 (x # of years on the team),\u201d she wrote in a June 2025 Instagram Story post, noting a rookie would make $100, while a second-year veteran would earn $200 and so on.<\/p>\n Jada McLean<\/strong> further told The New York Times<\/i><\/a> that she made $15\/hour with a $500-per-game fee during the 2024-2025 season, her fifth with the DCC.<\/p>\n According to Jada, the Cowboys consider the cheerleaders \u201cpart-time employees,\u201d which is why they don\u2019t receive full salaries or health insurance coverage. The dancers do get access<\/a> to the team\u2019s doctor and physical therapist and are encouraged to explore social media partnerships.<\/p>\n In season 2 of America\u2019s Sweethearts<\/i>, the women went to a \u201csponsorship day\u201d event, where various businesses gave them free beauty products and treatments in exchange for online posts.<\/p>\n The football players, however, make more than just hourly wages and get insurance<\/a> through the overall NFL organization.<\/p>\n \u201cI know there\u2019s a lot of controversy with how much we get paid and stuff like that. I\u2019m grateful that we do get paid because, in some instances, some NFL programs do not get paid as much as we do. So, we are very grateful in that sense,\u201d Reece Weaver<\/strong> said on the \u201cUnplanned\u201d podcast<\/a> in 2024. \u201cLike any other NFL cheerleader, you have to be able to have another income coming in [and] you have to have another job with it.\u201d<\/p>\n She added, \u201cYes, you do see these football players and you\u2019re, like, \u2018Wow, you are making so much money,\u2019 but at the end of this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and because it is so prestigious, not everyone can say they\u2019re a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. That in itself is a chapter I\u2019m always going to cherish.\u201d<\/p>\n Reece further acknowledged that Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott makes $160 million, which \u201ccould very well\u201d be more than every NFL cheerleader does combined.<\/p>\n Erica Wilkins<\/strong> sued the Cowboys in 2018 for unfair pay, claiming that she received around $7 per hour without any overtime plus a flat rate of $200 per game. While Erica claimed that she made less than the team mascot, Rowdy, the case was settled out of court in 2019 for an undisclosed sum.<\/p>\n As seen on season 2 of the Netflix doc, Jada led the charge for higher pay along with teammates Megan McElaney<\/strong> and Amanda Howard<\/strong>, eventually securing a 400 percent pay increase at the end of the 2024-2025 NFL season.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were pretty serious, as leaders, this was something that we really wanted to see a change happen,\u201d Jada exclusively told <\/a>Us Weekly<\/a> <\/i>in June 2025. \u201cIt\u2019s a very great change and I think the girls are gonna benefit a lot from it moving forward. \u2026 It\u2019s gonna take a lot of the financial stresses out of their lives, which is something that we wanted to see.\u201d<\/p>\n She added, \u201cI\u2019ve struggled financially on this team and that was something that I didn\u2019t want anyone else to have to deal with while they\u2019re cheerleaders. I think they\u2019re in a good position moving forward.<\/p>\n You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Jada further told The Times<\/i> that the new salary boost could see veteran cheerleaders earn $75 per hour. The Cowboys, however, have not disclosed the new amounts.<\/p>\n Kelli is the longtime director of the DCC, but she wasn\u2019t involved in the salary discussion.<\/p>\n \u201cMy goal was to keep the team\u2019s momentum forward moving, and that\u2019s exactly what we did,\u201d Kelli told Us<\/i>, referring to the cheerleaders\u2019 rumored plans for a walkout if their demands weren\u2019t met. \u201cWe stayed focused on the job at hand. We knew there were some discussions going on. We also know that every spring, we reevaluate as an organization \u2014 all things on all programs. We\u2019re thrilled that the girls are happy with the enhancements that are made. We had a great season with the cheerleaders.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nSpecific Numbers<\/b><\/h3>\n
Extra Perks<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n Anna Kate on season 2 of \u2018America\u2019s Sweethearts.\u2019<\/span> Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCheerleaders Vs. Athletes<\/b><\/h3>\n
Lawsuit<\/b><\/h3>\n
Pay Increase\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n Jada on season 2 of \u2018America\u2019s Sweethearts.\u2019<\/span> netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThank You!<\/h3>\n
What Kelli Finglass Has Said<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n Kelli Finglass and choreographer Judy Trammell.<\/span> Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n