Let’s be honest: when you watch an NFL game, your eyes probably wander from the quarterback to the sideline. You see the cheerleaders, all smiles and perfect hair, and wonder: “How much do they actually make for that?” It’s a fair question, and the answer might surprise you—and make you appreciate your own day job a little more.
The average NFL cheerleader salary is surprisingly modest. According to reports from former cheerleaders and news investigations, most earn between $15 to $30 per hour for game days and rehearsals. That sounds okay, right? Well, here’s where it gets sticky: a typical season includes only about ten home games and a few preseason games, plus mandatory practices. For the entire season, many cheerleaders take home less than $5,000 total.
Let’s put that into daily life terms. Imagine you work a normal retail job at the mall. You earn, say, $17 an hour, and you clock about 20 hours a week. After a few months, you might have enough to cover your rent and a nice dinner out. But an NFL cheerleader? She’s putting in hundreds of hours of unpaid travel, charity appearances, and promotional events—all while wearing a tiny uniform in freezing temperatures.
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Why the pay is so low (and why it matters)
You might think, “But they get to be on TV! That’s exposure, right?” Exposure doesn’t pay the electric bill. Many cheerleaders also work second jobs as nannies, flight attendants, or fitness instructors just to make ends meet. They aren’t rolling in cash; they’re rolling in dedication.
Here’s a little story: one former cheerleader for the New Orleans Saints revealed she earned $1,100 per season—and that was before taxes. That’s less than what a barista might earn in two weeks. “I spent more on gas and makeup than I made,” she said. It’s a passion project, not a paycheck.
And remember the class-action lawsuits? In recent years, cheerleaders for teams like the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills sued for unpaid wages and minimum wage violations. They won settlements worth thousands of dollars, proving that even billion-dollar organizations sometimes forget to pay their most visible ambassadors fairly.
How Much Do Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Make? Salary After Pay Rise
What you can do with that kind of money
Let’s play a game: imagine you have an extra $5,000 to spend. What would you do? My first instinct is a vacation to the beach. But for an NFL cheerleader, that $5,000 has to cover three months of rent, groceries, and all those sparkly outfits. Suddenly, that beach trip looks like a day trip to the local park.
Or think about your own hobbies. Do you do something you love for free? Maybe you coach a kids’ soccer team or paint on weekends. That’s basically the cheerleader’s life—except you’re doing it in front of 70,000 screaming fans and getting paid less than a babysitter.
Why should you care? (Yes, you!)
“Okay,” you say, “I don’t cheer at games. Why does this matter to me?” Because it’s a story about respect and value. If a woman who practices for hours, smiles through injuries, and represents a multi-billion-dollar league gets only a few thousand dollars, what does that say about how we value any hardworking person behind the scenes?
Even if you’ve never cheered, you’ve probably overworked and underpaid somewhere. Maybe you’re the receptionist who does extra work without a raise. Or the barista who makes the best latte but gets no tip. This is your story, too. The cheerleader’s salary is a mirror held up to all of us who do a lot for little reward.
NFL cheerleader salary: How much does an NFL cheerleader make?
Plus, let’s be real: NFL teams are absolutely rolling in cash. The average NFL player earns about $3 million a year. The cheerleaders? They earn 0.01% of that. That’s like buying a mansion and forgetting to pay for the welcome mat.
The silver lining (and a little hope)
But here’s the good news: because of lawsuits and public awareness, some teams have started paying cheerleaders a stipend per game or covering travel expenses. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders now report making closer to $10,000 a season. Still not millionaire territory, but a step up from pocket change.
And many cheerleaders say it’s not about the money. They do it for the adrenaline, the sisterhood, and the chance to perform at the highest level. “I’d do it for free,” one anonymous cheerleader told a reporter. But she shouldn’t have to.
So next time you see a cheerleader shaking a pom-pom in a snowstorm, give her a little mental salute. She’s not just cheering for the team—she’s cheering for her own dreams, one low-paycheck season at a time. And maybe, just maybe, we can all root for better pay for people who make our Sundays brighter.