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Former cheerleader Katherine Puryear compares her earnings to a full-time Chick-fil-A worker in Netflix’s docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Cheerleaders receive a flat fee for game days, with additional hourly pay, totaling up to 11 hours of work.
Practices are paid hourly, and appearances at local events offer a flat fee plus hourly rates, varying by tenure.
Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, alongside the Carolina TopCats, are among the highest-paid in the NFL, earning $15-20 per hour or $500 per game.
On average, NFL cheerleaders earn about $150 per game, or $22,500 per year.
Cheerleading for the Cowboys is described as a full-time commitment with part-time compensation, often requiring additional part-time jobs.
Former cheerleader Tina Kalina recalls earning $35 per game day, contrasting current cheerleaders who see it as a job versus a privilege.
Charlotte Jones, executive VP of the Cowboys, acknowledges low pay but highlights cheerleaders' passion for dance and elite performance opportunities as key motivators.