The women who perform on one of the NFL's most recognizable sidelines had been earning close to minimum wage for years. That changed heading into the 2025-26 season, when Dallas Cowboys executives approved a 400% pay increase for the squad. This development is captured on camera in America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Netflix's Emmy-winning docuseries now in its third season after dropping all seven episodes on June 16.
How Much Do the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Actually Make?
Before the raise, the cheerleaders were earning between $15 and $20 per hour, or $500 per game, putting their annual salary at roughly $75,000. That number sounds reasonable until you factor in the hours — mandatory rehearsals, public appearances, travel commitments, and the physical demands that come with performing at an elite level week after week. The 400% increase brings their hourly rate to $75 and the per-game fee to around $2,500. For veterans who were juggling two or three jobs on the side just to get by, that is a genuine shift in how sustainable the career actually is.
"Our efforts were heard, and they wanted to give us a raise," fourth-year member Megan McElaney said on camera. "And we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is, like, life-changing."
Why Did It Take So Long, and What Pushed Executives to Finally Act?
Season 2 showed the moment contracts arrived without any pay adjustment. Kylie Dickson summed it up bluntly: "We got our contracts and probably wrongly assumed that it maybe would have been different, just because of everything that was on TV. The world was kind of telling us, 'Girls, fight for more!'"
The Netflix cameras, in a sense, became leverage. Millions of viewers watching these women hold full-time jobs and still barely make rent created a level of public pressure that boardroom conversations alone probably never would. Charlotte Jones, the Cowboys' chief brand officer, acknowledged the disparity directly on the show. "There's a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders — and as it should be," she said. "They're not paid a lot."
Director Kelli Finglass, at the end-of-year banquet, credited the veterans who drove the push. "You guys have moved some mountains this year that will forever change our organisation," she said. "It's just amazing, because that has been 60-plus years long overdue."
How Does Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Pay Compare to the Rest of the NFL?
The gap between cheerleaders and other sideline staff has long been uncomfortable. NFL cheerleaders typically earn around $150 per game, averaging about $22,500 a year — less than what an NFL waterboy makes at $53,000, and below NFL mascots at $25,000 per season. An academic at NYU's Tisch Institute for Global Sport predicted the DCC salary increase would shift expectations across the league, placing cheerleaders above entertainment staff and independent contractors such as mascots. Whether other franchises follow remains to be seen, but the DCC raise gives advocates a concrete benchmark to point to.
What Are the Requirements to Be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader?
The pay story matters more when you understand what the job actually demands. The audition process covers dance evaluations, a written football knowledge test, and strict appearance standards covering hair, makeup, and body shape. Rehearsals are mandatory throughout the NFL season, uniform maintenance is non-negotiable, and all gear must be returned at the end of the year. The framework dates to 1972, shaped originally by choreographer Texie Waterman and later expanded under Suzanne Mitchell, whose directorship ran from 1976 to 1989. Many of those foundational expectations still hold under Finglass today.
Fifth-year veteran Armani Latimer put the significance of the pay fight in personal terms. "We pushed and we got back good results," she said. "I get emotional knowing that I was a part of that. I love the fact that I made change for the girls that are coming up behind me, even if I'm not getting a chance to benefit."
