Bobby Bones Shares How Much Money He Made on Dancing With the Stars

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Bobby Bones waltzed away from Dancing With the Stars with a lot more than just the Mirrorball Trophy.

Let me tell you, as someone who keeps an eye on these things, it’s always fascinating to hear about the financial side of reality TV! Bobby recently shared how much he earned when he won season 27 of the show back in 2018, partnered with the amazing Sharna Burgess. He revealed it was a six-figure income, and the best part? He got paid *more* with each round he survived – talk about motivation! It really shows how the stakes – and the paychecks – rise as the competition heats up.

The show started with no pay for the first episode, then paid $10,000 for the second. It eventually increased to around $50,000 per episode, if you stayed on the show, he explained on the September 15th episode of Jason Tartick’s *Trading Secrets* podcast. He ended up earning about $400,000 total, so it was a good financial opportunity.

Bobby’s appearance on *Dancing With the Stars* opened doors to new projects. In 2021, he starred in his own reality show, *Breaking Bobby Bones*, which aired on the National Geographic Channel.

“It splits into so many different tributaries,” he said. “I mean, millions of dollars again.”

Bobby Bones waltzed away from Dancing With the Stars with a lot more than just the Mirrorball Trophy.

The radio host explained how much he earned during the season he won in 2018 with professional dancer Sharna Burgess. He made over $100,000 during season 27, and his pay increased because he wasn’t eliminated at any point.

Bobby Estell shared on Jason Tartick’s *Trading Secrets* podcast that while the first episode of the show didn’t pay, the second earned him $10,000. He explained the payout increased to around $10,000 to $20,000 per episode if you stayed on the show, eventually reaching $50,000. He estimates he made around $400,000 total, calling it ‘financially pretty good.’

In addition to his pay from the show, he says *Dancing with the Stars* helped him land other opportunities, such as his 2021 reality series *Breaking Bobby Bones* on the National Geographic Channel.

“It splits into so many different tributaries,” he said. “I mean, millions of dollars again.”

Bobby started his reality TV journey as a mentor on *American Idol* and then competed on *Dancing With the Stars*. He recently revealed a helpful tactic he used to gain an advantage over other contestants.

He admitted to bending the rules during training. They only allowed partners to work together for a set amount of time each day – about four hours. He’d use those four hours, then secretly record the session and continue practicing alone at a rented studio. He knew he was going over the allotted time, but he felt he had to because he was behind the others.

During the show, Bobby and Sharna consistently received scores that were generally average. While many viewers weren’t impressed with his performances, judge Julianne Hough later admitted to Andy Cohen in 2024 that she didn’t believe Bobby deserved to win, stating he wasn’t the strongest dancer among the thirteen finalists.

And he concurs.

He jokingly admitted he didn’t do well on the show, saying he wasn’t controversial, just bad at it. He added that he really gave it his all.

Read on for more secrets about Dancing With the Stars…

In 2019, *Variety* reported that contestants on *Dancing With the Stars* initially earn around $125,000 for rehearsals and the first two weeks of the show, with payouts increasing each week they continue. Sources at the time estimated a potential maximum earning of $295,000.

However, Bobby Bones, who won season 27 with Sharna Burgess in 2018, claimed he earned significantly more.

On Jason Tartick’s *Trading Secrets* podcast in September 2025, Bones explained the pay structure: no money for the first episode, $10,000 for the second, and increasing amounts each week – eventually reaching up to $50,000 per episode if a contestant lasts. Combined with a base salary of around $110,000, Bones said he made nearly $400,000 from his time on the show.

ABC has not officially verified these reported figures.

Details about professional dancers’ earnings aren’t widely available, but like the contestants, they generally make more money the further they progress in the competition. Even if a pro is eliminated early, they still receive payment. Jenna Johnson explained on the June 2025 episode of *The Morning After* podcast that dancers are guaranteed pay for a certain number of weeks, though contracts can vary. She clarified that she can only speak for herself and not all professionals.

It seems professional dancers on *Dancing with the Stars* don’t earn extra money for winning the show, despite what many believe. While winning the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy is a great honor, the real financial incentive is reaching the finale. As pro dancer Cheryl Johnson explained on *The Morning After*, dancers are paid for the entire season if they make it to the end, and they also receive a bonus. Winning doesn’t come with a large cash prize to split with their celebrity partner – it’s mostly about the trophy!

That doesn’t seem to be what happened. Dancer Lindsay Arnold shared on the 2022 podcast *Trading Secrets* that her pay was reduced by more than half when she moved from being a professional dancer to a troupe member.

Professional dancers have very little say in who they’re paired with on *Dancing With the Stars*. Lindsay explained on the *Hot Smart Rich* podcast that pairings are decided by producers, and dancers are simply told who their partner is and expected to make it work. Jenna added on *The Morning After* that the pairings are usually kept secret until the last minute to capture a genuine reaction – dancers don’t know who they’ll be partnered with and aren’t even told who’s on the cast, despite leaks. Former showrunner Rob Wade told TopMob News that height, build, personality, and compatibility are considered when making matches. The goal is to avoid pairing people who won’t get along, as the experience is too intense for everyone involved – the celebrity, the production team, and the viewers. They’ve learned from past mistakes where incompatible pairings led to a miserable experience.

Dancing With the Stars requires a huge time commitment. Rylee Arnold, who danced with Stephen Nedoroscik in season 33, explained on the Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis that rehearsals typically last four hours, either from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. But the work doesn’t end there – she often has meetings with producers or the creative team, works on choreography, or studies dance videos. She says her entire life revolves around the show, but she loves it and that makes her happy. It’s a demanding schedule with no days off; they rehearse Tuesday through Sunday, then spend Monday working on camera angles before another show on Tuesday.

Emma Slater and Britt Stewart shared in a September 2025 Instagram video that they were mostly on board with something, but it involved working with the show’s producers.

If you think the quickstep dance is fast-paced, you should see how quickly the costume department works! Costume designer Daniela Gschwendtner explained to TV Insider that they collaborate with set, lighting, and dance teams to create a unique story for each dancer’s outfit. Then, they have just five days – often only half a day per costume, before even adding rhinestones – to make everything. The department employs around 20 people, plus a separate tailor shop, making it a large operation.

Costume designer Steven Norman Lee added that dancers usually don’t even try on their costumes until just hours before the show. While they might occasionally reuse pants for the male dancers, most costumes are made from scratch each week.

As Gschwendtner pointed out, they’ll reuse items for group performances or promotional shoots, but never for the competition itself. The goal is to keep everything fresh and new each week to maintain visual interest for the audience.

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2025-09-18 01:18