Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders get 400% pay raise
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 09: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Cincinnati Bengals on December 9, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via G
DALLAS - The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are reportedly receiving a 400% pay raise this season, a significant increase one cheerleader revealed during the new season of the Netflix series "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders."

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 15: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders salary
What we know:
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' reported 400% pay increase for the 2025-2026 season comes after years of the team pushing for better compensation. According to an Associated Press report, the Cowboys settled a lawsuit with a former cheerleader in 2019, which led to their pay per game jumping from $200 to $400. The new raise is four times that amount.
"We ended up getting a 400% increase, which is like, life-changing," four-year veteran Megan McElaney said during season two of the series. She stated that veterans will now earn around $75 per hour, compared to about $15 per hour last season for most cheerleaders.
The reported raise follows a successful first season of "America's Sweethearts" on Netflix, during which the women discussed the challenges of balancing their cheerleading duties with full-time jobs. Season two of the series was released Wednesday.
Local perspective:
The Dallas Cowboys are set to begin their NFL season in Philadelphia against the Eagles on Sept. 4. Their first home game will be in Week 2 against the New York Giants on Sept. 14.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press and "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders."