How Much Do Ballet Dancers Make?

If you are looking to start a career in dancing there are many different things to think about such as: how do you get started, and how do you get here. What will I earn? And this is why we've decided to bring you the answer to your question – How much do ballet dancers earn?

Are you curious about how much some of the most famous ballet dancers make per year? 

Or maybe you are looking for the average salary of professional ballet dancers by country. You might even be wondering how much different professional companies pay their principal ballerinas. 

Below you’ll find some rough salaries and pay for professional ballet dancers. Take note, they do vary quite a bit from company to company.

The average salary for ballet dancers in the US is $46,680 a year. The highest-paying states for ballet dancers are: Louisiana with an average salary of $54,390 a year and Washington with an average salary of $53,060 a year. The highest-paying city for ballet dancers is Amherst, NY where being a ballet dancer can earn you an average salary of $63,940 a year.

The average salary of a professional ballerina varies depending on the country where they work and their experience level. According to PayScale, the median salary for a female ballet dancer in America is $50,000 per year. 

 The average salary of a professional ballerina can range from $20,000 to $150,000 per year. The average salary for a professional ballet dancer in the United States is about $50,000 per year. The highest-paid ballerinas make between $100,000 and $200,000 per year.

These figures are based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2018 data for dance instructors and choreographers. 

I have compiled data from a variety of sources to find the answers you are looking for.

Tulsa Ballet, corps member

Salary $665/week

Benefits: Health insurance, 40 pairs of pointe shoes per year, on-site physical therapist and massage therapist, gym membership and nutritionist

Martha Graham Dance Company, dancer

Salary: About $900/week

Benefits: Full year-round health coverage

Houston Ballet

Average Salary: $62,973

Boston Ballet,

 first-year corps member

Salary: $1,262.53 per week

St. Louis Ballet

first year corps member

Salary: $325 per week

More Ballet Salary, Wage, and Pay Numbers…

The median salary for ballet dancers is $30,007 annually in a range that spans $20,604 to $58,723 in 2018.

Freelance gigs typically come in at $500 to $1,500 per performance.

Apprentice Salary (New Dancer): $125 – $800 per week

Corps de Ballet Salary: $325 – $1,500 per week

Principal Dancer Salary: $53,000 – $150,000+ a year for the top companies