Over the years, many stars from all different industries have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of taking on the ballroom for a season of Dancing With the Stars. The show first started in 2005 and is now nearing its milestone 30th season. The variety of cast members over the years has ranged from athletes to singers to politicians and more. What many viewers fail to realize is that when a star is handed the Mirrorball Trophy they are also given a pretty hefty paycheck.

While the stars play a major role in the show, hence the title, there are other important jobs that make up the show as well. For years, Tom Bergeron hosted the dancing competition before later being joined by Erin Andrews. Last fall, the hosting duo was shockingly replaced by Tyra Banks. The show has actually had the same three head judges since its start. The judges' panel consists of Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodmen, and Bruno Tonioli. Last year, former professional dancer Derek Hough made his return to the ballroom as a judge.

Related: DWTS: Why Fans Think Pro Lindsay Arnold Isn't Returning For Season 30

Being part of a season of Dancing With The Stars takes a lot of time and energy. Each cast member, including the professional dancers, the stars, the judges, and the host, are all paid for their time on the show. However, their pays differ depending on their role.

Stars

Hannah Brown Alan Bersten Dancing with the Stars

The stars' pay is determined by how many weeks they remain in the competition. According to Us Weekly, the stars get paid $125,000 for the two weeks of preparation prior to the start of the season. Contestants who remain through weeks three and four get an additional $10,000 per episode. For weeks five and six, contestants receive an additional $20,000 per episode. They then receive an additional $30,000 per episode for weeks seven and eight. The stipend for the final two weeks is $50,000 per episode. Therefore, the most a star can make on the show is $345,000, but reports claim the show caps stars' earnings at $295,000.

Professional Dancers

Kaitlyn Bristowe and Artem Chigvintsev on the Dancing With The Stars 2020 season 29 finale

Similar to the stars, many professional dancers have come and gone from the show as well. When a dancer is just starting out on the show, they are said to make around $1,200 per episode. Then, as they gain more experience, they begin to earn closer to $5,000 per episode. Although they're the driving force behind the celebrities' success, their contribution certainly isn't reflected in their salary.

Hosts

Tom Bergeron Dancing with the Stars

Prior to his exit from the show, Tom Bergeron was allegedly making $150,000 per episode, which results in a salary of $1.5-$1.8 million depending on the number of episodes in the season. It is unknown how much Tyra Banks is now being paid for the hosting gig.

Next: DWTS: Derek Hough Wants TikTok Star Charli D'Amelio to Compete On Show

Source: Us Weekly, Heavy